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After Photoshopping several bindings "on" my guitar sides, I've decided that quilted maple binding would be the best. However, I would like to "pop" the grain, to darken it just enough so that the quilt figure has chakoyancy. I know that guitar builders use weak black dye, then they sand the wood down until the dye is only in the figure.

Is there an alternative to this procedure to bring out the quilting? I don't want to do a lot of sanding on the already thin maple binding strips. Does figured maple respond to strong coffee or tea, as a light dye? I would love for the wood to have a light brown/red tone. The guitar will be finished with French polish of shellac. I bought blond shellac so that there would be minimal color change in the woods.

Suggestions?

French polish will pop the grain slightly. I use a darker shellac than you are so I get more effect. The black dye trick only works well under highly tinted finishes and tends to look fake under a more clear one. Dyeing bindings under FP is tricky, you need to really seal them good after the dye to keep from dragging out the dye with the mouse when you start polishing. But that is an option. I like Behlins Solar Lux dyes and they can be reduced to lighten the shade quite well. Old timers would use heat to bring out the figure on trim like that. They used hot sand but it could be done with a heat gun if one is very careful.

Thank you Brian.