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Post subject: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:40 pm
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I recently got an American Professional Strat and the first thing I noticed is how "white" the headlock and neck are. I know some models will tint over time, but does anyone have any recommendations on how to achieve this darker, warm tint look faster, without causing damage to the wood? I noticed the same thing on my buddy's new 60th Anniversary Jazzmaster.. on the Fender website images the headstock looks like a nice tinted honey but his is like bleached wood. Thanks


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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 11:49 am
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Shoe polish -- there have been threads on this before. Works like a champ, provides nice tint, and super easy. I have posted pics before on this so you can see if search. Hope this helps.
:D

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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 1:02 pm
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Thanks. If there is a gloss finish already on neck do you have to sand down before applying polish, or can you do it over the gloss? Thanks


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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 2:01 pm
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What color shoe polish works best?
I aged an old Squier neck with Lye... that was a pain and I wasn't totally happy with the result.

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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 7:05 pm
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CB91710 wrote:
What color shoe polish works best?

I wanted to tint my white, white, white neck on my 2004 MIM Strat. My Squier VM Tele also had a similar white neck, so I figured to use that one test on before I did the Strat. I used standard Kiwi dark brown shoe polish and let it sit a bit, then wiped it off. Too easy. The pic below shows the Strat (before) and the Squier (after). They were both the same color when I started. A perfect tint was born. I did the Strat about 5 minutes after this picture was taken, and that came out good too.

Squier (after) & Fender (before):
Image
Image

I did my FrankenStrat too that also had a white, white neck.

FrankenStrat (after):
Image

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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:16 am
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I tend to favour Tan shoe polish over Dark Brown. The Dark Brown seems to have quite a prominent red component which can make the guitar look like it has been used in an axe murder if you aren't careful.

Also keep in mind that poly is almost impenetrable so any colour change is most likely only going to sit on the surface. If you attack it with (very) fine wire wool, scotchbight (pan scourer stuff) or some other fine abrasive that will give fissures in which the wax can nestle to some extent.

I have used spray on plastic dies for plastic components (not guitar related) which might do the job on a neck. I've not heard of it done and a test would be prudent before going down that route.

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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 7:06 pm
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John Sims wrote:
... The Dark Brown seems to have quite a prominent red component which can make the guitar look like it has been used in an axe murder if you aren't careful ...

Just from my experience, I did not have red issues ... zero. Any perceived red in my pics is from bad pic quality. Just a humble fyi regarding my own experience...

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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:54 am
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01GT eibach wrote:
John Sims wrote:
... The Dark Brown seems to have quite a prominent red component which can make the guitar look like it has been used in an axe murder if you aren't careful ...

Just from my experience, I did not have red issues ... zero. Any perceived red in my pics is from bad pic quality. Just a humble fyi regarding my own experience...


My comments were based on my experience not your pictures. YMMV.

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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 7:43 pm
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John Sims wrote:
My comments were based on my experience not your pictures.

I never said they were ... (?)

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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 9:54 am
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Quote:
Also keep in mind that poly is almost impenetrable
I was wondering about that. Do you have to get rid (with abrasive) of the hard shiny finish before using the boot polish?

I like the look of the shown headstocks but would've thought the polish would tend to come off on everything it touches? On a neck, don't you wind up with Kiwi brown/tan hands...?!

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2018 7:40 am
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Peter S wrote:
Quote:
Also keep in mind that poly is almost impenetrable
I was wondering about that. Do you have to get rid (with abrasive) of the hard shiny finish before using the boot polish?

I like the look of the shown headstocks but would've thought the polish would tend to come off on everything it touches? On a neck, don't you wind up with Kiwi brown/tan hands...?!

Cheers - Peter.


The hard finish is pretty much the full thickness of the poly as it doesn't have a shell as such. As noted above I think a bit of very fine wire wool may help to give micro canyons for the coloured wax to lay in which may help.

I am assuming shoe polish contains a dye component of some sort but whether that will actually colour the surface of the poly or merely create a film on top of it I don't know.

I used shoe polish to try to age Odee on the lacquer and plastic - hence my comment about the look of an axe murder. Brown Cherry Blossom was a very poor choice. It took some removing but meths helped. The orange of Light Tan was far more to my liking.

It is one of those things that is a swine to get off if you want to remove it but doesn't seem that tenacious if you don't. Sod's Law no doubt.

For headstocks etc where you have little contact I think it would be fine. I would be reluctant to use it on the back of the neck or on a maple fret board though as I am sure you would feel it.

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Post subject: Re: How to tint these new white fender headstocks?
Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 1:26 pm
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Peter S wrote:
I like the look of the shown headstocks but would've thought the polish would tend to come off on everything it touches? On a neck, don't you wind up with Kiwi brown/tan hands...?!

That was not my experience -- I just applied a heavy coat, left the guitar alone (15 minutes or something?), and then wiped it all off. Nothing came off after it is was first removed. All that was left is the penetrated stain. The necks I showed in the pics still look like that to this day. However, none of the necks I have done this to (and there have been others since that were equally successful) had a heavy "urathane" type of finish, if you know what I mean...

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