Has anyone... ahem... ever attempted to paint on binding?

[afrocarl]

Hi guys, new I'm new to the forum so be gentle! I recently purchased an Epiphone Dot Leftie. I'm in the process of upgrading it to look as similar to a 1960 Gibson ES-355 as I can make it and I was wondering if anyone had ever attempted to tackle the issue of there not being any binding on the neck and Headstock of the guitar themselves? To get it bound professionally would be and almighty trouble (not to mention cost!) so I was wondering if anyone had ever attempted painting on fake binding for that purely cosmetic look?

 

cheers in advance for any advice/ tips you fire my way.

[captmidnight]

ok...just throwing this out there...why not go get some pin striping from the auto parts store and try that...hey at least if it doesn't work it hasn't messed up anything.

Capt

[carverman]

Hi guys' date=' new I'm new to the forum so be gentle! I recently purchased an Epiphone Dot Leftie. I'm in the process of upgrading it to look as similar to a 1960 Gibson ES-355 as I can make it and I was wondering if anyone had ever attempted to tackle the issue of there not being any binding on the neck and Headstock of the guitar themselves? To get it bound professionally would be and almighty trouble (not to mention cost!) so I was wondering if anyone had ever attempted painting on fake binding for that purely cosmetic look?

 

cheers in advance for any advice/ tips you fire my way.[/quote']

 

Welcome to the forum, afrocarl.

 

I have done "painted on" bindings, on my second LP clone that I made this year. The painted

on binding was black and even though I had real .250 inch wide bindings (Cream/black), the

binding router (attachment) to a dremel tool, did not do a clean enough job on the walnut sides,

so I had to fill some spots with a walnut coloured lacquer stick.

 

 

I used masking tape to mask off the cream binding and make a clean edge

for the black paint on the wood sides. Two strips of masking tape, to make a "1/4

border". I painted the wood with a fine hair brush and acrylic "ivory black or mars black"

paint that comes in a tube. Two layers and I applied urethane finish over top.

 

For a fingerboard "binding", which will see a lot more wear due to sweaty hands, etc, you

should use a cream (or white) urethane based paint. This type of paint will cure and harden

over time and provide a very thin version of the ABS bindings used on guitars. You will need

to lightly sand (400 wet/dry) to deglaze a "strip" on the neck along the edge below the fingerboard.

This would require masking off that strip so you have a clean line and not scratch the high gloss

finish on the neck.

 

It's tricky, but if you are careful, it can be done.

 

Other forum members have other suggestions as well.