Overdue NGD: KV7

[XSvmbraDensX]

So I finally got around to taking some photos after cleaning her up, but here is my X-Series KV7 that I picked up back in December. I've changed a couple of things here and there, but at its core, it's a great guitar. Pretty thin neck profile and the compound radius is amazing. I've changed out the stock Blackouts to Lace X-Bars and upgraded the trem to an OFR and put stainless steel hardware for the nut screws, string lock screws, and intonation screws. I also changed out the arm style to one of the newer push-in(Gotoh) arms. My other guitarist helped me dye the fingerboard black, which did significantly darken it, but has lightened up somewhat due to conditioning the board.



Close up of the board with the flash on*

[Guitarkid8]

Try some India ink on that fretboard. Beautiful axe.

[XSvmbraDensX]

We had used several coats of leather dye(Fiebings) and it seemed to yield good results, but the dye didn't seem to stick very well to the board.Do you have any photos of your experience with India ink?

[Mudlark]

The one on the left has 5-6 coats of ebony minwax, though some people's results with minwax aren't as satisfactory as mine.
It appears as black as the ebony on the right, but it's actually a very dark rosewood colour in person.

I always thought dye was the best answer, but I've heard it doesn't always last as well as expected.

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Nice KV7.

[Guitarkid8]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-0E7E6uSPJY

[XSvmbraDensX]

Guitarkid8, really informative video! I'm definitely going to have to give the india ink a try on my KV and my RR. Any advice or words of wisdom on using the india ink on guitars with binding and inlays?

[Mudlark]

I'll shall order either the Speedball or Dick Blick India ink before this day is over.
He specifically said to use only those two brands, so I'm glad I didn't get the StewMac Higgins India dye...which could be different.
The guy sounds like he's a bona-fide expert, so I'm gonna' follow his advice.

[XSvmbraDensX]

Agreed. If you happen to get a hold of the India Ink before me, please do make a post about it, Mudlark!

[Guitarkid8]

My only suggestions would be to prep the board with naphtha, and maybe try some of the chemical "Frog Tape" kind of stuff. I would also get some very small paint brushes to apply it, a Q tip is not small enough on the higher frets.

[Mudlark]

Should be here in a week-10 days. Pics and a thread will follow ASAP.

I found the minwax stain would rub off of my binding if some seeped onto it under the tape. I had to catch it before it dried, but it wasn't a problem. Though, I did miss some once and it dried, but it came right off with steel wool.

I'm thinking the clear coat was protecting it from the stain?

So, did you have any experience with getting the ink on the binding or inlays, Guitarkid8?
The inlays weren't a problem with the stain...wiped right off because it couldn't penetrate them.

[XSvmbraDensX]

I'm wondering the same thing about the ink. Based on the info in the video that Guitarkid8 shared, it seems that the ink penetrates a lot deeper than any dye/stain so I'm curious if inlays or binding could be a potential disaster if the ink gets onto/into it.

[Guitarkid8]

I haven't used the India ink personally, only the Minwax pen stain. I made a thread on here I believe in the Tech Q&A. I was only going for a darker rosewood look, so that worked well for me and wiped right off everything. I don't think the Ink would penetrate the inlays maybe leave a residue on the surface that could be removed later. I would be worried about binding especially "seasoned" guitars that have tiny cracks in the binding.

I was was going to try both the steel wool & vinegar as well as India ink on a cheap classical guitar I had laying around, but the board on it was an unknown wood that had been painted. Mudlark I think you're going to be the first to use it on a fretboard with inlays & binding, at least that I've seen. Really looking forward to it, if you get good results I might have to take my dark brown board to black!

[wrldeatr7]

Beautiful, congrats. I love the King V already and really like these modified Vs like the Demmel and Beaulieu.

Good idea to darken the fretboard. I don't understand why Cort has such a hard time sourcing or making dark rosewood, when Wildwood and Harmony had no trouble with it.