Ebonizing the fretboard on my DXMG

[DumpyWumpy]

Anyone have a link to a step by step process on how to do this? I'm assuming it's fairly easy, it's just that I've never done it before, nor do I know what product I need to buy to actually do the 'ebonizing'...

Thanks in advance dudes!
Adam

[mm2002]

Re: Ebonizing the fretboard on my DXMG

There have been a few threads about this lately and I have tried various methods myself. The one I just learned and really liked was the steel wool & vinegar method. Soak some fine steel wool in a sealed jar of white vinegar for about a week (I let mine set for almost two weeks) then swab the fretboard with the solution. The fretboard needs to be totally clean and dry so use a good strong detergent on it and wipe off with a very hot wet towel, then let it dry for a couple of days. As a quicker alternative you can use naptha or other solvents but detergent and hot water work the best for me. If it's really grimed up use a toothbrush. The dye really seems to soak down deep into the grain of the rosewood and makes it almost black. I tung oiled mine afterwards and it looks awesome!

[DumpyWumpy]

Re: Ebonizing the fretboard on my DXMG

Awesome! That's a really bizarre method, sounds cool! Any before and after pics by any chance...?

EDIT: Did you have to avoid inlays and frets and stuff, or did you not have to worry about the solution affecting parts other than the fretboard?

[mm2002]

Re: Ebonizing the fretboard on my DXMG

Sorry, I didn't get any before pics but here's one aft. (a crappy pic, but you8 get the idea)It's a model 4 neck and it looks killer now.



Oh, and the inlays, I did try and be careful working around them but it didn't stain them anywhere I got sloppy although I was quick to wipe it off. I used a q-tip.