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Hello all,

Here's on that's been deviling me a bit. The technique I've used to finish my guitars has been to spray KTM 9 with an HVLP gun, then wet sand and buff. I've not yet found an effective way to achieve a clean margin between the finished neck and the unfinished fretboard - or, while finishing the side of the fretboard as well, the edge of the finished (side) of the fretboard and the unfinished top of the fretboard. I've mainly been using blue tape on the tops of the fretboard and finishing the sides, but nearly always end up with a chip out of the finish on the side of the fretboard (perhaps due to the finishon the side sticking to the tape on the top. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Before removing your tape run a 120grit sanding block over the edge to break the finish line. I assume you fret after finishing?

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Hi Corky,

here is what I do .... when installing the frets, pre finish, I make sure to bevel the edges such that I also get a bit of the binding as well ... sort of rounds the edge of the neck, makes it feel much more comfortable than if I dont, to me anyway. Then, mask the FB, and keep the tape up over the fret ends on the FB top .... then post finishing, before trying to remove the tape, wet sand that edge .. it breaks thru the finish buildup at the FB edge and the tape, allowing the tape to come up clean, and bevels the finish edge as well as your fret ends, all in one swoop.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thanks Laurent, Tony,

Actually, I have been fretting prior to finishing. And Tony, I've not yet tried a bound fingerboard. Looking forward to it, though. But what I got from both your replies is to sand or wetsand the edge of the fretboard with tape on to cut the edge of the finish cleanly - makes sense! Thanks.