It's because you used oil based, and they use water. Water based poly is crystal clear, dries FAST (can you say, "production"?), is hard as a rock, and never yellows. The oil based has a warm tone to it, more like a varnish although not quite.
It's because you used oil based, and they use water. Water based poly is crystal clear, dries FAST (can you say, "production"?), is hard as a rock, and never yellows. The oil based has a warm tone to it, more like a varnish although not quite.
A friend in need is a good reason to screen your calls.
That makes sense.
My AM. Std. guitar's necks have darkened considerably over time though.
They've got tan lines under the tuners and where the neck joint covers them.
It took a bit of time though.
I suspect they're using something besides the standard stuff we can get, but maybe not. I also suspect that manufacturer's claims that it never yellows can only be tested out over time. Surely, the older AS guitars have yellowed to some degree, my '90 sure did. Then again, those older necks weren't as stark-white as the newer ones to begin with. Maybe a different forumla? Water based wasn't really perfected until very recently.
At any rate, you guys who've posted photos of the shoe polish trick have done a great job. The necks look killer.
A friend in need is a good reason to screen your calls.
Here's an old Phtot of mine. Circa 2002 or 03
http://www.lilypix.com/photos/showpi...54084&uuid=531
Cool $200 project Tele. I dig my present Teles very much, but I should have kept this one. I miss that I didn't feel like I was messing up something by drilling and filling holes to make it what I wanted. Darn good player too. :toobad
Oh well.
Last edited by NeoFauve; 02-15-2006 at 08:27 AM. Reason: I probably should include the link to the phtot I described...
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
I used the brown polish to tint my MIM Strat last night. Worked great, and also worked well to age the marker dots, the brown polish works well for green piskguards, the tan polish is perfect to age a white guard.
I did my Hwy1 Strat's neck last night.
It took about half an hour including removing the neck, tuners and string tree, tinting the neck, reassembly and restringing the guitar.
I had done my MIM Jazz Bass a couple of years ago and had forgotten how easy and impossible to screw up this job was.
It looks real nice against the sunburst body!
I'm not into the relic thing at all. These necks just aren't pretty.
Could you do this with regular wood stain? Seems like you would have more control over the precise shade of tint that way...
bump -
Originally Posted by Gris
I don't know.
But with the shoe polish method, because it's not a liquid, it stays on the neck and you can really work it in and it's not dripping and making a mess.
Another factor; it seems dozens of other people have already had success with the brown Kiwi.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Add me to the list. I just did my MIM Jazz bass this afternoon.
About 45 minutes total to remove the neck and hardware. I originally started carefully, then realized that the stuff just seemed to soak right in evenly. This was the easiest stuff I've ever worked with. It also worked perfectly on the fret markers...darkened them right up.
I'm wondering what would happen if I waited a week and hit it with another coat or two. Does it keep getting darker, or is it more of a one-time deal?
I wondered the same thing so I tried another coat and it didn't seem to get any darker to me. I just thought it was cool that it got to a certain point and didn't get any darker like it aged 30 years and stopped instantly.
52 AVRI Telecaster, PRS Soapbar II, 65' Twin Reverb Re-Issue, Vox AC30CC2, MIA Hardtail Standard
My only problem now is my other guitar player came over and got that look in his eye. Looks like I just went into the neck-tinting business.
One question. He's got a waterslide decal on one of his guitars (so no finish over the top of the decal). The decal's been in place for about a year and a half now. Does anyone know if the shoe polish is going to wreak havok with the decal?
I don't know. I do know that I don't want to be the one who finds out.
Be very careful when you rub the shoe polish off.
Let us know how it goes!
What would it do to a shiney high lacquer body...? Dull it or penetrate thru and darken it (natural ash finish)...?
On my MIM, the Kiwi tinted the silver spaghetti logo to a "goldish hue."
I don't think the polish will "hurt" the decal. If it's a color image, like one of those vintage pinup babes, she's gonna get a tan. She'll look like Christina Aguilera. That spray-on tan look.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
No, it's a waterslide (cough cough) replacement decal. Goes right on the headstock. Kind of just south of the tuning machines, if you know what I mean.
All joking aside, the decal is patterned after a 70s Tele, so it's black. I'm not worried about a color change, just whether it would eat the waterslide.
I'll just be extra gentle when I'm rubbing the shoe polish into the face of the headstock.
You don't have to rub the polish with a vengence.
Just put it on like car wax. Spead it evenly and let it penetrate on its own. Then lightly buff it off, and carefully around the decal.
It's waxier or stickier than most modern polishes, but it's basically the same idea. Just be careful w/the elbow grease.
Maybe dab it on near the decal so you don't get under the edges accidentally.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
I dug into my shoe shine kit and grabbed the first no name brown I saw and it wasn't Kiwi. So I did my MIM Tele without any prep at all like cleaning with mineral spirits or alcohol and it worked fine. Wipe it on and then wipe it off. It's instant with total even coverage. So it doesn't have to be Kiwi brand only. As I was putting the polish away I noticed I did have a can of Kiwi at the bottom of the box so I took that and did a USA FMT Strat. Same results as in easy to apply, but the tint wasn't as dark. I think that's because the recent Strat FMT has a different finish on the neck. It darken it up but not as much as the Tele with the no name polish. I tried the Kiwi also on the Tele but it didn't get any darker. Also, it made no change to the front of the Strat headstock that has an extra heavy glossy poly finish. Nothing cuts through that heavy poly! Overall I am pleased anyway.
Since I keep them in cases they smelled like polish for a day or two. After wiping off and buffing with a towel, I immediatly played them and nothing came off on my hands. Seem like a safe mod to me.
When i did mine, it felt sticky on the back of the neck - even after wiping & wiping & wiping. So, i re-steel wooled the back of neck. Overall the effect on my neck was subtle, but it still made for a much better match with the body. B & A pics below:
I noticed I did have a can of Kiwi at the bottom of the box so I took that and did a USA FMT Strat. Same results as in easy to apply, but the tint wasn't as dark. I think that's because the recent Strat FMT has a different finish on the neck. It darken it up but not as much as the Tele with the no name polish.
I had similar results with the neck on my Inca Silver US Tele. It darkened it a bit but not nearly as much as the neck on a MIM Strat that I just did. It must be the difference in finishes between the MIA and MIM versions. Still looks good though. I hate that white-ish look the modern necks have.
VM
If aliens listened to our current top 40, they'd think that the entire planet was populated by sexually ambivalent robots with ethnic insecurity.
your up late Gloria!
I did it on a Squire P-Bass neck and it turned out rather nice. I didn't leave it on long, basically wiped it on and off at the same time, just a small amount. It brought out the grain a bit more and darkened the neck slightly, which made it look more natural than the pale white it was before.It was a nice easy improvement that took only a few minutes, even stripping off the hardware. I took a little longer than it would normally take because I explored the rest of the guitar at the same time, taking off the pickguard to have a peek under it while everything was apart.
POO DAT!!!
Ok......
Did my Jimmie V........
It came out nice, subtle tinting, not heavy. I imagine the "Special Vintage Tint Elixer" must cure overnight, or over two days to eliminate BPS (Brown Palm Syndrome)
Before....
(new, and then the Tort. Shell Guard added)
And After the neck Tint
Kenny Belmont
>:^{I)>
I think this is the one thing that's kinda holding me back from doing this to any of my Fenders. What will it do to the decals or will it not affect the headstock at all? Does it tint through the decal or will there be an area not affected due to the decal?On my MIM, the Kiwi tinted the silver spaghetti logo to a "goldish hue."
I don't think the polish will "hurt" the decal. If it's a color image, like one of those vintage pinup babes, she's gonna get a tan. She'll look like Christina Aguilera. That spray-on tan look.
I may do it to my 2 Squier '51's because the logos are black...although, oddly enough, they had more tint to the necks than my MIM Tele and my Highway 1.
"I got Jackie Onassis in my pants." - The Dictators
- Scott.
i did mine leaving all hardware on using Q-tips and a rag. then cause i didnt like highly lacquer finish to begin with or any sticky residue from Kiwi, i steel wooled it again after applying the Kiwi to get it back to where it was silky smooth. Result is tint is not as pronounced as some others have obtained - but still much better looking than the very white-ish look that was stock.
I didn't notice and problem with the logos, and will report back after the "curing time" has elapsed. OOOO steel will in the drawyer if needed......
I agree Gris, if needed, taking some shading away will leave some, which will look way better than the stark bleached white neck I had!
Kenny Belmont
>:^{I)>
Yep -
I am pretty much in the same boat. All in all, I like it.
Thanks for the tip on this one folks!
Kenny Belmont
>:^{I)>
I think I'll leave all mine that anemic white. That way I'll have a valuable piece later on and all you guys will have to live with a moddy deduction. HAHA
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
Ahhhh.....MIkey........
You are wise!
Kenny Belmont
>:^{I)>
You can rub this shit into the finnish and not have a problem?
MERRY YULE
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