Custom Shop working on an ebonized maple neck ...

[Craig]

From a post on G&L's Custom Shop facebook page (7/24/2024):

Tyler with a build inspired by his Monster wristband. The coolest thing about this is that he’s been working with a process known as “ebonizing” to turn the maple neck an even, deep black color. A clear satin finish was then applied over the ebonized maple.

[DanDoulogos]

Interesting. I didn't think maple had sufficient levels of tannic acid to react strongly enough (to the iron oxide used in ebonizing)? I am guessing they prepped the neck by applying a quebracho bark tan "tea"? That would reduce the blue tint while still giving the iron oxide plenty to work with. There are other ways to increase the tannic acid content in the wood fibers of course, but I am not overly familiar with the process.

In any case, I thought of using this process on a highly figured (Bird's eye maple) fret board once. To make it very dark, but still have the figuring clear enough to see. Just one of the projects I dreamt up but never got around to doing.

It's a fairly simple process, and can have a great effect - although you'd want to be sure they don't get any tannic acid in the screw holes etc. The iron oxide certainly and prematurely affect the hardware (rusting out screws, heads, truss rod etc.). When the process is used by gun manufacturers on stocks etc. they are careful not to get any iron oxide in the eyelets etc.

I think this would look great on an all black (with gold hardware) ASAT Special. Too bad they don't make gold colored pickups for the special.

[Expert_Fretwork]

Interesting. I didn't think maple had sufficient levels of tannic acid to react strongly enough (to the iron oxide used in ebonizing)? I am guessing they prepped the neck by applying a quebracho bark tan "tea"? That would reduce the blue tint while still giving the iron oxide plenty to work with. There are other ways to increase the tannic acid content in the wood fibers of course, but I am not overly familiar with the process.

In any case, I thought of using this process on a highly figured (Bird's eye maple) fret board once. To make it very dark, but still have the figuring clear enough to see. Just one of the projects I dreamt up but never got around to doing.

It's a fairly simple process, and can have a great effect - although you'd want to be sure they don't get any tannic acid in the screw holes etc. The iron oxide certainly and prematurely affect the hardware (rusting out screws, heads, truss rod etc.). When the process is used by gun manufacturers on stocks etc. they are careful not to get any iron oxide in the eyelets etc.

I think this would look great on an all black (with gold hardware) ASAT Special. Too bad they don't make gold colored pickups for the special.

It's a two step process with Maple.
1) Wipe down with a tannic acid solution made from tannic acid powder dissolved in water.
2) After a minute or two for that to soak in, wipe down with white vinegar with black tea bags soaked inside. It'll turn black nearly instantly.

This is all done early enough in the process that tuning machine holes or other hardware holes will all be drilled out or reamed out after finish, so there's no potential for any impact to the hardware.

[DanDoulogos]

I figured it had to be something like that. Thanks Craig.

[Craig]

I figured it had to be something like that. Thanks Craig.

Thanks should go to James (Expert_Fretwork), since he posted about the process they use.