Lockdown project - Harley Benton Single Cut - how to paint and not cover the binding?

Jalfrezi

My teenage son was keen to build a guitar during the lockdown, so ordered a Harley Benton Ukulele, and a "T Style" kit.  I felt I should join in so bought a "Single Cut" kit.  Overall, I'm quite impressed for the money.  It has a couple of issues though:

• The pickguard is scratched up, but T Cut should fix that.
• The top is pretty good, and could be OK for a sunburst finish, but there are some rough spots between the body edge, and the binding, so will need to be opaque finish to hide the filler here.
• The worst issue, is that the truss rod cover screw holes are in the wrong place, so will need filling, and redrilling.

I had initially intended to return it for the flaws above, but overall it's a light, resonant body, good neck, and Thomann offered a £10 discount if I didn't return it.  I suspected that a replacement may be worse, so accepted the discount.

I'm gonna start working on it these evening, but not sure how to deal with painting, and the binding.  Do I just mask it off, and build it up with clear coat afterwards?

poopot

Jalfrezi said:

I'm gonna start working on it these evening, but not sure how to deal with painting, and the binding.  Do I just mask it off, and build it up with clear coat afterwards?

This^ or alternatively scrape with a blade after paint... 

Jalfrezi

Pics here: http://imgur.com/gallery/bBdhibN

Jalfrezi

Suggestions for finishing are welcome.  Current thoughts are dark shellac finish, or nitro sonic blue, with tinted lacquer.  But I'm open to other ideas...

Funkfingers

If the back and sides of the body are relatively free of blemishes, they and the neck could be the same colour under clear coat. 

Once sealed, the top could be a contrasting opaque colour. e.g. Gold paint, topped off with more clear coats.