A method focused on emphasizing the wood’s unique grain patterns through contrast and depth. Recommended tools and products for this effect: Waterbase Paint Kit, 1 Dye Highlight Grain

Please take a moment to carefully review these instructions. They provide a clear overview of the process and help you avoid common mistakes. For a deeper understanding, be sure to explore the other building and painting guides available in our blog section, which offer valuable tips and techniques to enhance your project.

PREPARATION

Before Starting

• Always be very careful with your body and your sleeves. It’s easy to cause a bump, scratch, or drop of polish. Don’t rush.

• Make sure your environment is always clean. A common issue is applying stain or varnish in a dusty setting, which results in an imperfect finish.

• Don’t varnish the fingerboard unless you know this is your preference. Normally, we apply nothing or just a little lemon or mineral oil (for Rosewood or Ebony) to maintain a comfortable feel.

Useful Products Available on The Guitar Fabrik

Only the strictly necessary tools are listed here. However, you can always enhance your result using additional tools and adjustments. These require experience in lutherie and are not covered here.

Sand Paper	A range of sandpapers, P240, P400, P600, P800, P1000, & P1200, for sanding and polishing. Use them throughout the finishing process, especially for initial sanding and final polishing.
Copper Tape	Recommended: The adhesive copper tape will prevents electromagnetic interference from pickups and improves sound quality.
Sanding Block	Recommended: A 240-grit sanding block will be used in both during the early sanding and during the final polishing stages. Attach different grit papers to suit your different needs.
Gloves	A pair (or two) of rubber gloves to protect your hands during some finishing stages.
Painting Brush	Optional: A wide brush will make the applying of a grain fille, a dye or a varnish evenly, easier.
Cloth	Optional: It will be used for applying a dye, a Tru-Oil finish, a polishing product or to clean & wipe your guitar neck and body. A microfiber cloth is recommended.
Masking Tape	It will be used to protect areas like the fretboard or bindings that shouldn’t be painted or sanded.
Plastic Card	Optional: Useful for smoothly and evenly applying th grain filler.
Vacuum or Air Spray	Optional: Useful during sanding to remove dust and keep the workspace clean.
Fan	Recommended: For dry sanding during the final polishing phase.

With the Highlight Grain paint kit, here is the list of tools and consumables you will receive:

OVERVIEW OF THE FINISHING STEPS

Here are the steps to follow to achieve the expected finish using your kit:

• Working environment
• Wood & Grain preparation - We'll also use the metal. brush to raise the grain of the wood.
• Grain filling application - We'll use a dyed natural grain filler or a black grain filler directly
• Stain your wood with stain
• Varnishing
• Polishing (optional)

The different methods and practices defined in this guide have been extensively tested. Strictly following the instructions in these instructions for use will lead to the expected results. Although it is possible to do some things differently. This method has been implemented to make it as easy as possible for the user to undertake the finishing of his guitar and to obtain a professional result as desired and at a lower cost.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

To get a clean and professional finish on your guitar, it's essential to prepare your workspace and tools properly before starting. Here’s how to set up your painting environment.

Choose a stable indoor space:

• Work indoors in a clean, dust-free and well-ventilated room.
• Avoid outdoor areas to prevent contamination from wind, insects or humidity.
• Let the guitar wood rest in this space for 48 hours before finishing to adjust to temperature and humidity.

Prepare how you'll hold the parts:

• Hang the body and neck using screws or hooks through strap button or tuner holes.
• For spraying, fix a stick into the neck pocket to hold the body safely while working.
• For sanding and manual staining, lay parts flat on padded surfaces like foam or cushions.

You can also fix the body to a piece of wood. This allows you to hold it in your hand when finishing with a spray or to put it in a clamp :

Plan your workflow:

• Decide where each step will take place: staining, spraying, drying, etc.
• Allow enough space for parts to dry between coats, without touching anything.
• Expect the full finishing process to take from one to four weeks depending on the products used.

Check your materials:

• Make sure you have all the tools and products listed in your finishing kit.
• Read through all steps and instructions before starting to avoid surprises mid-process.

HIGHLIGHT GRAIN EFFECT: USE OF THE METALLIC BRUSH

Before sanding we invite you to use the wire brush to increase the grain depth. To do this, simply brush the wood in the direction of the grain to open the pores. Do not hesitate to rub strongly: the more the pores of the wood will be open the more the contrast between the 2 colors selected will be intense.
 

Mahogany wood before (left image) and after (right image) the use of the metallic brush. The pores of the wood are now more open.

Ash wood after using the metallic brush.

As shown in the pictures below, you can also add a rubber band to your wire brush to further localize the pore opening of the ash wood.

WOOD PREPARATION

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Glue Stain

Before starting the finish, take a close look at your guitar body. If you notice any glue stains, remove them gently by hand-sanding with P240 to P400 grit sandpaper. Sand gradually and evenly, checking your progress regularly — the goal is to eliminate the stains while removing as little wood as possible. Also take this time to inspect the entire surface for any dents, scratches, or rough areas. Smooth them out with light sanding if necessary, as these imperfections may become more visible once the finish is applied. Finally, make sure all the contours and edges of the body are clean and well-defined, especially around routed areas, cavities, or binding. A clean surface is essential for an even grain-raising step and a flawless final result.

Raising the Grain (optional)

This step is optional but recommended for mahogany or ash when using water-based products — especially with our translucent kits. It helps achieve a smoother finish and reduces paint consumption, particularly with nitrocellulose or opaque polyurethane finishes. Skipping it won’t ruin your result, but it may slightly affect the final texture.

When water or water-based products contact bare wood, the fibers swell — this is called “grain raising”. Once dry, the surface feels rough. Since this effect is unavoidable with water-based finishes, it's best to control it before applying your stain or sealer.

To do this, dampen the wood evenly with a sponge or cloth and let it dry completely (ideally overnight, or at least 4–5 hours in warm, dry air). Then sand lightly with P240 grit paper — just enough to smooth the raised fibers without going too deep. Worn or slightly dull sandpaper works well for this purpose.

If the surface still feels rough, repeat the process with a second round of wetting and sanding, this time using finer grit like P400 for an even smoother base.

Sanding the Instrument

The purpose of sanding is to create an ideal surface for finishing and to do this we need to create a smooth surface, remove imperfections and machine marks that affect your finish. Note that your body and handle have been pre-sanded with grit P180.

First, here are some important rules to follow during the sanding step:

• Always sand in the direction of the grain (forwards and backwards with the grain) never on the side. For the sides and edge of the body it may be more difficult to sand in the direction of the grain in which case always sand in a direction that you have predefined.
• Sand first with a P240 grit, then P400 in the case of a stain. This step of smoothing wood with different grain levels is important. Each step P240 and P400 has its uses.
• Cavities that will not need to be painted since they will be covered by one of the components, pickguard pickups, etc. do not need to be sanded.
• Sand all flat faces and outlines well, and don't forget the hard-to-reach places. Then clean with a rag or with a fan to remove all dust and wood catfish.
• You should ALWAYS use a sanding block on the flat surfaces of your guitar (or a rotary sander if you have).
• When using the polishing pad or sandpaper clean it often. To do this pat and rub lightly on a rag surface to remove the dust embedded in your sandpaper. When the sandpaper becomes very worn, replace it.
• When sanding the edges of your guitar or delicate areas of the neck, remove the sanding block and simply slide the sandpaper between your fingers against the surface. It takes longer but will result in a better finish and allow you more control.
• When satisfied with your job, be sure to remove all sanding dust and grits with a vacuum, damp cloth.

Sanding by hand: This is a bit of a tedious but essential step and it is important to do it well to get a good result.

Sanding with a machine: If you have a rotary sander (excentric), don't hesitate - they'll make your life a lot easier. But take it easy!

Sanding the contours: A rotary sander is no longer appropriate here, as it can easily round off or damage the delicate curves and edges of your body. Switch to hand sanding with a soft block or flexible pad to maintain control and precision. Once your contours are smooth and consistent, you're ready to move on to the next step: applying the grain filler.

Tip: For sanding guitar edges and contours, flexible tools like a foam tip, rubber eraser, cork block, or even a thermal insulation sheath wrapped in sandpaper conform easily to curves, offering better control without flattening rounded areas. Mixing these lets you adapt quickly to different shapes while staying gentle on the wood.

HIGHLIGHT GRAIN EFFECT: DYED GRAIN FILLER

Before moving on to the next step, you'll want to make sure you've tinted your grain filler a darker colour, so that your veins stand out (the principle of highlight veneer). If you have a black grain filler, you can apply it as it is (or increase its darkness via a darker stain).

APPLYING GRAIN FILLER

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Buy Black Grain Filler

General Information

Wood filler especially important for woods with open pores such as ash and mahogany. The filler will allow you:

• Use less paint or varnish because, without the pore filler, the lacquer will clog instead of the pore filler.

• Smoother and smoother finish without small pinholes

• It can also be used at the same time to pre-color your wood: black stain, mahogany, neutral wood, etc. 

• It will allow a better quality finish less expensive.

Apply Wood Filler Before, After, Or Mix With dye: The guitar maker suggests either applying mixer with a wood filler or after the filler. The choice depends mostly on the intensity of shade you are looking for. You have three levers to control the intensity: dilute your dye more or less with white spirit, apply more or less layers of dye; and finally fill the pores to a greater or lesser extent (this having the pores open when tinting, which can be obtained by mixing the pore sealer with the tincture). If you want to mix your stain with the sealer, we recommend that you use a natural grain filler (to stay as close to the color of your stain as possible) with some tincture and white spirit. 

The consistency of your final mouth pore - whether or not to mix with tincture - should be a little more runny than melted caramel and a little less than custard.

Preparation

To apply the pore filler we invite you to wear gloves although this is not harmful. We suggest that you mix our mouth pore with a little water. Let's say 10-20% lukewarm water. This will allow for easier application and avoid creating patties that would have to be sanded down painstakingly.

Application

To apply the pore sealer you can either use a cloth or a plastic card. Our preference is to use a cloth for its application and a plastic card to remove the excess while rapping.

Collect the pore sealer with your cloth and rub, pressing firmly in a circular fashion throughout your body (and handle, if you have decided to sublimate and fill the grain of your sleeve). The idea is indeed to fill the pores and you can imagine that you have to push the sealer into the pores, the interstices of the wood.

Surface, wait 2-3min, no more, then scrape off the excess pore sealer from the wood surface with a plastic card provided. The goal is for the mouth to only pore in the interstices and thus maintain a smooth surface. It is preferable to grate perpendicular to the direction of the grain so as not to remove the filler lodged in the interstices of the veining. Then do the other surfaces in the same way. In more difficult-to-scrape areas you can use a clean cloth in place of a plastic card to remove excess sealer. Remember to treat the edges as well. These areas are easy to overlook.

Once all the surfaces are done, let dry for 1 hour then sand with P400 grit sandpaper as defined in the previous section above. Be careful not to sand too much. You don't want to remove the sealer you just applied. Sand the edges carefully as well.

Finally, inspect your work. You can easily see if all of the pores are filled by looking at the surface at an angle, against bright light radiating obliquely toward the surface. If you missed any areas, you can always reapply wood filler.

Manage the bindings: The bindings should have been carefully masked off before you began painting or finishing. Once the rest of the guitar is complete, you can remove the masking and inspect the bindings. If any finish has bled over the edges, use a sharp blade or fine polishing tools to clean them up gently. This final step adds a professional touch, highlighting the clean lines and craftsmanship of your instrument.

DYE THE WOOD

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General Information

• Applying the stain is the easiest step among the different finishing steps and is also the most enjoyable as it will make your guitar kit look beautiful.
• The main difficulty with dyeing is anticipating the final results. Indeed, depending on the wood, the stain concentration and the varnish, the end result will be different. As a general rule, you can use the color rules (yellow with blue will make green, etc.). So, at a high level, a mahogany which as a red tint applies a blue tint will create a purple coloration. Your best bet will be to use a sample of wood sold on our website to test the finish upstream and get the finish you are really looking for.
• We suggest going step by step. First stain with a strong dilution like 40% white spirit (again do not mix with water if you are using a water-based varnish). From the results you get, you can then increase the coloring by adding more coloring product. You can even use pure tincture as well as multiple layers to further increase the intensity.
• Do not apply too much dye at once. It is not good that the wood is too wet. Be especially careful with a veneer. 
• Unless you want to readjust your color and tint concentration, there is no need to sand between coats of stain.
• To control the intensity of the stain, you can apply extra coats of stain to increase the intensity or sand lightly to reduce the intensity (but try to avoid sanding).

Apply a water-based stain with a water-based varnish: Please note, water-based stains are not compatible with our water-based varnish. Indeed they will react together and mix. Use an alcohol-based stain such as our stains sold on our website or included in your finishing kit.

Pre-Treatment (to Increase the intensity of your Dye)

Sand up to P600: We invite you to sand with P600 grit after a first stain if you are looking for intense coloring. Indeed, the stain will be able to penetrate the wood better if the wood has previously been sanded less finely. You can then apply a second stain. Otherwise you can sand with P600 grit and then apply your first stain.

Lift the pores of the wood before staining: Although optional and only for mahogany or ash, lifting the grain of the woods you wish to stain is useful if you wish to increase the intensity of the stain. This is because woods will accept more stains if they lift the grain before staining. To do this, wet a clean cloth with water and wipe the wood with it. While you shouldn't flood the surface, don't be afraid to get it wet either. The water will penetrate the wood and cause the grain to rise and open. Let the wood dry completely, overnight, or wait 6 to 8 hours if your working environment is at room temperature and humidity. The grain should now pick up and your surface is now ready to accept more stains. Do this process only once. Do not use this process on veneer.

Mix with wood filler: if using wood filler as explained in the filler section. This will significantly increase the intensity of the dye.

Preparation

Pour a small amount of your dye into a clean container, then add a few drops of white spirit to dilute it. As a starting point, we recommend a 60% dye to 40% white spirit ratio for the first coat. This mixture offers a good balance between color intensity and control. However, feel free to adjust the dilution depending on how deep or subtle you want the color to appear — it all comes down to your desired finish!

Application

To apply the stain, soak a rag in your stain solution and apply it to your wood in a circular motion. Do not moisten your wood too much. Then leave to dry for 1 hour. Check your results and based on your satisfaction, adjust with an additional coat of dye with an appropriate adjusted concentration.

Once satisfied, wait 2 days before embarking on the rest of your finish!

WATER-BASED VARNISHING

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General Information

Although store-bought electric guitars are finished in polyurethane, we have chosen to provide you with a water-based lacquer. The reason is that it is easier to apply and non-toxic. In addition, in recent years, water-based varnishes has greatly improved. Please keep in mind the few comments below.

• Before starting the varnishing step, make sure your wood has been sanded to at least P800.
• It is very important to apply thin coats as much as possible to achieve a smooth finish.
• Applying varnish is the trickiest part so take your time
• Unless you normally prefer the fretboard keys are unvarnished. Instead, keep it as is or apply tru-oil or lemon oil on it for more playability.
• Inspect your wood well after each coat to make sure all is well.

Preparation

Before opening, shake your 1L water-based clear varnish. Then open it and you can stir it a little more - with a wooden stick, for example - to make sure your paint is homogeneous.

Application

Apply the coats of varnish as thinly as possible. Use a large brush, a clean cloth (with microfiber ideally) or if you ordered a refillable spray can. Remember that the refillable aerosol can allows you to spray 500mL, so use it for final coats. Apply the polish all the time in one direction, the grain direction if possible. Do the top, the side then the back. For the first 2 coats, do not sand between coats unless there are runs or orange peel. If there is any streak or orange peel sand with P400. Also make sure to wait until it is completely dry before applying each new coat (2 hours is recommended for the first 2 coats, then wait overnight). 

For the third coat, apply it as usual and wait 4 hours before sanding with P800 sandpaper as explained in the sanding section. But this sanding should be done very gently, eroding the surface with almost no hand pressure on the wood. This will help the next coat to attach to the previous one as well as a smooth finish. Once again you really have to be careful not to sand too much so as not to sand the under layers. For the last two coats: Pass the first coats, wait 45min and iron a new coat without sanding.

The number of coats to apply may be different depending on how finely you have successfully applied your coats. I would say about 5-6 coats is enough. Or you can stop when half the paint has been used for the body and 400ml of the paint for the handle. Below is a summary table of the varnishing steps.

Tip: You can also incorporate wet sanding instead of dry sanding for an even smoother finish. Use high grit waterproof sandpaper (P800–P2000), a sanding block, and clean water with a few drops of dish soap — it acts as a lubricant and helps prevent scratches. Soak your sandpaper in water for 10–15 minutes before use, and lightly moisten the guitar surface as well. Ideally, keep both sandpaper and surface damp while sanding. Gently sand the surface, and frequently wipe it down to inspect your progress. This reduces airborne dust and gives a finer result, but requires a delicate touch to avoid sanding through the finish layers.

Caution: Wet sanding is not suitable for Tru-Oil finishes: water can damage the oil layer and may seep into the wood. Always use dry sanding techniques when working with oil-based finishes. Also, never wet sand bare wood — this technique is meant for sealed, colored, or clear-coated surfaces only. Ensure the surface is completely dry before applying the next coat.

Inspect your work well to be sure you haven't forgotten to sink etc. For example, if you have applied 8 coats, you will have to wait 8 days before moving on to the sanding and final polishing step. Of course, you can wait much longer if you wish.

Now that the varnish has been passed successfully, you can remove the tape which was used to mask different parts such as the fingerboard, the nut or the bindings.

Take care of the binding of the guitar body (in the event that your body does indeed have bindings!): Your relief may be slightly colored with which case you just have to scrape it lightly with the using a cutter blade.

Note: this finishing kit does not include a final polish which is optional. In fact, even without it, you should already have obtained a very nice result. However, if you want more shine and an even smoother surface we invite you to undertake this final finishing step. Buffing can be divided into 3 steps, level sanding to remove the last defects, sanding for polishing and finally buffing. This will not be discussed further in this user guide.

POLISHING

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Buy Polishing Kit

Buy Machine Pads

General Information

Polishing is optional, and normally, even without it, you should already have achieved a very nice result. However, if you want more shine and an even smoother surface, we invite you to undertake this final finishing step. Polishing can be divided into three stages: leveling sanding to remove the last defects, sanding for polishing, and finally buffing. These steps will be further detailed below. Also, take note:

• Always be careful when sanding, applying very light pressure, especially near the edges. It is easy to remove varnish if you press too hard!
• Always ensure you remove all dust generated by your work environment or sanding. One idea is to run a fan simultaneously to remove dust immediately.
• From time to time, "tap" or rub your sand paper on a mat to remove embedded dust.
• For a water-based finish, do not sand with water. Use a dry sanding method. If you sand with water on a water-based varnish that has not completely dried, you may slightly remove your varnish layer.
• When using water, always use room temperature water. Cold water can damage and crack your finish.

Before starting, the wood should have already been sanded with P800 or P1000 grit in the previous step.

Preparation

Before you begin, make sure you have both dry and wet sand paper on hand in grits P1000, P1200, P1500, P2000, and P2500. For optimal results during sanding, we recommend placing your guitar on a soft, stable surface—like a carpet or thick towel—to protect the body from scratches and ensure even pressure as you work.

Processing

Leveling Sanding:This step is only necessary if you still have localized imperfections (such as drips or significant roughness). In this case, you should sand down to P400 to remove the imperfections, then progress to P600, P800, and P1000. For localized sanding, the sandpaper is smaller, and a smaller sanding block—is used, as it is a very localized sanding process.

Tip: For sanding guitar edges and contours, flexible tools like a foam tip, rubber eraser, cork block, or even a thermal insulation sheath wrapped in sandpaper conform easily to curves, offering better control without flattening rounded areas. Mixing these lets you adapt quickly to different shapes while staying gentle on the wood.

Polishing Sanding:For the polishing step, refer to section IV. However, please note that this time, you should apply minimal pressure while sanding. The goal is to erode the surface, not remove material, but to eliminate slight surface imperfections created during the varnish application.

Start sanding with P1000 grit, then move to P1200, P1500, P2000, and finally P2500. Some prefer to continue, but you won’t notice a significant difference. Always remove dust using a running fan to prevent it from scratching your finish further!

At this stage, you should have a slightly whitened finish with micro-scratches removed. You can see this clearly by placing the wood near a light source and tilting it slightly to create reflections that make these scratches more visible. If you see micro-scratches, return to P1000 grit and work up to P2500.

Before (left) & after (right) sanding

It is now necessary to buff your wood to transform the whitish surface into an ultra-glossy finish.

Buffing

This is the final step, where additional products must be applied. You can either use dish soap mixed with water or apply dedicated polishing products, such as those available on our website. In particular, our polishing kit contains everything necessary for sanding, polishing, and hand buffing (a specific guide for polishing with this finishing kit is also included). Naturally, using products specifically designed for guitar buffing will provide much better results.

The selected polishing product can be applied either by hand or by machine.

By Hand: We recommend using microfiber cloths. Rub in circular motions, applying light pressure. Rinse and continue until you are satisfied with the result.

With a Machine: While dedicated polishing machines exist, you can easily use a drill with a polishing attachment to buff your guitar effectively. Always keep the drill moving at a moderate speed to avoid overheating the surface, as excess friction can damage the finish. Start with a firm pad for initial polishing, then switch to a softer pad to enhance the shine and achieve a smooth, glossy finish. Be aware that some areas may be too tight or curved for the machine to reach.

Note:

During this final buffing process, wearing a respirator and protective goggles is also advised, especially when using a polishing machine. Polishing product particles will be sprayed into the air.

Thank you for following our tutorial! Feel free to check our kit: Waterbase Paint Kit, 1 Dye Highlight Grain