Respraying a fretboard, keeping the damage

SteveRobinson

I'm refretting a Fender Japan Stratocaster, the lacquer has delaminated and come off the fretboard in sheets. I need to respray and the owner wants to keep the wear which is good as the finger divots are very deep.

I'd like to mask the wear patches before spraying but with what? Something water soluble maybe so I can wash it out again, or wax perhaps?

Any ideas please?

PhilKing

I saw a video from Dan Earlewine a long while back where he uses masking tape to trace out the wear marks on the board and then cuts around it, leaving the wear masked.  Would this work for what you are doing?

WezV

I use washi tape, wilkos sell one for decorating that gives much cleaner lines than masking tape. Removed soon after spraying. 

SteveRobinson

Thanks both yes it looks like washi tape will do the trick. Need to get to Wilko then!

WezV

I'm not sure if they still do it, but I'm sure there will be ither sources for washi masking tape 

SteveRobinson

Hobbycraft carry it but they'll be much more expensive I expect

SteveRobinson

I couldn't get out to buy any Washi tape but Copydex did a great job of masking uneven patches and came right off.

JayGee

Artists masking fluid maybe?