fixing blotchy stain?

[solteroblues]

Sorry, no pics.

This basswood is proving rather difficult to get a nice even stain on. I used Cabot oil based stain and Cabot wood conditioner, but it went on rather blotchy still. I don't think I used quite enough of the conditioner prior to the first stain coat, as it absorbed almost immediately. I tried to get the stain on as quick as I could, not allowing the conditioner to dry, but I must have put on too thin of a coat. It doesn't look absolutely horrible, but some areas have too much (especially the joints in the ends) and some have too little.

Before I move past the first coat of stain, is there anything I can do short of stripping it all off and starting over to fix this? Can I apply more conditioner over the stain and then restain? Or will just more stain coats help? If I lightly sand it and then reapply, will that help?

 

[BCRGreg]

Reduce the stain with alcohol and try adding more in a hidden area. It should even out if you do it reduced and get it on and wipe it off quickly.

 

[solteroblues]

Reduce the stain with alcohol and try adding more in a hidden area. It should even out if you do it reduced and get it on and wipe it off quickly.

Thanks!

 

[EagleOnyx]

my basswood guitar also didn't take stain well, I just tinted my lacquer instead.

 

[solteroblues]

my basswood guitar also didn't take stain well, I just tinted my lacquer instead.

with stain? I don't have any spray equipment, I'm using rattle cans for my lacquer, of course I guess I could get a preval kit, but how would you tint the lacquer to make it look like stain?