Printed circuit boards having solder coated pads and through-holes and bare copper traces protected by a directly applied solder mask or by a coating of non-reflowable metal and a solder mask thereover, are manufactured by a process which avoids the need for tin-lead stripping and the need for separate application and leveling of molten solder. In the preferred process, liquid resists are applied to circuit boards having tin-lead over copper plated holes and pads so as to define and etch-protect bare copper traces of desired pattern circuitry (as well as other desired configurations). Copper areas other than those protected by the etch-resist and tin-lead plating are etched away, the etch-resist removed and solder mask applied over the bare copper traces or other desired bare copper areas or, alternatively, to bare copper first coated with a non-reflowable metal. The tin-lead plating is then preferably reflowed and solidified to provide the pads and through-holes with solder coating.