Oil Finish on the neck?

[RonD]

Hi all,

I'd like to hear some discussion about oil finished necks.

I started taking the finish off my guitar necks about 7 years ago. I really like the feel... or should I say, I hate the feel of most "glossy" necks.

 

At the moment, I have 3 guitars finished this way. 2 are maple, one is mahogany.

The maples are treated with Tung oil. On the mahogany, I used Minwax wood finish and beeswax.

 

I ask because I'm planning out a new H 575, and wonder if this type of finish would be an option.

I don't have much experience with nitro finished necks... at least not that I can remember... an old SG in the late 60's. but much of that time is a blur!

 

 

Cheers, Ron

[GuitArtMan]

I just take some 0000 steel wool or a Scotch Bright pad and de-gloss the back of the neck. It leaves the finish intact, but removes the sticky feeling. Of course, over time with playing your hand will polish the neck back into a gloss - simply hit it again with the steel wool. Been doing this for years. I wish more manufactures would get hip to satin finished necks, as they avoid the sticky feeling of a glossy neck.

[Spectrum13]

I did what GART did on my 60 strat and with my current strat I tung oiled the rosewood. I would rather have nitro. On a 575 no way would I tung oil.

[RonD]

I just take some 0000 steel wool or a Scotch Bright pad and de-gloss the back of the neck. It leaves the finish intact, but removes the sticky feeling. Of course, over time with playing your hand will polish the neck back into a gloss - simply hit it again with the steel wool. Been doing this for years. I wish more manufactures would get hip to satin finished necks, as they avoid the sticky feeling of a glossy neck.

Thanks GuitArtMan.

I just hate the thought of spending 3k on a guitar then doing this.

I've never had a "satin finish". Does it help?

Maybe I can get Heritage to do this for me.

 

Cheers, Ron

[big bob]

I have a tru oil finish one one of my maple necks, and to be honest it plays not all that different than nitro!

[RonD]

Hi big bob,

Thanks for the reply. Isn't Truoil tung oil with poly in it? If so, hows the "stickiness"?

[big bob]

Hi big bob,

Thanks for the reply. Isn't Truoil tung oil with poly in it? If so, hows the "stickiness"?

I have no Idea what it's made of, it's marketed at shotgun/rifle owners. I would say not sticky, but I don't find the nitro sticky either. It is a different feel, almost harder! if that makes any scenes. It's an easy finish to do... and can be sanded off easy.

[GuitArtMan]

Thanks GuitArtMan.

I just hate the thought of spending 3k on a guitar then doing this.

I've never had a "satin finish". Does it help?

Maybe I can get Heritage to do this for me.

 

Cheers, Ron

Many manufactures do satin necks as either an option or as standard: Tom Anderson, John Suhr, G&L, Taylor just to name a few. The necks feel smooth with no drag or stick whatsoever.

[GuitArtMan]

Hi big bob,

Thanks for the reply. Isn't Truoil tung oil with poly in it? If so, hows the "stickiness"?

Tru Oil is Linseed oil with some additives to make it dry harder/faster. And yes it is marketed for use on gun stocks.

[RonD]

Many manufactures do satin necks as either an option or as standard: Tom Anderson, John Suhr, G&L, Taylor just to name a few. The necks feel smooth with no drag or stick whatsoever.

Any idea if Heritage offers this?

[TalismanRich]

My Taylor 310CE had a nice smooth satin neck... when I got it. After a couple of years, it nice and shiny. But it's not sticky. None of my Heritages are sticky, unless I put a wax on them and it gets a buildup. Even Virtuoso will get sticky if you don't buff it off well.

[rooster]

I use micromesh sanding cloths on the back of my necks working my way up from 600 grit to 12000 grit. No stickyness, smooth as glass.

 

rooster.

[cod65]

I love me some tru -oiled necks. I did this to my 79 carvin from head to toe and nvere regretted it . scraped off every inch of the thick poly (except on the fretboard) and rubbed 30-50 coats of tru-oil . love it. smooth and solid.

[big bob]

so I just got done playing quite a bit, played the stat dlx (nitro neck) and my home build (tru-oil) ...

 

 

and the verdict.. the Hog neck on the stat is much fatter and better for chords, like the 12" radius, OH and she sounds sweet and FAT..

 

The surf caster home build is far easier in the money frets, the scalping helps and the extra access also. but I do believe that after quite a bit o playing here in florida in the HOT the tru oil neck stays "dryer" ie not as sticky...

Would I sand down my stat dlx and tru oil the neck... NO but if your 575 is a keeper/player why not.. you can always remove the tru-oil with mineral spirits and re-clear..

 

Stat dlx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

surf caster

[Guest mgoetting]

I know what you are talking about when you dislike stickiness. That not only affects the neck but my right hand can snag on the fingerboard.

 

Most of the time I don't notice it and I certainly would not change the nitro to eliminate the stickiness.

 

When I had babies I did try putting some baby powder on the contact surface of my left hand. (To be fully truthful, the powder was there after changing one of the babes.) That worked perfectly and it takes only a tiny pinch.

 

As a bonus women can subconsciously detect the scent of baby powder and they go into a frenzy. Better than pheromones.

 

I haven't tried white chalk used for pool sticks. It certainly works for pool.

[cod65]

RonD, just re-read the post.

 

AFAIK its not likely that Heritage would offer an oil finish on the neck. Since they are masters of the nitro finish, I think it would probably be best to take it like that. I think most guitars with oiled necks are either bolt-on, or the entire finish is oil (if its a neck-thru body). This makes sense, because its easy to transition the finish on a bolt-on joint .

I think it would be a shame(and a mistake) to take the nitro off a set-neck for any reason.

 

I'm having difficulty myself these past few days with a 'sticky' feel on my nitros, but I can't see taking the finish off . its kind of like when you watch Antiques Road SHow and somebody decides they are gonna re-finish an old table and then the auctioneers tell them the value just went down 100k$ because of that.

I was able to refinish several old carvins because they are not highly coveted, nor expensive, although a real nice chunk of hardrock maple- their 70's-80's idea of a triple thick poly coat pretty much kills any potential character. I find this to be true of all poly finishes. But nitro is a different beast.

 

I have an 80's japanese Precision Special bass that I will probably strip down to re-do with tung oil as well.

 

 

As a new policy I'm trying to clean up the guitars, polish, and maybe find some talc to dry my hands.