discreet Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 [b]Is an unfinished maple neck OK?[/b] Searched for this and found nothing specific. I'm sure it's probably here somewhere, but anyway... I like to remove some (or all) of the finish on the back of my maple necks (with a Scotchbrite pad) as I prefer a silky, satiny-type feel. I hate it when I'm playing a sweaty venue and my hand starts sticking to the neck. However... I've read that a maple neck needs to be protected from environmental moisture and humidity, otherwise it may warp or twist, or at least need more frequent truss-rod tweaks over time, so... My questions are thus: 1. Is this true? And 2. If so, what finish could I apply to protect the neck but retain the dry silky-smoothness? And how? I thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Oil it to taste - light enough to not even be felt is OK as long as it's there - but don't leave it totally bare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Bare wood will get dirty and mark up. I'd take just enough off the surface to remove the shine without going down to the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 (edited) [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1466940083' post='3079821'] Bare wood will get dirty and mark up. I'd take just enough off the surface to remove the shine without going down to the wood. [/quote] It's a Road Worn so Fender have already made it dirty as it turns out. Bass is nitro but back of neck is (or was) some kind of urethane. Which is mostly gone. So it's already close to being down to the wood. [quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1466939099' post='3079815'] Oil it to taste - light enough to not even be felt is OK as long as it's there - but don't leave it totally bare [/quote] Thanks Chris. What kind of oil would you recommend? Edited June 26, 2016 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoo Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I used birchwood Casey tru oil and gunstock wax on my USA ebmm sub when I removed the peeling black finish from the neck. It's what they use on the proper stingrays and I'm really happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 [quote name='stoo' timestamp='1466944168' post='3079860'] I used birchwood Casey tru oil and gunstock wax on my USA ebmm sub. It's what they use on the proper stingrays and I'm really happy with it. [/quote] Thanks for that. Does it retain a satiny feel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoo Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1466944926' post='3079865'] Thanks for that. Does it retain a satiny feel? [/quote] Depends on how you apply it - the first one I did was 3 very thin coats of tru oil and then one rubdown with the wax and feels very much like untreated wood. The second one I had more time and did more coats - maybe 6 of oil and 3 of wax, and probably slightly thicker coats each time... that one ended up feeling more like a conventional lacquer finish. Only took a couple of minutes with some 0000 wire wool to get it back to a similar satin feel to the first one though. In case it helps, here's a link to the thread when I did mine - there's a couple of links to videos in there with some helpful tips on the process http://basschat.co.uk/topic/271642-inept-woodworker-bodges-his-way-to-a-half-decent-result-well-chuffed/page__pid__2938502#entry2938502 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 [quote name='stoo' timestamp='1466949053' post='3079893'] ...there's a couple of links to videos in there with some helpful tips on the process http://basschat.co.uk/topic/271642-inept-woodworker-bodges-his-way-to-a-half-decent-result-well-chuffed/page__pid__2938502#entry2938502 [/quote] Great, thanks very much... think I'll go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 +1 for fine wire wool. Mask off your pickups first though - you don't want stray wire wool near them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 The grain in bare wood would swell if damp so it would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Have ordered some Birchwood Casey Tru Oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 A little bit goes a surprisingly long way. It's good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul h Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 I used a totally unfinished maple necked bass for years. Never had any issues with it...but it did get really, really grubby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 Have ordered all the bits and bobs I need... going to sand the neck to a smooth, satiny finish then apply a few coats of Tru-Oil as per the destructions. Apparently this will preserve both the neck and the silky feel - if I do it right. I'll post pics when it's done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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