Fretless maple neck

[Monckyman]

Lo all.
I just finished sanding down a recently bought maple neck back to the bare wood and would like to know the best way to treat it.
I see a few members use Danish oil on their necks, but what about protecting the fingerboard from wear?
Suggestions invited,
Ta.
MM

[Beer of the Bass]

I've not used it on a fingerboard, but I've played a Danish oil finished bass for a few years now. It would offer little or no abrasion resistance on a fingerboard, as the thickness of the coating is negligible, even with quite a few coats. The best it would do is prevent it from absorbing too much dirt.

[ShergoldSnickers]

[quote name='Monckyman' post='1314781' date='Jul 24 2011, 02:32 PM']Lo all.
I just finished sanding down a recently bought maple neck back to the bare wood and would like to know the best way to treat it.
I see a few members use Danish oil on their necks, but what about protecting the fingerboard from wear?
Suggestions invited,
Ta.
MM[/quote]
MM – the Danish oil dries to a hard finish. A few coats of this should protect the maple. Keep an eye on it and reapply from time to time. Marine varnish or the dreaded epoxy resin are alternatives. I am known to recklessly tap, slap and pull the strings occasionally, and also now use Elixir nano web roundwounds. Wear to neck? After 30 years virtually nil. Wear to me is an entirely different matter though. :roll eyes:

Edit: Good start, the first two answers are diametrically opposed. Maple is pretty tough stuff and I've stopped worrying. Try the Danish oil, but monitor it closely and see how it goes. I might have been lucky.

Edited July 24, 2011 by ShergoldSnickers

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' post='1314788' date='Jul 24 2011, 02:43 PM']Good start, the first two answers are diametrically opposed. Maple is pretty tough stuff and I've stopped worrying. Try the Danish oil, but monitor it closely and see how it goes. I might have been lucky.[/quote]

That's entertaining! Mine feels like the top layer is wood plus oil, rather than there being a thick coating of finish, so I don't feel it's much tougher than the wood itself (which could still be pretty tough). It may be complicated by the fact that not all things sold as Danish oil are the same. I've read that some are just a blend of oils while some are more of an oil based varnish and dry a bit harder.

[Beedster]

I've owned a few basses with fretless maple necks (mostly Fender but also two Ibanezes), and in my experience as soon as you go though the heavy varnish (I use 'varnish' for want of the correct term), the wood wears [i]very[/i] quickly, far faster than does rosewood or ebony. Maple might be harder than these woods, but IME it requires far more protection from strings.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Beedster' post='1314821' date='Jul 24 2011, 03:17 PM']I've owned a few basses with fretless maple necks (mostly Fender but also two Ibanezes), and in my experience as soon as you go though the heavy varnish (I use 'varnish' for want of the correct term), the wood wears [i]very[/i] quickly, far faster than does rosewood or ebony. Maple might be harder than these woods, but IME it requires far more protection from strings.[/quote]

In short, I'd be surprised if oil alone will do the job. I may be wrong

[Ross]

Sorry to state the obvious but spray it with the lacquer of your choice?

Maybe a few coats of sanding sealer on the bare wood as well, it's designed to harden the ends of the grain, makes it better to sand and more hardwearing in the process. So after some sanding sealer and a polish with some 800-1200 grit you could probably oil it, and re oil from time to time.

Edited July 24, 2011 by Ross

[Monckyman]

Thanks Gentlemen, all good information.
MM