Sanding back the neck finish.

[NancyJohnson]

So.  Over the weekend, my wife tells me she'd like me to teach her how to play the bassline from The Cure's Lovecats.  OK, I say, which bass would she like to use.  She tells me she is happy with the old one (photo below), but remarked the glossy neck finish is 'sticky' so she went with a Lull ('too big') and eventually decided on a Spector.

On a whim, I decide the neck is sticky, so I locate some 240 grit finishing paper and sanded it off.  The decision took a couple of seconds, the sanding took a few minutes.  Dusted it off and lemon-oiled it.  Man alive.  What a difference; so much faster.

 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

5 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

So.  Over the weekend, my wife tells me she'd like me to teach her how to play the bassline from The Cure's Lovecats.  OK, I say, which bass would she like to use.  She tells me she is happy with the old one (photo below), but remarked the glossy neck finish is 'sticky' so she went with a Lull ('too big') and eventually decided on a Spector.

On a whim, I decide the neck is sticky, so I locate some 240 grit finishing paper and sanded it off.  The decision took a couple of seconds, the sanding took a few minutes.  Dusted it off and lemon-oiled it.  Man alive.  What a difference; so much faster.

 

I think I’ve had less interest in all of my basses from my wife over the last 25 years. Mrs.NJ sounds like a keeper 😀

[Jakester]

When I was starting out playing bass, that was one of the first tunes I had to play And I found it really hard  - if only I’d have known all it took was sanding down the back of the neck I’d have been all over it!!

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

I think I’ve had less interest in all of my basses from my wife over the last 25 years. Mrs.NJ sounds like a keeper 😀

She's never played in her life, but has always loved The Cure (I think we've covered this elsewhere!). 

[therasonic450]

Think you'll find if you treat it with gunstock wax after sanding you'll get a better finish than with lemon oil.

[TheGreek]

Wire wool surely...

[leschirons]

On 02/08/2020 at 00:16, TheGreek said:

Wire wool surely...

Totally agree. 000 wire wool and it'll be like glass.

[Bassmingo]

I used 400 grit, followed by 0000 steel wool. Just removed a light layer as I didn't have anything to finish the neck with. 

But I'm considering going the whole hog now. I just have to get some gunstock wax.

[Dan Dare]

If you use steel wool, make sure you stick masking tape all over the pickups first. Other wise, they will be covered in a "fur" of steel fragments that you'll NEVER remove completely.

[NancyJohnson]

On 01/08/2020 at 23:16, TheGreek said:

Wire wool surely...

Have you actually looked at the bass?  lol