Help: Removing varnish from Fender neck.

[Beedster]

I've just acquired a USA Vintage '62 reissue. It's a nice bass, but the neck has the thickest and stickiest layer of varnish I've yet encountered. Both my other necks are varnish free, one through use and one through modification (both are now oiled), and I really need the new neck to feel like those. Is this a job I can do myself or is it best left to a tech? Will a half measure, e.g., taking the varnish down a little without removing it completely, help?

Cheers

Chris

[Al Heeley]

You can certainly spend 40 minutes rubbing away at the varnish with fine wire wool. even though it will not remove all the varnish it will take the stickiness off it and you'll stilkl have sealed wood underneath. Rub off all the dust with a tack cloth.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I've taken the sticky glossiness of some of my basses including the very glossy neck of my CIJ Mustang using scotchbrite - I think its sold as wire wool substitute. I have a roll of very fine grey stuff which works well for me.

[Golchen]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='800534' date='Apr 9 2010, 08:56 AM']You can certainly spend 40 minutes rubbing away at the varnish with fine wire wool. even though it will not remove all the varnish it will take the stickiness off it and you'll stilkl have sealed wood underneath. Rub off all the dust with a tack cloth.[/quote]

I did this with a heavy varnished Fender strat neck. Worked like a dream! Played superbly afterwards.

[Al Heeley]

+1 for the scotchbrite pads - i got some green ones from B&Q - softer than wire wool, do not leave tiny scour marks in the neck wood, and you get a lovely silky smooth finish. Done this to all my guitars now.