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Thread: Big Head Strat Neck - In Birdseye

  1. #16
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    Most Fender maple necks are finished in Polyurethane. Older Fenders (CBS) are polyester. The vintage and custom shop versions are Nitrocellulous lacquer.

    If I were doing it, I would use Nitrocellulous Lacquer for the back of the neck and the headstock. I'd oil the fretboard (that's what I like). For re-sale, I'd do the whole neck in nitrocellulous lacquer.
    Shawn

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    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  2. #17
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    Wouldn't oil be an even faster conductor of dirt getting into the wood?

  3. #18
    It depends, George. Something like TruOil actually builds to a film finish, unlike something like straight BLO, and it seals out dirt and grime like any other film finish. I've had maple necks where I've worn some of the finish off the back, and it never seems to really get as nasty, or sticky as the front. I think it's probably the metal constantly coming off the frets, and rubbing against the strings, that makes the real mess. The back of the neck just seems to keep getting better and better, kind of like a pool cue.

    The latest thing, and it's actually quite nice, is a shellac finished neck. They feel wonderful. Of course, there may be some additional maintenance involved down the line, but you'll eventually have to spray the neck anyway when you refret. It's just as easy to wipe on a couple of coats of shellac.

  4. #19
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    Using poly almost seems like a sin. I've come to really love working with lacquer, it's so user friendly. I've never really enjoyed using poly but I know it's more durable. But with the way things have been going around here, I may find myself finishing the neck in our new house, wherever that may be. My SO has been pushing hard to get the house listed and it looks like that will be happening soon. If it sells quickly, everything comes to a halt so we can pack and go.

    George, I was thinking the same thing. I was just reading on TDPRI about this and opinions seem to be divided. A couple mentioned Tru Oil. That's not a bad idea. If the finish on the fretboard wears, the owner can just wipe a fresh coat on. And I don't have to unpack my sprayer or set up the spray tent.

    John, I just read your post. Tru Oil gets another thumbs up.

    Edit 2: I forgot to mention, the first neck was put aside. Brian felt his friend wouldn't like the dark grain on the back so a new neck was started. That's what the fretboard with the ebony dots was for.
    Last edited by Julie Moriarty; 05-03-2015 at 10:37 AM.

  5. #20
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    I should have noted I was thinking TruOil but wrote it imprecisely.

    I think I sweat too much for a shellac neck.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  6. #21
    I should mention that the way I apply it is very different than the directions. I put a small drop on a small square of paper towel or rag, and I apply very little at a time. I'll do that once a day for about a few days or a week, depending on how it's looking. Then I'll wait a couple of weeks and I'll use steel wool to get the sheen I want, and by that I mean the feel I want. It usually ends up approximately satin.

    It works on bodies too if you're looking for a natural looking finish. It's not something I do often, but some designs just seem to scream out for it. For example, this is only Truoil. The back is mahogany, so of course you still need to grain fill, but it's a nice, reasonably durable finish, and it's easy to fix. You can even buff it though you need to be careful about witness lines. I think this was just rubbed with 000 steel wool, if I remember properly.

    TruOilBody.jpg

    Incidentally, if you're curious, the fingerboard doesn't overhang....it's squared off, and thus the pocket needs to be squared off as well. There's a temptation to use a corner chisel to make the cut, but remember that the neck tapers! You must extend the sides of the pocket when you pencil it in, and then use a chisel to square it up after routing. I put a block of wood inside the pocket up against an edge as a stop, stick the edge of a ruler on top of the body against the block, and then pencil that in to get the proper taper. Way way way off topic, but someone asked me about that once, so I just thought I'd mention it.
    Last edited by John Coloccia; 05-03-2015 at 3:15 PM.

  7. #22
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    Thanks, John. That's quite a beautiful guitar you made! Thank you for sharing that.

    When the question about applying finish to a fretboard popped up, I wrote R.M. Mottola. I received his reply yesterday:

    Fender finishes maple fretboards with the same material used to finish the rest of the neck. In the early days it was nitro, these days some conversion finish. The neck is fretted and the fret ends filed flush. Finish is applied right over the frets. When finishing is done the frets are leveled, crowned and dressed in the usual manner, removing the lacquer from the playing surfaces of the frets.


    It is possible to finish the neck without the frets installed but I find this a tedious way to go. After finishing the fret slots are chamfered with a triangular file then the slotting saw is run through each slot to Clear the lacquer. it is tedious because the saw has to be run in from both sides of the slot but can't emerge from the opposite end, because if it does it often pushes the lacquer off the side of the neck. Then the frets are installed but this process is also tedious because pushing them down too hard will crack the lacquer.

    Whether you apply the finish before fretting or after, it seems there's some work to do, if you want finish-free frets. On Brian's friend's guitar, you can feel the finish buildup along the edges of the frets. I know most Fender guitars are mass produced and attention to detail isn't high on their priority list. I can see myself taping each fret. Maybe if I had the spray tent still up and the sprayer wasn't packed I might consider spraying nitro but I think Tru Oil is best way to go on this. If I can find the time to do everything but the finish, I'll see if Brian's friend would be open to applying the Tru Oil himself.

  8. #23
    I've never been a fan of oil finishes on guitars - especially on a BE neck. A few of my customers have removed the finishes on their fender necks and gone the oil route (against my advise) as they dislike the feel of lacquer. After experiencing frequent truss rod adjustments (some on a weekly basis) they asked to to have a proper finish re-applied. What I've found to be a "happy medium" for those customers is a hybrid mix of 75% sanding sealer/25% nitro. It gives the feel of sanding sealer and the nitro adds hardness to the flattening agents in the sealer. YMMV depending on brand and mix ratio.

  9. #24
    Helps to have lots of carbon fiber in the neck, like in my old Wolfgang. That neck is STIFF.

    If I ever get back into the shop, I have to try your mix, Mike! I never would have thought of that.

  10. #25
    John, I shot off a PM. Not sure if they are getting through so Pm'd you on FB.

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Sherman View Post
    I've never been a fan of oil finishes on guitars - especially on a BE neck. A few of my customers have removed the finishes on their fender necks and gone the oil route (against my advise) as they dislike the feel of lacquer. After experiencing frequent truss rod adjustments (some on a weekly basis) they asked to to have a proper finish re-applied. What I've found to be a "happy medium" for those customers is a hybrid mix of 75% sanding sealer/25% nitro. It gives the feel of sanding sealer and the nitro adds hardness to the flattening agents in the sealer. YMMV depending on brand and mix ratio.
    Are you talking about BLO, tung oil and oils of that nature or all oils? I have little experience with Tru Oil but it seems more like a varnish or shellac finish than BLO or tung oil.

    As for the hybrid mix you use, can you share what products you use and how you apply it? I'm trying to take into consideration the young guitarist who may be unable to afford the cost of professional touch-ups, so they can do some of their own maintenance. But, maybe that's a pipe dream.

  12. #27
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    Fretboard looks nice!

    Yes, you'll want to finish (lacquer, rubbed oil finish, etc.) the fingerboard - and once it's done and hard, you can polish it up and clean the finish off the fret when fret dressing.

  13. #28
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    I have posted how I experimentally used Tru Oil on a violin. Beautiful finish. The violin hung for MONTHS before I got around to stringing it. Definitely dry. But,sometime later,I noticed that the feet of the bridge had sunk down to the BARE WOOD,repeat,BARE WOOD,of the top. Tru Oil squished out all around the bridge's feet.

    A guitar capo would have wrought havoc!!

    So,no more Tru Oil on instruments for me. The next thing that could happen was for an instrument to get glued to the plush lining of the case. Tru Oil never really gets truly hard. Seems hard,but it AINT!!!

  14. #29
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    When I have the chance to get back to this, I'm going to nitro the fretboard. The only thing I'm wondering is do I do that before or after fretting? I have a saw that's the same thickness as the fret slots so I could use that to remove the nitro buildup. Then there would be no cleanup around the frets. What are the pitfalls of doing it this way?
    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  15. #30
    I fret after the finish is applied. I install the frets the day after the finish is shot as the lacquer is hard to the touch, but not fully cured. It eliminates the lacquer from chipping while installing them.

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