do you HAVE to finish a maple neck?

[rahimiiii]

I wonder anyone ever left a maple neck unfinished? Im asking cause warmoth said you have to finish a maple neck so it wont warp or anything but I have been thinking, I have seen some players who prefer unfinished neck cause they said it felt faster or whatever. So I have been contemplating leaving necks unfinished because its easier (less smelling paint fumes that kills brain cells) or at least just spray a few coats of clear spray paint and steel wool them to protect the neck from warping. Would that be enough?

[jdjonsson]

I've taken a maple neck and sanded it down with finer and finer grit sandpaper until it was basically polished. It's a nice neck. I specifically used a set of these:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supplies/Abrasives,_polishes,_buffers/Micro-Mesh_Soft_Touch_Finishing_Pads.html

all the way to 12000 grit. It's a really nice neck.

[surfcat]

It might not warp-just maybe more likely. I used to sand the shafts of pool cues-the cheap ones always have too much laquer, and then burnish them with a dollar bill-makes them smooth. A hundred dollar bill makes them really smooth. Anyway, I'm not an expert, but it will get dirty fast. The Wolfgang I used to have had a tung oil finish, I think, and would also get dirty fast-I used no wax furniture spray polish to clean it. I would at least want that much finish unless it's a beater guitar. G&L's come with that finish optional, and Carvins.
Really the satin finish that Fender uses is just as slick.

[rahimiiii]

I dont know, sometimes I like dirty necks, gives it a used look...

[Ibanezman06]

but aren't the necks on standard MIM strats unfinished? By finished I mean like the Eric Johnson strat. It's a maple neck but there's someting one it. Anyone know what that is? Does it affect the sound? What strats have them?

[rahimiiii]

Originally posted by rahimiiii I dont know, sometimes I like dirty necks, gives it a used look...

 

 

polyester scuffed with steel wool to make it look unfinished.