Help me un-screw-up my neck's natural finish

[DeathByGuitar]

 

 

So I got this dandy little used Schecter C-1 Exotic in the mail. I noticed that the stock satin finish was worn away and was instead glossy, so i took some 0000 steel wool and sanded it down to a nice satin finish again. Problem is that in one spot i wore away too much of the finish, leaving the bare mahogany exposed. In other areas it's slightly lighter than the rest of the neck.

 

I'm assuming i need to refinish the neck, but what should I use? I've heard of people using tung oil, Tru-Oil, and other things. Any ideas?

[harold heckuba]

You dont want to use oil over the existing poly. On a spot that small, I would touch it up with brush on superglue. Then sand lightly.

[DaleH]

Tru-Oil is what I would use. A few coats then steel wool and buff to a shine.

[DeathByGuitar]

That's what I was thinking. Should I sand off the existing finish on the neck, or should I leave it as is? I want to try and match the stained wood color of the rest of the guitar if possible. Like this:

 

[Deadbeat Son]

 

You dont want to use oil over the existing poly. On a spot that small, I would touch it up with brush on superglue. Then sand lightly.

 

 

I would do this or just use a small paint brush (like for painting model cars etc) and some clear poly to fill in the spot, then sand smooth.

 

If you're going to Tru-Oil it, you have to sand the entire back of the neck down to bare wood first and then start from there. It will be a lot more work.

 

*edit* -- Oh, and once you get to bare wood, you'll have to pore fill it first or make the Tru-Oil "slurry" which makes things a lot more difficult than simply oiling a maple neck.

[DaleH]

That's what I was thinking. Should I sand off the existing finish on the neck, or should I leave it as is? I want to try and match the stained wood color of the rest of the guitar if possible. Like this:

 

I would just rub some on, overlapping the edges of the spot. Looks like they have some type of brown stain on the neck. Try just doing the spot first and see if your happy with it.

If not your taking it down anyhow and it will not make the job any harder by trying that first.

 

If you do taske it down tru oil is the way to go on the refinn anyhow.

[billybilly]

Match the stain, lighter is better, you can put more on if need be. Use what was already there, I suspect it is poly. I have fixed spots like this a million times and I highly recommend you use what was pre-existing for the finish. Anything else just won't do.