unfinished neck

[captainultimus]

so i want to buy a neck from warmoth, and adding a finish to it adds to the cost a hefty amount. So my question is what is the downside to playing neck unfinished and, if it is really bad how easy would it be to apply a finish to a maple neck.

[jrkman]

If memory serves correct. You have to finish a maple neck. I bought a bass neck from Warmoth last spring. It's Canary and I didn't have it finished. I love playing it. It's smooth and quick. It has a much better feel than the finished neck(just my opinion).

 

[The Bear]

 

so i want to buy a neck from warmoth, and adding a finish to it adds to the cost a hefty amount. So my question is what is the downside to playing neck unfinished and, if it is really bad how easy would it be to apply a finish to a maple neck.

 

 

I don't see any downside, other than it getting a little dirty quicker.

You could use True oil, which you can buy locally.

If you want to finish it, check out the Reranch website: http://www.reranch.com/,

They have all you need to finish that neck, and the prices aren't bad either.

 

Good luck and take pics.

[captainultimus]

 

I don't see any downside, other than it getting a little dirty quicker. You could use True oil, which you can buy locally. If you want to finish it, check out the Reranch website: http://www.reranch.com/ , They have all you need to finish that neck, and the prices aren't bad either. Good luck and take pics.

 

 

i just wanted to make sure it wouldnt damage the wood or anything if i didnt finish it. and i will take pics but this build isnt happening probably till i get my tax return.

[Eddie]

Actually, there are downsides to an unfinished neck, and they're mentioned at Warmoth's website:

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/necks/NeckFinish.aspx

 

I don't know about the various finishes you can do, but Tung Oil and Tru Oil -mentioned by The Bear- are popular ones. I've used Tru Oil and it is easy to apply. Some people use their fingers. I prefer to use a rag. Use a very small amount, and rub it vigorously over the neck. The friction will create heat and apparently something happens to the oil that's different from merely rubbing it on softly.

 

I followed Gerard Melancon's advise, and applied it as follows:

Once a day for a week.

Once a week for a month.

Once a month for a year.

Once or twice a year after that, as needed.

 

The trick is to apply thin coats, otherwise it gets sticky and feels terrible. If you use too much, you can smooth things over with 0000 steel wool.

You can also use Gun Stock Wax, also from Birchwood Casey, once your done with the Tru Oil.

 

Be careful when disposing of the rags as they can spontaneously combust.

[Prages]

I've got two unfinished Warmoth maple necks. You do run the risk of the neck warping, moreso than a finished neck, and they do get dirtier faster, and once the gunk gets into the pores of the wood, it's almost impossible to get it out.

 

That said, they feel amazing to me, and neither of my necks has warped at all in the 6-7 years I've owned them.

[captainultimus]

yeah i read the warmoth thing and they said its only like a 10% chance of warping. i think i can fit it into my budget to get the neck by Christmas and hopefully that will prompt me to save for the body.

[captainultimus]

and seeing as i dont gig ever i im not all the worried about them getting dirty

[Prages]

 

and seeing as i dont gig ever i im not all the worried about them getting dirty

 

 

You don't have to gig for them to get dirty. Just playing them at home, the oils from your hands will seep into the wood.

 

It's not really that bad though. Neither of mine looks terribly dirty, and like I said above, they are both 6-7 years old, and one of them is my #1 gigging guitar.

[captainultimus]

you wouldnt happen to have pics of the necks would you?

[webwarmiller]

I personally like Watco's Danish Oil. Use the Golden Oak to provide a very subtle vintage tint to the neck or just use Natural. Flood the entire neck (frets and all if maple FB, RW you would tape off the board) in the oil and let it sit 15-30 minutes. Wipe it as dry as you can and repeat. It's really fool proof. I like to apply the oil with 0000 steel wool and rub it into the wood.

 

Then let it completely dry out (48 hours at least) and you can play it as is OR you can put a couple of light coats of nitro/poly on it (if desired). Last step is to tape off the fretboard and clean the danish oil off the frets with micromesh or 0000 steel wool.

 

I've got a squier neck that I'm about to sand down to raw wood and do the above to it (using the golden oak only, no sealer). I'll post a detailed write up with pics when done.

[Prages]

you wouldnt happen to have pics of the necks would you?

 

None recent. These pics are from about 3 years ago, so the guitars were only 3-4 years old at the time.

 

 

 

The quilty one has a birdseye neck, and it's also a year older than the orange one. The orange has seen way more play time since those pics were taken, so the fretboard is a little dirtier now than it was then.

[captainultimus]

i actually really like the look of the kinda dirty fretboard

[Prages]

 

i actually really like the look of the kinda dirty fretboard

 

 

Well, that's what they'll look like in a few years. Even now, the orange one probably isn't any worse than the quilty one in that picture. The quilty one hasn't gotten any worse either, since I really don't play it too often.

[captainultimus]

well thank you all for your input. iv decided to go with an unfinished neck. now i just need to pick a p90 and an hb and save the money for all of it lol

[Quarter]

I'd definitely at least get it sealed up, even a single coat of Tru Oil will help and still leave you that raw wood feel.

[Angry Tele]

just spray a few cans of clear nitro on it. This will cost like $20 and take a few days. How hard is that?

 

Or tru oil, $5, a few days.

[AXEL276]

I bought an unfinished Warmoth neck a few years ago. The OP didn't mention if the fret board was maple or somethng else. In my case it is a rosewood board on a maple neck. I'm sorry I don't have pics but the job could not have been easier and the results were pro!. I use MInwax rub on poly. You can get it at Home depot for less than $10. It goes on with a cloth, thin coats. no sag, fast drying. Use 0000 steel wool in between coats, apply 4 - 5 coats. Finish with auto compound and then car wax. It will look as good as any Fender factory jobs (if done right).

[trashedlostfdup]

i tung oil necks on my hand built guitars. it puts a little sheen on there and i steel wool it off. you can still feel the pores in the wood, and yet it wont warp.

[meandi]

 

i tung oil necks on my hand built guitars. it puts a little sheen on there and i steel wool it off. you can still feel the pores in the wood, and yet it wont warp.

 

 

This is what I use, as well.

Slick & dry...never sticky.

[Eddie]

A picture of my Steve Morse neck, after the treatment I described above:

 

 

 

When I got it brand new it felt really good, but that did not last long. I used Tru Oil and it was one of the nicest feeling necks I've played.

 

Note that the color got a bit darker on the back of the neck. The picture shows a big contrast, probably because of the angle and flash, but the color was just slightly darker.

[guitarcapo]

You should at least wipe a few coats of shellac or Tru oil on the neck to protect it from dirt, warping and sweat. After it dries wipe it with some 0000 steel wool for an even satin sheen.

[Angry Tele]

 

You should at least wipe a few coats of shellac or Tru oil on the neck to protect it from dirt, warping and sweat. After it dries wipe it with some 0000 steel wool for an even satin sheen.

 

 

this...dirty, greasy necks feel disgusting to me.