So my most recent guitar purchase involves one gigantic chunk of Mahogany. The paint is kinda sticky gloss black which is a thin layer that chips really easily. So I'm thinking of shaving the neck.
Now, after talking to a respected local guitarist about necks he said he had a PRS with a mahogany neck that owner before him had shaved and not sealed. He said it felt great but the guitar sounded 'rubbery' and was very damp. Then last week on a random internet forum I read a comment that said you MUST use some sort of oil or sealer to coat the mahogany otherwise it will absorb moisture just like what happened to that PRS.
So, how does one go about this? crank out the sandpaper and then what? clear coat gloss ?
Of course what I read could be complete BS YMMV etc. kinda stuff. Hence why I'm asking the question here and seeking your expert opinion(s)
Yes it has to be sealed - I use Tru-Oil, available at your local gun stockist, along with gun racks, AK47's etc
I've yet to find/feel/play a better finished neck than one thats coated in this - 90% of my gats have now had the treatment, strip back to the bare wood and rub in with your fingers, wipe off excess. Repeat about 8-12 times, and its slicker than Brian Tamaki. And won't let the moisture in which will ruin your neck. Do a search, many many many people use Tru-oil and recommend it.
$20 for a small bottle which should do around about 5-6 necks.
Its not enough that we succeed, we still need others to fail
Just to make myself clear, I'm not actually going to 'shave' the neck, just get rid of the paint. I'm perfectly happy with the neck carve.
Will I need to apply more Oil after the initial oiling? like once a year or so or just oil it once and leave it as is? Does the Oil make the wood much darker? (stupid question)
Just to make myself clear, I'm not actually going to 'shave' the neck, just get rid of the paint. I'm perfectly happy with the neck carve.
Will I need to apply more Oil after the initial oiling? like once a year or so or just oil it once and leave it as is? Does the Oil make the wood much darker? (stupid question)
Hmmm gotta find me a Gun shop now
Its actually more of a varnish than an oil but yeah I'd give it a fresh application of a coat or two every year to keep it slick. And yep you just need to sand off the old finish and start rubbing it in. Theres some great tutorials out there, it should only take about 3 days to get 12 coats on, you can usually do about 4 a day then let it dry thoroughly, and start again the next day. It needs to be rubbed well in with your fingers, a couple of inches at a time. Leave for about 5 mins then wipe the excess off with an old t-shirt. It should end up feeling very very very smooth - I love the stuff Its supposed to be for Gun Stocks, but is great on guitars!
Oh if you get stuck, give me a shout and I'll get you a bottle.
Its not enough that we succeed, we still need others to fail
Just to make myself clear, I'm not actually going to 'shave' the neck, just get rid of the paint. I'm perfectly happy with the neck carve.
Will I need to apply more Oil after the initial oiling? like once a year or so or just oil it once and leave it as is? Does the Oil make the wood much darker? (stupid question)
Hmmm gotta find me a Gun shop now
Its actually more of a varnish than an oil but yeah I'd give it a fresh application of a coat or two every year to keep it slick. And yep you just need to sand off the old finish and start rubbing it in. Theres some great tutorials out there, it should only take about 3 days to get 12 coats on, you can usually do about 4 a day then let it dry thoroughly, and start again the next day. It needs to be rubbed well in with your fingers, a couple of inches at a time. Leave for about 5 mins then wipe the excess off with an old t-shirt. It should end up feeling very very very smooth - I love the stuff Its supposed to be for Gun Stocks, but is great on guitars!
Oh if you get stuck, give me a shout and I'll get you a bottle.
Awesome, sounds great. Do you have any pictures of your oil-ed necks ?
A quick google search has turned up a massive amount of info on oiling mahogany necks. Did you wear gloves when you applied it? One source claims that the natural oils from my hands can damage the mahogany if they get in there. Not worth worrying about ?
Rob, I've done quite a few guitar bodies in Danish oil and they come up mint and feel great.
I've seen arguements on the net between people that have stripped all the finish off the neck and just left it like that, some would argue that you risk warping from moisture, others have had necks for 20 years unsealed and never had a problem.
She told me baby when you race today just take along my love with you, and if ya knew how much I love you baby, nothin' could go wrong with you.
Nah I've never used gloves, just rubbed it in directly with my fingers. I can take some pics but it just looks like a shiny finished neck- you've got to play one to appreciate the slinky feel
Danish oil has additives but is more like a real oil and will sink into the wood rather than build up protective layers - a certain amount of protection would be afforded with Danish Oil, but Tru-Oil does actually build up a bit more protection.
I've actually had severe problems with one neck that I got which I gave a very minimal oiling too, about 2 coats if IIRC, I pretty much ended up having to adjust the truss rod every couple of days - it wasn't stable at all, so I would NEVER leave a bare neck after that experience
Its not enough that we succeed, we still need others to fail
The method i've found with Danish Oil to build up a good covering is thin coats (especially the first one), and decent drying time in between coats (at least 24 hours). I don't like the idea of going very heavy at all on the first coat... as BG mentioned, it will soak it up like a sponge, and thats what you want to avoid IMO.
what we've got here is failure to communicate... some men you just can't reach
Complete noob questions - is this just for mahogany necks or will it work for other woods, e.g. Fender maple necks, and do you oil just the back/sides or do you have to do the fretboard as well (again thinking Fender type, 1piece)?
I've used it mostly on maple, works a treat. It should be good on the fretboard as well though I've never tried it on Rosewood - some of the US guys have though. I just give my rosewood boards a bit of lemon oil every three months or so.
Its not enough that we succeed, we still need others to fail
BG wrote:Yes it has to be sealed - I use Tru-Oil, available at your local gun stockist, along with gun racks, AK47's etc
I've yet to find/feel/play a better finished neck than one thats coated in this - 90% of my gats have now had the treatment, strip back to the bare wood and rub in with your fingers, wipe off excess. Repeat about 8-12 times, and its slicker than Brian Tamaki. And won't let the moisture in which will ruin your neck. Do a search, many many many people use Tru-oil and recommend it.
$20 for a small bottle which should do around about 5-6 necks.
Cool tip!
Cheers
You have the right to remain silent... But I wanna hear you scream!
Its supposed to be for Gun Stocks, but is great on guitars!
