Care for unfinished maple neck?

pmbomb

So I am current custodian of the beauty below (something of a forum favourite eh @DrCornelius ?).

I'm playing it recently but have never given the neck or fretboard TLC - what does it need?

I've tracked down 'Music Nomad F One' for the fretboard - will that do?

Do I use something different for the neck? It's what I believe is called unfinished. I don't want it plastic feeling, I like its natural state, I just want it as good as it can be.

(thanks).

HAL9000

My two cents (but I’m happy to be corrected)...

Maple boards are normally lacquered and shouldn’t be oiled. In fact my understanding is that you’ll do more harm than good.

Maple necks that appear to be unfinished actually have a thin polyurethane finish and, again, my understanding is that you should leave things alone.

thegummy

As far as I'm aware maple fretboards don't need (or even benefit from) any oil or conditioner etc. like other woods do.

I have a Stingray that has the "unfinished" fretboard/neck and always just assumed it's the same as any other maple but I'll be keeping an eye on the thread in case anyone informs otherwise.

fretmeister

Let it get dirty.

Looks cool.

Bellycaster

Years ago, I oiled my Wolfgang "unfinished" neck and Board all over with Kyser Lem-Oil, it tuned the neck from it's original Pale wood colour to a very nice aged colour. I've never used that since though as I discovered the F-One Oil.

I only ever use the F-One Oil on my Wolfgang and all my other Guitars (which are all Rosewood anyway). I don't put any oil on the back (neck) now though. I have some really, really, really, really fine grade emery that I very occasionally give a quick rub up and down the neck part, that's all it takes and it's as smooth as the proverbial. Doesn't remove the nice aged colour or scratch either.

octatonic

Truoil.

WezV

Tru Oil or osmo oil work great on un lacquered maple.   Finish off with a good rub down with briwax and 0000 steel wool for a really sleek neck.  Yes it's a finish.  Maple needs something, but it doesn't have to be lacquer


Normal fretboard oils are meant to recondition rosewood and ebony which are often left truly unfinished.   NOt really what you are after for raw maple.

Cols

Assuming you’re talking about the back of the neck rather than the fretboard: periodic rub down with very fine wire wool, and then a light rub of gunstock oil or tung oil.

An unfinished maple fretboard would be quite unusual.  Assuming it’s varnished, it shouldn’t need anything more than a wipe with a damp cloth (and definitely no abrasives).

pmbomb

HAL9000 said:

My two cents (but I’m happy to be corrected)...

Maple boards are normally lacquered and shouldn’t be oiled. In fact my understanding is that you’ll do more harm than good.

Maple necks that appear to be unfinished actually have a thin polyurethane finish and, again, my understanding is that you should leave things alone.

looking closely on the neck you're quite right it has the faintest (reflective finish). ta.

(I can't detect any finish on the fretboard).

pmbomb

Cols said:

Assuming you’re talking about the back of the neck rather than the fretboard: periodic rub down with very fine wire wool, and then a light rub of gunstock oil or tung oil.

An unfinished maple fretboard would be quite unusual.  Assuming it’s varnished, it shouldn’t need anything more than a wipe with a damp cloth (and definitely no abrasives).

I'll show you - I think the fretboard is unfinished. Yes on looking the neck has the faintest of finishes.

pmbomb

ps all, when I wrote 'neck' I meant including the fretboard. oops.

axisus

I love a nice dirty maple neck with no finish.

Nice guitar there!

pmbomb

axisus said:

I love a nice dirty maple neck with no finish.

Nice guitar there!

ta. it's a keeper!

Stevepage

My Strat has no finish on its neck and fretboard (modified). What I do is use 0000 steel wool to lightly rub the back of the neck. For the fretboard, tape the fret wire with masking tape then lightly rub the frets. Once done, a coat of Truoil which is allowed to dry. 

thegummy

Can I ask a related question - are the necks that seem as if they aren't varnished like the one on my Musicman Ray4 actually just finished with a very thin coat or do some guitars actually come with a completely unfinished neck?

And is the advice for oiling a maple neck only if it's properly unfinished like one bought as a part or are people saying it's worth oiling a maple neck even if it has been finished?

WezV

Stevepage said:

My Strat has no finish on its neck and fretboard (modified). What I do is use 0000 steel wool to lightly rub the back of the neck. For the fretboard, tape the fret wire with masking tape then lightly rub the frets. Once done, a coat of Truoil which is allowed to dry. 

Tru-oil is a finish.

You have an unlacquered neck

HAL9000

thegummy said:

Can I ask a related question - are the necks that seem as if they aren't varnished like the one on my Musicman Ray4 actually just finished with a very thin coat or do some guitars actually come with a completely unfinished neck?

Any guitars I’ve owned which had apparently unfinished maple necks actually had a thin polyurethane coat. This includes Squiers, Fenders, and Yamahas. No idea if there are any brands that have a genuinely unfinished neck.

WezV

HAL9000 said:

thegummy said:

Can I ask a related question - are the necks that seem as if they aren't varnished like the one on my Musicman Ray4 actually just finished with a very thin coat or do some guitars actually come with a completely unfinished neck?

Any guitars I’ve owned which had apparently unfinished maple necks actually had a thin polyurethane coat. This includes Squiers, Fenders, and Yamahas. No idea if there are any brands that have a genuinely unfinished neck.

None of them have unlacquered or oiled necks.  They have thin coats of satin lacquer.

Truly raw unfinished maple just doesn't feel that nice.   You can get it smooth but it will quickly start to feel rough again as wood fibres swell with dirt and moisture.

If you want it as close to unfinished as possible you still need a light oil or wax to seal it.


Something like Danish oil can be wiped on and off, and will still get quite dirty with use, may need reapplying every so often 

Something like truoil will build a bit more so not let it get as dirty and not need reapplying as often.  You can even keep applying it like a lacquer, but why would you. 

I like to wetsand with the oil for a truly sleek feeling neck with as little finish as possible.   It's very very thin, and the surface of the wood won't swell with moisture.


Just beeswax and mineral oil melted together gives a bloody nice feeling neck too.

For me  they are best with a lot of rubbing and buffing to give it that old well used bannister feel.... truly smooth and as close to raw wood as possible, without feeling shit

thegummy

HAL9000 said:

thegummy said:

Can I ask a related question - are the necks that seem as if they aren't varnished like the one on my Musicman Ray4 actually just finished with a very thin coat or do some guitars actually come with a completely unfinished neck?

Any guitars I’ve owned which had apparently unfinished maple necks actually had a thin polyurethane coat. This includes Squiers, Fenders, and Yamahas. No idea if there are any brands that have a genuinely unfinished neck.

Just had a look at their website to see if it said but it doesn't give any info on the neck or fretboard finish.

P.S. how obnoxious is their website - I googled the model and clicked the link to take me to the specific model's page but then it instantly redirected me back to their home page and I had to click through a few of their menus to get back to the page I was on initially. Crazy to think that the person who thought that was a good idea got paid to implement it.

guitars4you

thegummy said:

Can I ask a related question - are the necks that seem as if they aren't varnished like the one on my Musicman Ray4 actually just finished with a very thin coat or do some guitars actually come with a completely unfinished neck?

And is the advice for oiling a maple neck only if it's properly unfinished like one bought as a part or are people saying it's worth oiling a maple neck even if it has been finished?

Musicman tend to favour a mix of gunstock oil and wax, blended together and rubbed in as required - silky smooth feel

oldhorsemurphy

guitars4you said:

thegummy said:

Can I ask a related question - are the necks that seem as if they aren't varnished like the one on my Musicman Ray4 actually just finished with a very thin coat or do some guitars actually come with a completely unfinished neck?

And is the advice for oiling a maple neck only if it's properly unfinished like one bought as a part or are people saying it's worth oiling a maple neck even if it has been finished?

Musicman tend to favour a mix of gunstock oil and wax, blended together and rubbed in as required - silky smooth feel

They do indeed. The Birchwood Casey stuff is highly recommended and relatively easy to get hold of.