software

I've sanded back and cleaned a maple neck and want to have a crack at finishing it. I'm thinking either an oil finish like EB/musicman and Gamp;L use, or a satin finish similar to modern fenders.

Anyone got any recommendations for what to use, where to buy it, and how to go about the process?

Grits,
here's some pics of the last maple neck I finished:
from : localhost/used aniline dye and Tru Oil (the stuff EB uses)

here's the process:

sand the wood down with at least 400 grit - note that lacquer finishes want to see just 220 grit for some tack, but the success of an oil finish depends on a fairly smooth wood to begin with

if you're going to dye the wood, do it next

let dry for a day

apply the first coat with your fingers, spreading evenly and fairly thin - especially in curved areas that tend to build up easily. cover the whole neck, frets and all

dry for a day

knock down the finish, and any uneven spots, lightly with 400 or 600 grit wet/ dry sandpaper. wipe off any excess dust with tack cloth

repeat at least two more times. on these coats, you can wipe on with soft cloth, then wipe off with paper towel to keep the finish thin

if you check the pics, you'll see that mine came out semi-glossy ... looks and feels great. It took me about 3 necks to get the process worked out, but I improved with each one.

Luthier's Mercantile has a Tru Oil article here. I read it, but kind of worked out my own process, too.

the makers of Tru Oil also make a finish wax for final sealing. I have some but haven't used it yet

Go to the site has great instructions. I doubt he can ship to NZ though.

I would propably just use some tung oil myself.

Get some minwax poly satin finish and apply it with a cotton rag, like a white Hanes t-shirt. Goes on real smooth and stays that way. Apply a couple of thin coats like that and you're set.

These waxes and oils, do you have to add more every so often?

I plan on finishing a maple neck in the near future as well.

since MusicMan probably finishes more necks with oil than anyone, here's their FAQ:

Q: How do I clean and maintain my Music Man neck?

A: To clean the neck, use a high-grade of lemon oil. If the neck is very dirty, try Murphy's Oil Soap diluted 3:1. Some players have found that using a toothbrush for cleaning is very effective.

Since the neck is unfinished, it is more susceptible to humidity changes. A very infrequent dose of gunstock oil will help to keep the neck maintained; we recommend Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work. Use a small amount, leave it on for 5 minutes, then wipe it off with a paper towel. After that, apply Birchwood-Casey Tru-Wax. Be sure to douse the paper towel with water before disposing of it! Read the wax and oil manufacturer's instructions regarding disposal of these used paper towels.

Birchwood-Casey products are available at most sporting goods or gun stores. Their web address is from : localhost/fingerboards should not be treated with the gunstock oil; instead they should be treated with a high grade of lemon oil. Again, for cleaning, try using the same high grade of lemon oil to clean the entire neck, both maple and rosewood fretboards. If the neck is very dirty, you can use a small amount of Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 3:1 to clean it. Keep in mind that if the dirt has gotten into the wood, it cannot be removed except by sanding it down, which we do not recommend. It is better to keep it clean in the first place. Washing your hands first helps! On an unfinished neck, some discoloration after many hours of playing is normal. Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers recommended safety precautions when using any of these oils or waxes.