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I spent three hours tonight sanding a maple neck's poly finish off and it looks done, from a distance. When I get some daylight to work with I'm going to do all the minor touch ups which will make this part of it finished. I have some questions for you pros though for the next phase of things:

- Should I do anything in particular to the wood before starting to apply tung oil?

- Should I do anything in particular to the rosewood fretboard before starting to apply tung oil?

- Should I apply the tung oil with a rag or with a paintbrush?

- I've finished guitars in poly before, but not tung oil. Are there any typical surprises?
Thanks again for any help you can give me! Pictures will follow!

1. Sand to at least 450 grit, preferably higher (I do 2000 wet)

2. Mask the fretboard w /tape

3. Rag, just apply liberally to the rag and wipe the neck with it....1n hour later, burnish w/steel wool, reapply... do this about 4 or 5 times .... and yes, you will throw the rag away when done ...

4. not really, except that it goes faster, plays better and is generally easier to apply

When you say to mask the fretboard with tape, do you mean the sides as well or just the top?

Hmmm....

The bass I just picked up has an infinished neck.....what are some opinions on applying oil as a protectant?

Rosewood does not need a finish and should not put tung oil on rosewood. You should mask off the fretboard. It'll probably end up looking like hell.


Originally Posted by XeromusRosewood does not need a finish and should not put tung oil on rosewood. You should mask off the fretboard. It'll probably end up looking like hell.

You're saying that it will look like hell even if it doesn't get on the rosewood?


Originally Posted by theboatcandreamYou're saying that it will look like hell even if it doesn't get on the rosewood?

nono. It's fine on maple. Oil finishes on maple are pretty nice. What I mean is make sure you don't put it on rosewood. I can't imagine it would take very well since rosewood is an waxy wood to begin with. I can't think of any time anyone ever put a finish on rosewood on a neck for any reason.

??Tung oil won´t bother the rosewood at all, first time I´ve ever heard of that one....

Just mask off the actual playing surface and treat the rest of the neck as one piece of wood

I was told (by a guy who builds acoustics from the ground up for a living) that rosewood often won't take tung oil because of the wood's natural oils. Sounds similar to what Xeromus said.


Originally Posted by mnbaseball91I was told (by a guy who builds acoustics from the ground up for a living) that rosewood often won't take tung oil because of the wood's natural oils. Sounds similar to what Xeromus said.

Even aside from that I don't see what purpose it may serve.


Originally Posted by Zerberus1. Sand to at least 450 grit, preferably higher (I do 2000 wet)

2. Mask the fretboard w /tape

3. Rag, just apply liberally to the rag and wipe the neck with it....1n hour later, burnish w/steel wool, reapply... do this about 4 or 5 times .... and yes, you will throw the rag away when done ...

4. not really, except that it goes faster, plays better and is generally easier to apply

1 Listen to Zerb! I do it about the same exact way! I usually take it up to 2000 grit and then go all the way up to 0000 steel wool before I oil myself! Smooth as a babys ass! At that kind of smoothness, the wood will have a shine of its own without any oil! The oil may make it even better! If you want it duller, dont sand it and buff it out as much!

2000 grit? Now that's devotion.


Originally Posted by casblah2000 grit? Now that's devotion.

0000 steel wool, thats even more devotion!!!!!! LOL!!!!!

I go to the 0000 grit steel wool as well on my own necks (which are left raw), but when oiling I feel 2kwet is enough, because the steel wool does the polishing between the coats.... gives a nice thin oil finish while giving a hair more durability to the sealing effect because the oil can creep slightly farther into the wood. Either way, when I´m done you can pretty much see reflections in the neck

BTW: Properly dried rose wood will take tung oil, it´s actually excess moisture in combintaion with the natural oils that causes penetration problems, dito for ebony, Pau Ferro, Ironwood and almost all other exotic fretboard woods.Originally Posted by XeromusEven aside from that I don't see what purpose it may serve.

The purpose of applying it to the side of the neck is creating a uniform feel along the entire neck back, especially the joint between fretboard and neck, which can feel like a minimal quot;slotquot; in spaces if not properly done. The rosewood itself needs no protection in that sense, and could be left unfinished (common on full rosewood necks).... Again, its so the transition feels perfect, most noticed by players that tend to have the thumb on the upper edg. Or on very wide necks where the span forces the thumb to the lower edge of the neck, such as gt;9 string basses and quot;stickquot; style instruments

K, so the neck is sanded all the way to fine steel wool. It's shiny, very smooth, and has some flame to it! Nothing fancy and it's only near the headstock. I don't know why, but it's only on the sides of the neck -- that is, from the front or back there is no flame, but where the wood is cut at a 90 degree angle it's flamed.

A handful of guitar players were over here for something else, and they were impressed. Guess I'm doing something right after all. My mom who's been playing guitar for decades thought I had already applied a finish on it despite it just being bare wood.

ooooohhhhhh Zerb I thought you meant on the face of the fretboard, not the sides. That's why I was like wtf? lol!

ROFL.... And that after I explicitly said to mask off the fretboard, and later elaborated that the playing surface was specifically meant...

Oh well, some people can just misunderstand anything if they try

Zerb and others: I have read from some good sources that wet sanding unfinished wood is a big no-no, because the water gets into the grain and causes it to expand/contract. Your 2000 grit wet sand at the end suggests otherwise. Comments?


Originally Posted by ratherdashingZerb and others: I have read from some good sources that wet sanding unfinished wood is a big no-no, because the water gets into the grain and causes it to expand/contract. Your 2000 grit wet sand at the end suggests otherwise. Comments?
I think a little dampness to raise the grain won't hurt the wood, but too wet and it will soften, deform, or even rot. I'm not sure if it's advantageous or not to raise the grain before completing the sanding.

Would oil-sanding be an alternative?