Finished or unfinished neck

JasonB5232

JasonB5232

Inspired
I have a 2010 McCarty (2nd owner) and just started having a problem with the finish coming off the neck. So much has come off that I decided to just take it all off. I do love the feel of an unfinished neck. That being said, I have a Start with a neck that a majority of the finish has come off and it feels like I'm constantly adjusting the truss rod. Trying to decide if I should put Tru Oil on it or not bother. I can always wait and see how it behaves.

Just other for others experience or thoughts.
 
JasonB5232 said:
I do love the feel of an unfinished neck.
Click to expand...
Me too. If you're anything like me, though, you keep buying guitars with finished necks despite this.
JasonB5232 said:
That being said, I have a Start with a neck that a majority of the finish has come off and it feels like I'm constantly adjusting the truss rod.
Click to expand...
Are you ascribing this to the finish having come off? (If yes, why. Honest question.)
JasonB5232 said:
Trying to decide if I should put Tru Oil on it or not bother.
Click to expand...
Which one? Or both?
 
JasonB5232 said:
I have a Start with a neck that a majority of the finish has come off and it feels like I'm constantly adjusting the truss rod. Trying to decide if I should put Tru Oil on it or not bother.

Just other for others experience or thoughts.
Click to expand...
I'm trying to understand how having the finish rubbing off would require a truss rod adjustment?
But if I had it my way, ALL guitars would have unfinished necks.
 
AtomicJeff said:
I'm trying to understand how having the finish rubbing off would require a truss rod adjustment?
But if I had it my way, ALL guitars would have unfinished necks.
Click to expand...
When the neck has a glued on fretboard, that side of the neck is sealed. The unfinished back of the neck will absorb or lose moisture causing either a bow or back-bow requiring much more frequent truss rod adjustments. Warmoth won't honor the warranty on any of their necks for most woods if a hard finish hasn't been applied within 30 days of receiving the neck.

Woods like Rosewood and Wenge have natural oils that don't need a finish applied, trying to clear coat these necks could be difficult. Roasted Maple necks have had the moisture removed through "baking" that renders them virtually incapable of absorbing any more moisture so no finish is necessary on these either.
 
A properly prepared and maintained unfinished maple neck feels amazing . Some hardwood laminated and sealed woods also work great but as I said above the other constructional details matter a lot. You preferably want carbon reinforcement a straight channel truss rod and a separate fingerboard. If you want maximum stability a laminated construction too.
The best lower priced example is on EVH MIM guitars . This has a quarter sawn maple neck with a straight channel truss rod, two carbon reinforcement rods and a separate fingerboard. This is extremely unlikely to fail but you will still need to condition the wood to keep it feeling good.
The most stable at any price would probably be;
IMG_4661.jpeg
Hardwood laminated construction, carbon reinforcement, straight channel truss rod, separate ebony Fingerboard. It doesn’t move. Another one is the Vigier 10/90 ;
IMG_2072.jpeg
This has finish but wouldn’t change if it was removed.
The nicest finish I’ve played is on Tyler. It’s satin and resistant to getting shiny for years which is unusually good.
IMG_4546.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I would also recommend tung oil, but you do have to reapply it every couple years. It is easy and fast to do, so it is not a big deal, but you have to remember to do it. I have a couple necks I did Tru Oil on. One is awesome, the other is a bit sticky. I have tried about everything to get rid of the stickiness, but it is still a little sticky.
 
Andy Eagle said:
A properly prepared and maintained unfinished maple neck feels amazing . Some hardwood laminated and sealed woods also work great but as I said above the other constructional details matter a lot. You preferably want carbon reinforcement a straight channel truss rod and a separate fingerboard. If you want maximum stability a laminated construction too.
The best lower priced example is on EVH MIM guitars . This has a quarter sawn maple neck with a straight channel truss rod, two carbon reinforcement rods and a separate fingerboard. This is extremely unlikely to fail but you will still need to condition the wood to keep it feeling good.
Click to expand...

I came here to give my experience on the EVH (basically charvel) MIM Relic strat maple neck..... However the website does say 'Heavy Relic® Lacquer', it certainly has an unfinished feel.... https://www.evhgear.com/gear/shape/strat/evh-frankenstein-relic-series/5108005503#productSpecs

I haven't (yet) had issues with stability, so I haven't adjusted the truss rod aside from needing to after changing string gauges.

Finished or not - I love the feel of the EVH relic neck moreso than my USA PRS Custom 24 and my Pro II strat neck guitars - they feel sticky by comparison.

I certainly would 100% put oil on a neck that was designed for (and previously had) paint on it.
 
Mahogany does NOT like being unfinished - it is a relatively porous timber and over time it will absorb moisture and oil from your hands/fingers and run the risk of becoming structurally unstable - by all means apply a Minwax or Tru Oil finish, but just don't leave it as bare wood!
 
JRod4928 said:
I came here to give my experience on the EVH (basically charvel) MIM Relic strat maple neck..... However the website does say 'Heavy Relic® Lacquer', it certainly has an unfinished feel.... https://www.evhgear.com/gear/shape/strat/evh-frankenstein-relic-series/5108005503#productSpecs

I haven't (yet) had issues with stability, so I haven't adjusted the truss rod aside from needing to after changing string gauges.

Finished or not - I love the feel of the EVH relic neck moreso than my USA PRS Custom 24 and my Pro II strat neck guitars - they feel sticky by comparison.

I certainly would 100% put oil on a neck that was designed for (and previously had) paint on it.
Click to expand...
Not quite the same , the EVH is quarter sawn and the Charvel is not.
 
Tung oil, let it dry overnight, lightly sand with 320 or 400, put another coat on let it dry sand again till you get to finish that you want, then steel wool #0000 to a nice stain finish
 
EdgE said:
Tung oil, let it dry overnight, lightly sand with 320 or 400, put another coat on let it dry sand again till you get to finish that you want, then steel wool #0000 to a nice stain finish
Click to expand...
320 is way too rough. I would suggest you go to 600/800.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom