Finishing a neck help

Dredmahawkus · #1 02-12-2013, 04:48 PM

So I am about to buy a bubinga neck from Warmoth....and I saw a couple that the grain shined and really stood out....I loved the look! Can anyone give me some heads up on what to do to the neck when I get it? wet sand? tung oil? and a question about tung oil since I have never stained or oiled anything except my rosewood fretboard.....does it totally dry? I dont want oil all over my hands when I play! Does it stay nice and for how long? Do I have to re-oil often? I guess I just want some advice on how to prepare the neck to have a nice shine and have the grains really pop out and stay nice. I have searched for how to do this and really havent found much. I have no experience with wood!

oh and can you put tung oil on a Pau Ferro fretboard? or just treat it with lemon oil?

Stone Soup · #2 02-12-2013, 05:00 PM

I use gun stock wax on my Stingray 5 neck. A few coats and you're good. It needs to be maintained periodically.

Years ago I used tung oil to refinish a bass. I was never happy with how it turned out, but the finish lasted pretty well. It needs to be maintained. It hardens, so you won't get oily hands.

Dredmahawkus · #3 02-15-2013, 03:50 PM

I was told by someone who's neck I loved to wetsand it in let it dry 24 hours and wetsand again....is it the same with gun stock oil?

I bought the bubinga on bubinga neck today.....do I oil the fretboard with gunstock/tung? or just do it with like fretboard cleaner mineral oil stuff?

Steveaux · #4 02-15-2013, 04:16 PM

It's bubinga, you don't do anything to it.

Dredmahawkus · #5 02-15-2013, 04:18 PM

check out post #153 in this thread....I want to get something close to that! amazing neck!

Warmoth Bass Porn...Show yours too

Dredmahawkus · #6 02-15-2013, 07:05 PM

ok I just watched some tru-oil gunstock oil vids.....and thats what I am going to do...tru-oil sand tru-oil sand tru-oil sand.

Jazzdogg · #7 02-15-2013, 07:56 PM

Bubinga is open-pored and would benefit from pore filling, whether you want to do it via wet-sanding or another method. I would apply a satin-sheen clear coat to seal the neck.

HeavyRockBasser · #8 02-16-2013, 01:17 AM

Like Steveaux said, bubinga doesn't need much of anything. It can benefit from some conditioning oil, though. This would be a very light oil... I think this is often called gun or way oil. This feeds the wood, darkening it and making it pretty. Lemon oil is simply a cleaner, although some concoctions have lemon, way, and wax in one. Tung oil is a finish and dries hard. This is the stuff you would put on the back of the neck and sand to a satin finish. There are some tutorials for this stuff, on here, and plenty of guys that know more about this than me. The tung is normally done in several coats with increasing amounts of mineral spirits mixed in. More mineral spirits = harder and shinier, if I remember correctly. Do your research first, and don't condition where you intend to put down tung oil. Congrats on the new neck. Been looking at those, myself, alot lately. Warmoth's stuff is just goergous. hrb

Dredmahawkus · #9 02-17-2013, 01:06 PM

I have been watching vids and reading stuff all day!

even though I ordered a giant bottle or tru-oil now I am not sure since I have no idea about the pore filling satin spray. I was going to sand the headstock and back with 300-400-600 till it was all smooth. blow off all the dust and start with a light coat of tru-oil then every day let it harden and steel wool with 0000 before applying another thin coat till it built up to a gloss/satin look.

I was going to tape off the fretboard then when done either use this product

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting...shing_Oil.html

or just a lemon oil or a fretboard cleaner/oil light on the fretboard.

now I am not sure if that stewmac stuff will make it too dark. I read some reviews and people were kinda mad it made their rosewood fretboard too dark.....although I dont think I would mind the fretboard being slightly darker then the rest of the neck. I will not tru-oil the fretboard. I dont think I can handle build up in the frets. ecspecially since warmoth necks once in a while need a slight fret level.

So someone give me some more info on the pores please! isnt sanding smooth and tru-oil enough? what else do I need to do to prep for this.

This is the first time I have ever done anything with wood and really know nothing about it! Thank you guys for the help!

Dredmahawkus · #10 02-17-2013, 01:18 PM

Jazzdogg- I am reading your oil tutorial now! thank you for putting up that great info!

Dredmahawkus · #11 02-17-2013, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeavyRockBasser

Been looking at those, myself, alot lately. Warmoth's stuff is just goergous. hrb

check this out what a beautiful looking neck! I bought bubinga because I like the warm sound...I have no idea what cocobolo sounds like and I didnt want ebony.....but this wood is so incredible looking!!!

http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/Show...ss=1&Path=Neck

HeavyRockBasser · #12 02-17-2013, 02:15 PM

Those look especially nice on a dark/natural body. You can see some fine examples of those on the Warmoth club thread. Congrats, again! hrb

Dredmahawkus · #13 02-17-2013, 02:37 PM

So I emailed stewmac to see if their linseed plus hardners fretboard cleaner is ok for bubinga and they say it is.....so I guess I either use that or leave it raw. suggestions?

Dredmahawkus · #14 02-17-2013, 04:49 PM

ok I just read all about pore filler......should I do that and make it prefectly smooth or leave it porous? I have never done anything with wood before should I practice on just a piece of something with the pore filler and truoil first before I do the neck?

Dredmahawkus · #15 02-17-2013, 04:57 PM

do you need pore filler? cant you just wet sand the oil in? wont the dust fill the pores?

Dredmahawkus · #16 02-18-2013, 01:00 PM

ok now I bought tung oil and tru-oil and dont know which to do when the neck gets here....anyone here ever wetsand the tung oil in then wipe off the excess? I am not sure to do it that way or tru- oil.

If you wet sand the tung oil into the neck wont that fill some of the grains? pore filling seems kinda hard.....and I dont understand how your wood still looks good after theres puddy in it.