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Originally Posted by J.D.B.  When using the term "poly" are y'all referring to poly (ester) or (urethane). I've been digging around here quite awhile with no clear answer. I'm trying to figure out what the "satin poly" is that is on my NOS '87 MM neck. Also, if I spray/wipe poly (urethane) on the fretboard(maple), will I be able to clean it off the frets the same way as lacquer? Thanks,
Josh |
When guys refer to poly they could be referring to polyester or polyurethane, and truth be told, most of them don't know the difference anyhow. The "satin poly" on your 87MM would be the catalyzed polyurethane that most production basses are finished with these days. It has to be sprayed on and you add a catalyst (to start the hardening process) to it before spraying. Because of this it's not something you can easily do at home. It's a very tough finish almost impervious to chemicals (and chemical strippers). The spray on and wipe on or brush on polyurethanes you buy from paint stores and home centres for use at home are quite different. They are meant to apply easily and to harden without catalysts being added, they contain far less urethane and are not all that impervious to chemicals. You can strip them with a good chemical stripper. They also don't harden nearly as tough as the factory finishes. Polyester is also a tough finish and not something easy to use at home. It's often used as a sealer under other factory finishes. It's impervious to most strippers also. Anyhow, all these factory finishes are special purpose products designed to be applied by experienced pros and not easily available or suitable for the home hobbyist.
If you spray or wipe on poly you get from a consumer outlet on your fingerboard you can remove it from your frets while it is still wet with a cloth wetted with mineral spirits, also known as paint thinner. You'll also use that to clean your brushes. Varsol is one well known brand of mineral spirits. Once it dries though, you'd have to sand it off or steel wool it off or use a chemical stripper. You wouldn't want to do that. Lacquer thinner would also remove it with a bit of work. But it would also probably get spilled onto the fingerboard and mar the finish you've put on that.
I don't know why you would want to put polyurethane or any surface film on the fingerboard of your bass. Maybe to waterproof it? Probably it won't hurt. I sometimes use boiled linseed oil for that purpose. Some guys use tung oil. These finishes soak into the surface and are wiped off so they don't form a film on the surface. Other guys use lemon oil or some othjer furniture oil which doesn't cure the way linseed and tung do, but makes the wood look better and offer a slight amount of moisture protection.
But actually, you don't need to do much to your fingerboard except keep it clean and maybe moisten it a bit once a year with lemon oil or some other form of mineral oil.
