Question on neck wear

Bassguitarbubba · #1 03-23-2011, 03:36 AM

I bought a used '78 P bass about 7 years ago. It was a player, for sure. About 3 years after I bought it, the finish on the back of the neck began to flake off. I was wondering if this is normal and if not, what might cause it. I included a few pics.

Bassguitarbubba · #2 03-23-2011, 03:40 AM

Here you go.

Stumbo · #3 03-23-2011, 03:42 AM

It an official natural relic!

If it doesn't bother you, I'd leave it.

Bassguitarbubba · #4 03-23-2011, 03:46 AM

It doesn't bother me one bit. Natural relicking is preferred to what the alternative could be...a bad refinish job!

Meatrus · #5 03-23-2011, 06:14 AM

I'm not sure, but it looks like an unusual area to have been worn from playing. Unless someone played with their thumb over the top of the FB the whole time, and played the higher frets more than the lower ones. Especially the patch near the heel seems odd.

Stumbo · #6 03-23-2011, 11:14 PM

Looks like the clear coat on my '96 Honda Accord. Dried out and flaking off. Seems like the finish on the neck has lost its hold on to the neck and is failing.

testing1two · #7 03-23-2011, 11:23 PM

that is definitely odd for a poly finish. I would consider sealing the raw parts to prevent any kind of splintering or just remove the remaining finish from the playing area and seal everything with an oil finish.

Bassguitarbubba · #8 03-24-2011, 02:59 AM

I must admit, I do most of my playing between the 3rd and 9th frets. When it flaked, pieces of the finish stuck to my thumb. So that answers the question about why the finish is flaking at that area of the neck.

Thanks for the advise on how to keep the neck from being damaged!

bassbully · #9 03-24-2011, 07:04 AM

I have a 78' also with a maple neck and the finish on yours that still left looks much too light. Was it re-finished and that is what is coming off now? The wood under the old finish you show is what mine looks like much darker maple. The poly on those necks are pretty thick and I think 1000 years of heavy playing would not dent it.

darkstorm · #10 03-24-2011, 07:17 PM

The finish should not flake off. Id have the remaining finish sanded off and redo it. If you have good experience with useing sandpaper well then doing that yourself is doable nicely. As would be refinish for neck via the various easy wipe on wood sealer/finishes. Of course useing ultrafine sandpaper to make it all nicely pro smoot after drying. Or tung oil finish.

Id geauss the thing got that way from someone useing noncompatable refinsh over previous finish and just plain abuse of the neck rubbing it againt speaker cabs etc.

Bassguitarbubba · #11 03-24-2011, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbully

I have a 78' also with a maple neck and the finish on yours that still left looks much too light. Was it re-finished and that is what is coming off now? The wood under the old finish you show is what mine looks like much darker maple. The poly on those necks are pretty thick and I think 1000 years of heavy playing would not dent it.

I too noticed that the finish looks, as I would call it, a little "milky". That's what's coming off. The darker parts look more natural and seem to be holding the finish better.

I know little of the previous owner as I bought the guitar in a vintage guitar shop. What I DO know of the previous owner is that he was a smoker. The guitar REEKED of cigarette smoke and even after 7 years of smokefree care, it still smells of cigarettes. Plus, there is a cigarette burn in the head stock where the player would place a burning cigarette. (I must admit that I did this in the 70's when I was a young smoker trying to look cool, Different guitar.)

The front of the headstock looks darker than the sides and the back. Is that indicative of a refinish to the neck and back of the headstock?

mongo2 · #12 03-25-2011, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassguitarbubba

The front of the headstock looks darker than the sides and the back. Is that indicative of a refinish to the neck and back of the headstock?

For that period, the OEM finish on the face of headstock is nitro and the rest of the neck is poly. The nitro can discolor due to environmental conditions over the years whereas the poly doesn't discolor as much if at all.

I've had quite a few Fenders from that era and on mine the finish on the back of the neck may have chipped (I use superglue dropfills to fix those) but it never flaked off on any of them.

Bassguitarbubba · #13 03-27-2011, 01:31 AM

Thank you all for your comments, suggestions and insights. I'll take it to a local luthier and talk about my options.

bassbully · #14 03-31-2011, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassguitarbubba

I too noticed that the finish looks, as I would call it, a little "milky". That's what's coming off. The darker parts look more natural and seem to be holding the finish better.

I know little of the previous owner as I bought the guitar in a vintage guitar shop. What I DO know of the previous owner is that he was a smoker. The guitar REEKED of cigarette smoke and even after 7 years of smokefree care, it still smells of cigarettes. Plus, there is a cigarette burn in the head stock where the player would place a burning cigarette. (I must admit that I did this in the 70's when I was a young smoker trying to look cool, Different guitar.)

The front of the headstock looks darker than the sides and the back. Is that indicative of a refinish to the neck and back of the headstock?

My headstock is much darker as is the the back on the neck. Fenders 70's poly is thick, the late 70's was really thick and It would be amazing to see it flake off. I have seen at least a 100 Fenders from this period and never seen that. Chips,scratches? yes, flaking ,falling off like that..never. BTW when the finish flakes the wood under normally turns dark also. My bass has a large cig burn on the headstock and was played by a smoker, no smoke will do that unless it was in a fire. I call a poor refinish, one that was done over the original Fender poly as the problem.