Sanding the Back of My Neck ???

[Bryan316]

I like the 3M pads and steel wool because they don't scratch as easily as sandpaper can.

[BassmanDk]

Originally Posted by mustbampeg

Of course im not sure i would recommend doing this to a a $2k+ bass with an exotic wood neck. I wouldnt take sandpaper to it, either. Im not sure what a Bacchus is, but if you are considering adding a new bridge and electronics, then i assumed that its not a $2k+ bass.

hmm a $2k+ bass or just your favorite bass? Price doesn't matter(!!!) - if you don't wanna do it(using a razor blade) to an expensive bass you shouldn't be doing it to any bass, you like, regardless of the price.

Originally Posted by mustbampeg

However, if you still want to take the neck down to the bare wood, the razor blade is the best and easiest way to do it without spending hours and hours of sanding.

Maybe the easiest but not the best. Not for a nonpro. If you have a lot of woodworking experience, you could do it. But still why? If i wanted to do it that quickly( and why again - i'll always take my time doing this kind of work because it's probably the most critical piece of a bass for playabillity) i'd use some kind of tool( don't know the english word for it).

Originally Posted by mustbampeg

btw, dont roll your eyes at me,

If i feel like it i'll do that - 'coz that's just the way i roll....

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Quad,
I just noticed your bit about changing the bridge and pups and dropping in an audere.
Why not just put together one from scratch just the way you want it?

[dives]

Start with 3m green (just barely knock off the shine) then to 3m gray( again barely so as to smooth it a little more) finish with Johnson past wax and buff up real well.
if you like you could give it a squirt of fingerease and wipe with a quality polishing rag.after you're done. This procedure should give you a pretty fast neck.

[mustbampeg]

Originally Posted by BassmanDk

hmm a $2k+ bass or just your favorite bass? Price doesn't matter(!!!) - if you don't wanna do it(using a razor blade) to an expensive bass you shouldn't be doing it to any bass, you like, regardless of the price.
Maybe the easiest but not the best. Not for a nonpro. If you have a lot of woodworking experience, you could do it. But still why? If i wanted to do it that quickly( and why again - i'll always take my time doing this kind of work because it's probably the most critical piece of a bass for playabillity) i'd use some kind of tool( don't know the english word for it).
If i feel like it i'll do that - 'coz that's just the way i roll....

How could it possibly be your favorite bass if you dont like the neck?????? it's ok if your afraid of screwing up your bass, i understand. I, otoh, have confidence in my ability (not to mention that i have done this many times and have yet to screw up in a major way). I dont have the time or the patience to sand for hours with no noticable difference. Like i said before, it is not rocket science and you would have to be an idiot to screw something up beyond repair. it's simple really, my 15 year old son did his guitar last month with remarkable results. total time investment??? 30 mins for the guitar and 5 mins for the cleanup. you know, however you choose to do it is your business, and thats fine, but dont knock me for doing what works for me (and what would prolly work for everyone else as well).
rock on

[Dragonlord]

I recently sanded my Dingwall's neck with a green ScotchBrite pad. Love the result. However, it did take quite some rubbing to get it where I wanted it.
Sheldon had advised me to use 0000 steel wool and, if I did, to cover the pickups before and hold the bass with the headstock down, as steel wool seems to let a few very small pieces that go and sit on the pickups.

[BassmanDk]

Originally Posted by mustbampeg

however you choose to do it is your business, and thats fine, but dont knock me for doing what works for me (and what would prolly work for everyone else as well).
rock on

I'm not knocking you for doing it to your own basses ( or your son to his guitars). The problem is that you are giving out bad advice to other people.
What if i said that in order to adjust the backbow of a bassneck you didn't need to operate the trussrod, but insteed just whack the neck with a hammer until the backbow is gone? Does this sounds like good advice???

And on a sidenote, if you don't have any patience doing setup or repairwork, maybe just do it to your own basses and plz don't advice other people on how they can fix their instruments. Don't know quite how it works in the US, but maybe someone would sue you if they mess up their bass following your advice?
The good advice will always be to take your time and doing things right the first time. Hard to argue that ( i think...)

[Snakeye]

I don't know about sanding the back of the neck, I play lead (or solo bass) and I just use Martin wood guitar polish rather than sanding anything. I guess sanding is OK if you sweat alot. Wife does, but I don't.

[DigthemLows]

Originally Posted by BassmanDk

I'm not knocking you for doing it to your own basses ( or your son to his guitars). The problem is that you are giving out bad advice to other people.
What if i said that in order to adjust the backbow of a bassneck you didn't need to operate the trussrod, but insteed just whack the neck with a hammer until the backbow is gone? Does this sounds like good advice???

And on a sidenote, if you don't have any patience doing setup or repairwork, maybe just do it to your own basses and plz don't advice other people on how they can fix their instruments. Don't know quite how it works in the US, but maybe someone would sue you if they mess up their bass following your advice?
The good advice will always be to take your time and doing things right the first time. Hard to argue that ( i think...)

I don't think it's bad advice, it's his opionion for what works best..........it's what I would do as well..........sanding can take forever and be just as hard to get even, especially if you make it through the finish in one area earlier than others........Someone could mess it up no matter what they do, razor or sandpaper........no sueing involved........

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by DigthemLows

I don't think it's bad advice, it's his opionion for what works best..........it's what I would do as well..........sanding can take forever and be just as hard to get even, especially if you make it through the finish in one area earlier than others........Someone could mess it up no matter what they do, razor or sandpaper........no sueing involved........

I agree completely that if the goal is to remove the finish down to bare wood, a scraper, not a razor blade, but a tool steel scraper with a properly turned edge is, by far, the most efficient way to go.

Believe it or not, a shard of broken window pane, used as a scraper yields a much smoother surface than sandpaper. I have built several pieces of furniture that no sandpaper at all was used. Nothing but scrapers.

I wouldn't advise a greenhorn to rely on a scraper for the first time on something like a neck, though. There is a learning curve involved in just preparing a new scraper for use. Try to use a new one without first rolling the edge, and you'd think it could never be usable to remove anything.

Old handsaw blades make wonderful scrapers.

[Thangfish]

I did mine with 400 wet/dry, and then switched to 1000. Worked real nice and was quick... 5 minutes total. But then I wasn't trying to strip the neck either. Just wanted a satin finish. Feels much faster/smoother now.

[BassmanDk]

Originally Posted by pkr2

I agree completely that if the goal is to remove the finish down to bare wood, a scraper, not a razor blade, but a tool steel scraper with a properly turned edge is, by far, the most efficient way to.

So a tool and not a razor - didn't i just say that?

No seriously, if you wanna tak off some off the finish use sandpaper. Wanna take off more, use sandpaper for longer time or... use the proper tool and not a razor - but then again, only if you know what you're doing! And then you probably didn't get this far down in this thread

[pin_head_47]

First off, I think we need some more info here. There's alot of ideas here so far, some good, some maybe a bit extreme. What kind of wood is your neeck made from? If it's maple, then it's going to need some type of finish left on it. Un unfinished maple neck can feel nice, but it'll eventually stain, look like crap, and possibly even warp. Sure, you can add a different finish with a satin feel, as others have already recommended - but why bother taking the old one off? There's really no need at all to take that poly off down to the bare wood. All you need to do is scuff/sand what you already have, without removing it.

I went to school for autobody and am familiar with all the steps needed to knock the gloss off a finish. Wet-sanding is the preferred choice, simply because the water will keep the paper from clogging and helps to wash away the sludge you are making. Obviously you have to be alot more careful when your using wet paper around your bass, so it's probably a good idea to remove the neck to do it. As for what grit to use, that's a matter of personal preference. 1500 is enough to take off the gloss, but takes a bit longer. 1000 is probably your best bet; 600 is another good choice, but you have to be more careful not to go thru the finish. At 600 grit, your sanding scratches will also be more noticeable, if that matters to you.

3M Scotchbrite pads are a good substitute for sandpaper, though they'll never be quite as smooth as wet-sanding. The colors are comparable to certain grits: Red = 600, Grey = 1000. We used them alot in autobody as well.

Best of luck with your choices, hope this helps.

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by BassmanDk

So a tool and not a razor - didn't i just say that?

No seriously, if you wanna tak off some off the finish use sandpaper. Wanna take off more, use sandpaper for longer time or... use the proper tool and not a razor - but then again, only if you know what you're doing! And then you probably didn't get this far down in this thread

"So a tool and not a razor - didn't i just say that?"

Actually, I don't know, or really care whether you said that or not. I was addressing the board, not anything that you may have said. Seriously.

[BassmanDk]

easy now pkr2, i was just commenting on how people just post without reading what have been said already...



Seriously!

[mustbampeg]

Originally Posted by BassmanDk

I'm not knocking you for doing it to your own basses ( or your son to his guitars). The problem is that you are giving out bad advice to other people.
What if i said that in order to adjust the backbow of a bassneck you didn't need to operate the trussrod, but insteed just whack the neck with a hammer until the backbow is gone? Does this sounds like good advice???

And on a sidenote, if you don't have any patience doing setup or repairwork, maybe just do it to your own basses and plz don't advice other people on how they can fix their instruments. Don't know quite how it works in the US, but maybe someone would sue you if they mess up their bass following your advice?
The good advice will always be to take your time and doing things right the first time. Hard to argue that ( i think...)

BAD ADVICE?!?!?!?!? You have GOT to be kidding me! The OP asked how to get the poly off of the back of his neck, and i told him the fastest, most effecient way to do this. Maybe your idea of bad advice and mine are two different things and thats fine, but as for right now, you need to get the hell off my ass about this. And on a side note, i do just fine with my repairwork and i will advise whomever i choose to advise. I dont really know why you are all bent outta shape on this subject, and i dont really dont care.

Anyways, i guess we are just gonna have to agree to disagree.
rock on