What's the best coating on a DIY defretted neck?

back as a wolf · #1 03-08-2008, 08:09 AM

I have two MIM Jazzes. One was originally fretless, the other is a fretted. I coated the fretless neck with some sort of polyurethane spray (multiple coats) but even when it cured the finish was still really "soft" and there are a few permanent indents from when I pressed a string too hard into it. I was thinking on defretting the fretted Jazz (I defretted an old precision a while back, so I have some experience) but I don't know what kind of finish to put on the neck once defretted and the slots are filled with wood putty. Any good recommendations?

bassmodder · #2 03-08-2008, 08:15 AM

A catalyzed polyurethane? I have had these same softness problems that you describe when using air dry products.

Bass Below · #3 03-08-2008, 08:16 AM

I've never done it myself, but I would imagine epoxy would be you're best bet. It's much harder than polyurethane. Go for a marine grade epoxy, the stuff used on boats.

back as a wolf · #4 03-08-2008, 08:18 AM

Ah - I just found the old can. Turns out it's a Laquer (good? bad?). It's called "Rust Oleum Specialty Laquer High Lustre Coating". Hm.

knuckle_head · #5 03-08-2008, 08:34 AM

Lacquer is a bad idea.

Best solution is a penetrating epoxy sealer for at least the first two coats because it seeps into the wood and then flashes so that it grips the fret board material as good as or better than anything you can come by. You can add layers of this stuff after the first two have cured or go to a more viscous epoxy on top of that as it would build thickness more quickly.