Remove varnish on back of necK?

SteveFreides · #1 08-14-2009, 10:20 AM

My bass' neck is finished - looks to be the same as the rest of the bass. Everyone tells me it will feel better if I have the current varnish (lacquer, whatever it is) removed (and, I assume, use either a wood oil or nothing at all after that). It's a carved Eberle from bassesonline.com

I think we're talking about another $50-70 to have this done and my bass is already in the shop for a new setup - worth it to have this done or not? I grew up a guitar player and the finished neck feels perfectly normal to me so I have no _need_ to have this done, just don't know what I might be missing.

Thanks in advance.

-S-

txstatebass · #2 08-14-2009, 10:30 AM

I've always preferred unvarnished necks on DB. Not worth $50-70 bucks though. I did it myself on my first bass with finishing sand paper.

SteveFreides · #3 08-14-2009, 10:35 AM

Thanks, Adam.

FWIW, the second link in your sig brings up an error message for me, not a web site.

-S-

Greg Clinkingbeard · #4 08-14-2009, 11:51 AM

Scraper, sandpaper down/up to at least 320, Watco oil, 0000 steel wool, enjoy

Bijoux · #5 08-14-2009, 01:29 PM

I use steel wool on mine, maybe the 00 or the 0000. It is very gentle on the finish and there is a chance you don't have to take it all the way off. you can totally do it yourself!

eh_train · #6 08-14-2009, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clink

Scraper, sandpaper down/up to at least 320, Watco oil, 0000 steel wool, enjoy

Hi,

It is easy to do yourself! I'm not sure what Watco oil is, but boiled linseed oil works well...

Cheers,

Paul (Eh_train)

Greg Clinkingbeard · #7 08-14-2009, 02:18 PM

http://woodworker.com/watco-natural-...su-800-168.asp

I have been told it is a mix of oils with a drying agent. Linseed oil takes forever to dry and it can get sticky. There was a discussion of this a few years ago and Bob Branstetter, a local luthier recommended this method and it has worked well for me. The wood feels perfectly natural, but is sealed and very smooth.

Bijoux · #8 08-14-2009, 02:27 PM

I think that linseed oil works great! it takes just a little and you have to wipe all the excess. I might get sticky if you use too much.

SteveFreides · #9 08-14-2009, 02:49 PM

Thank you, everyone. I will do this myself when and if I decide to. I have used Watco Danish oil before and have some here so that part is a no-brainer.

Again, many thanks.

-S-

**Matthew Tucker** · #10 08-14-2009, 04:04 PM

just a tip - mask off the heel and chin with masking tape and sand up to the line. Then remove the masking tape and blend in the edges. that helps you get a nice even edge, otherwise it looks cheap.

Carl Johnson · #11 08-14-2009, 06:10 PM

I’d tape it off where you want to leave the finish, cover the upper bout with paper. Then use a citrus based stripper; quicker with far less effort than sanding.

Once you get to bare wood, let dry for a couple of hours. Then using a water dampened rag, soak the newly bare wood surface, this will cause the grain to rise. Using fine sandpaper, take the risen grain down so the wood is smooth again, repeat. After bring down the grain polish with steel wool.

Use finishing oil or not as you choose….

Elmo Oxygen · #12 08-14-2009, 06:26 PM

So, forgive me but, will these same methods work on BG?

fdeck · #13 08-14-2009, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elmo Oxygen

So, forgive me but, will these same methods work on BG?

I got 90% of the way towards an unfinished neck on my BG, simply by breaking the shiny surface with fine steel wool. You could try this before taking it all the way down to bare wood.

Of course steel wool is evil around BG's because of the magnetic pickups, so maybe some really fine grit sandpaper would be a better plan.

Andrew McGregor · #14 08-14-2009, 11:24 PM

Or you can use scotchbrite... there are some grades that replace steel wool, but are non-magnetic.

Elmo Oxygen · #15 08-15-2009, 01:13 PM

Thanks! I'll give this a shot.

gbaker · #16 08-16-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clink

http://woodworker.com/watco-natural-...su-800-168.asp

I have been told it is a mix of oils with a drying agent. Linseed oil takes forever to dry and it can get sticky. There was a discussion of this a few years ago and Bob Branstetter, a local luthier recommended this method and it has worked well for me. The wood feels perfectly natural, but is sealed and very smooth.

BOILED linseed oil dries fine. Do not use (raw?) linseed oil.

M.Wrenn · #17 08-16-2009, 09:29 PM

if it feels fine to you theres no need

Bassman203 · #18 08-16-2009, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaco9

if it feels fine to you theres no need

Exactly. Unless you really don't want a varnished neck you shouldn't sand it off. I prefer unfinished necks personally, but if you don't have a preference, doing something like that probably isn't worth it.

Michael Case · #19 08-18-2009, 11:08 AM

I used a scotch brite pad to get the old finish off, then applied boiled linseed oiled. It dried fine.

sjd007 · #20 08-18-2009, 06:00 PM

I have a penchant for oiled wood, but if you find the bare wood gets a little discoloured (hey, that's character...) I found a couple of coats of satin vanish worked very well. I needed to plane the sides of my fingerboard to get rid of a nasty lip, and in doing so also needed to sand the neck. The previous varnish was gloss and tended to hinder rapid thumb movement, so killed two birds with one stone. I was a bit anal and sanded up to 1200 grit - suuper smoooth. But hey, its the only bit of the bass you hold on to! The satin varnish I used had a little stain incorporated and now the neck feels suuuper smoooth, doesn't take up /discolour, and looks nice too. It took 24hrs between coats and then about 3-4 days before it lost all trace of tackiness.