removing varnish from neck

Anon2962 · #1 09-17-2005, 08:02 AM

The neck on my bass is not orginal, and isn't an ideal shape. The base(?) of the neck, the part where it meets the shoulders, is quite big. so big that playing in the position on (the g string) F F# G is uncomfortable. I've been bringing my thumb around to the side of the base of the neck, but unfortunately there's varnish on it which is really bothering me. It feels manky; there's too much friction.

Can I just sand the little patch that I'm using? Will this leave a really obvious DIY-looking patch on the neck?

I could post a photo tomorrow if it'd help..

Steve Killingsworth · #2 09-18-2005, 06:29 AM

I had the sticky neck problem on an Engelhardt I once owned. I used steel wool (several treatments-coarse to superfine) to remove the polyurethane and finish then treated the neck with a three coats of Danish oil. Easy to do and well worth the effort.

Anon2962 · #3 09-19-2005, 01:30 AM

I see. Was there any difference in colour when you finished?

Steve Killingsworth · #4 09-19-2005, 06:15 AM

Some difference but not enough to matter. My bass was blonde so I used the Golden Oak shade which matched up pretty well. If you have a darker bass, the color difference might be more noticable but if you do the whole neck from nut to heel, I don't think it would detract from the appearance.

FidgetStone · #5 09-19-2005, 07:49 PM

I did the same steel wool thing that Steve did on an old rental bass and it worked great. The bass was still a piece of junk but the neck felt much better.

Cheers . . .

Doug Ring · #6 09-20-2005, 09:43 AM

Just do it!

I did it to mine using something like 900 grit wet and dry paper. It was scary starting it, but now I'm glad I did.

I rubbed just gently enough to take the gloss off then polished it up by rubbing Fast Fret (the stuff you get for guitar strings and fingerboards) on the sanded wood and wiping it in hard with a soft cloth. Worked a treat.