How To Go About Sanding A Neck

[Osztertag2112]

Hey guys I've got a 70's classic jazz bass and recently I picked up a standard MIM p bass with a great satin finish neck. The jazz has a super glossy neck, and I was wondering if there is a special way or procedure to sanding it down without damaging the bass. The gloss is nice but it just gets very sticky after a solid performance or practice, and I'd like something I can move around quickly with that feels natural.

Thanks

 

[tbplayer59]

Hey guys I've got a 70's classic jazz bass and recently I picked up a standard MIM p bass with a great satin finish neck. The jazz has a super glossy neck, and I was wondering if there is a special way or procedure to sanding it down without damaging the bass. The gloss is nice but it just gets very sticky after a solid performance or practice, and I'd like something I can move around quickly with that feels natural.

Thanks

I just use very, very fine sandpaper or 0000 steel wool. Be careful using steel wool around your pickups. Go slowly, it doesn't take too many passes to remove that gloss. Other than that, I've never used a special procedure.

 

[SamanthaCay]

With blue painter's tape mask off a line between where you want the satin and gloss to meet and use something in the neighborhood of 1500 grit or finer wet sand paper the give it a satin feel.
FYI you can probably find the supplies you need at just about any auto parts store.

 

[SamanthaCay]

I just use very, very fine sandpaper or 0000 steel wool. Be careful using steel wool around your pickups. Go slowly, it doesn't take too many passes to remove that gloss. Other than that, I've never used a special procedure.

Steel wool will work but IMO it's not worth the mess it makes.

 

[spaz21387]

go to lowes and get the grey scotchbrite pads. They are ment for light sanding when painting. They work great to take the gloss off the neck. I use them on all my mim fenders...

 

[Osztertag2112]

Should i start with a lower grit and work up to 1500? or just use one grit for the entire thing???

 

[SamanthaCay]

Should i start with a lower grit and work up to 1500? or just use one grit for the entire thing???

Just 1500 by its self will get it done, those scotchbrite pads mentioned above will work as well.
The key is to just take off as much finish as needed to get the desired feel.

 

[StuartV]

I would start with green Scotch Brite, then go to blue, then finish with grey.

http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-BriteTM-Ultra-Fine-Pads-MMM7448/dp/B00125PR5A/ref=pd_sim_e_3

 

[pbass888]

I would start with green Scotch Brite, then go to blue, then finish with grey.

http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-BriteTM-Ultra-Fine-Pads-MMM7448/dp/B00125PR5A/ref=pd_sim_e_3

+1 This is by far the best I have tried.... steel wool fragments will get into the pickup and not get out.

 

[StuartV]

Also, the next one I do, I will remove the neck from the bass body before doing it. That is easy enough and then you can do the whole back of the neck without worrying about accidentally "buffing" part of the body next to where the neck bolts on.

 

[chuck norriss]

fine wet/dry sandpaper go slow

 

[Engine207]

I did this on my 70s Classic, and it's fabulous. I liked it before, but now it's perfect!

 

[MIMike]

Steel wool and painters tape. Steel wool on the neck, then painters tape to get the dust off the pickup magnets.
I actually keep a steel wool pad in a ziplock in my gig bag. Knocks down the stickiness between sets...but it can get messy if the pad starts to break down.

 

[mmbongo]

If you use steel wool, cover your pickups with painters tape first. Then when you're done, all the little steel shards will be stuck to the tape via the magnets. Apply another layer of tape on top of the shards, and they're trapped forever allowing easy removal!

 

[5StringThunder]

Don't use steel wool. It works, but it makes a mess that's not worth it. Just use very fine sand paper and go slow. It doesn't take much to get the gloss off.

 

[TheAnalogKid]

fine wet/dry sandpaper go slow

^^ This, plus I would eschew steel wool for the obvious reasons. My Squier CV had the heavy gloss neck. I sanded it down with wet 400-grit (with just a few strokes) and graduated to 600, 800, and a final, light 1500-grit buff. Be careful not to go to bare wood; I left a bit of finish. Scotch brites can work as well, I suppose.

EDIT: if using sandpaper: it will start to turn white because of the removal/dust buildup of lacquer. Change the sandpaper often. Then run your hand up and down the neck to gauge the smoothness, then touch up any rough areas.

 

[Engine207]

I sanded it down with wet 400-grit (with just a few strokes) and graduated to 600, 800, and a final, light 1500-grit buff. Be careful not to go to bare wood; I left a bit of finish. Scotch brites can work as well, I suppose.

EDIT: if using sandpaper: it will start to turn white because of the removal/dust buildup of lacquer. Change the sandpaper often. Then run your hand up and down the neck to gauge the smoothness, then touch up any rough areas.

This...exactly.

I actually went to the trouble of putting the body in a wastebasket liner and taping it off, to keep that microdust out off the crevices. When I asked about this, some suggested removing the neck entirely, but that seemed like more work.

 

[BrandonBass]

no special procedure, its idiot proof

 

[Old Fart]

I did this recently to my P. There are PLENTY of threads on this site which discuss the procedure. I removed the neck, used 0000 steel wool, also used it to shine up the frets, wiped it down and put a fresh coat of Lemon Oil on the RW fretboard and reinstalled the neck. HUGE improvement in feel.