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(Poll)Finished vs Unfinished Necks

Which do you prefer?

  • Unfinished Neck (bare wood)

    Votes: 101 55.2%

  • Finished Neck (lacquer/paint)

    Votes: 82 44.8%
  • Total voters
    183
  • Poll closed .
#41
I love my Lakland 55-94 with it's "unfinished" (really oil rubbed/wax finished) neck as well as the "unfinished" neck on my CB Bass 5 string Single Cut bass. Both of those are definitely not bottom of the barrel basses. :D
 
#42
I prefer a satin finish rather than glossy. The neck on my Fender Jazz American Elite has a satin finish with binding and my hand easily glides up and down the neck with no sticking even on hot and humid Florida summer days. I was in the local GC store the other day checking out a MIM Fender Deluxe PJ. The neck on it was glossy and sticky but that wouldn't stop me from buying it if I was in the market for another bass.
 
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#44
For me the quality of a neck feels so much higher with a thick glossy finish. Especially on a vintage instrument or even necks with vintage tinted finishes.
A satin back with glossy fretboard etc does feel a lot nicer but an unfinished neck feels very unfinished, for me.
 
#46
Both my Jazz Basses, my 1965 and my 1977/78 have a gloss finish on them. I've never found them to be sticky and my hand moves easily over them. My 5-string has a satin finish. Not sure if that's what you mean as "unfinished" or not but it's also easy to play. Doesn't make a difference in play-ability to me and I like the gloss finished look better, so I voted for the finished necks.
 
#47
Gloss or thick finishes on the backs of necks is like someone asking for toilet paper and you handing them fine grit sand paper...

"Yeah we could have given you something more comfortable, but for some reason we decided not to!"

I proudly own zero basses with gloss finishes or painted necks :bassist:
 
#48
Spectre Gunner said:
I prefer a satin finish rather than glossy. The neck on my Fender Jazz American Elite has a satin finish with binding and my hand easily glides up and down the neck with no sticking even on hot and humid Florida summer days. I was in the local GC store the other day checking out a MIM Fender Deluxe PJ. The neck on it was glossy and sticky but that wouldn't stop me from buying it if I was in the market for another bass.
Click to expand...

I've played all three (bare, satin, and glossy) without any real difficulty, even in Miami. That might just be my body chemistry. I prefer a light satin. When I put together my Carvin BK50, I used wipe on (diluted with mineral spirits) poly in thin coats to seal the wood pores, but the finished surface is essentially bare. It makes the neck a bit more resistant to humidity changes. For me, it's the best of both worlds.

Spectre Gunner said:
By the way, has anyone tried using baby powder on your hands and/or neck to make it slide better up and down the neck?
Click to expand...

ISTR hearing about that a long time ago, but I never met anyone who actually tried it.
 
#49
It all depends on the wood. Can't say I prefer one or the other, because it has to go with the wood. What kind of wood it is? On maple I prefer "bare wood" (your expression) or oil, wax, satin finish. I hate complete lacquered/sealed/shiny maple necks with mape fretboard. Slipping and sliding around on the fretboard. Sticky when sweating the slightest. On dark necks, wenge, and such things there's another preference, where I can accept wax/oil/satin as well as clear lacquered "high gloss" finish. The thing with maple necks that are oiled/waxed that they get dirty really quick, but I don't mind, it gives the bass a slight vintage vibe to it.
 
#52
Oil finish is preferable. Its how all my franken P basses are. I actually had a maple warmoth neck fully finished for a bit. Had it removed and oiled instead.

On the other hand, the 4001 i have is painted/glossy and i dont have any issues with it. Its old and chipped in a few places, im considering a refinish with an oiled neck on that bass in the next couple of years.
 

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