Sanding a glossy neck: any advice?

[Camarillo]

Hey there
I have a nice Retrovibe bass that, after a few modifications made by a luthier (new pickups, pickguard, Hipsgot D Tuner) I would like to become my main axe for the rock cover band I’m in. First time I gigged with it I got compliments from the sound guy and fellow players.
There’s just one thing that bothers me, and I want to try to fix by myself: the neck is really glossy. I have others glossy or painted necks I’m ok with but this is very sticky.
Any advice on what kind of sand paper, how far I have to go, anything to apply after the sanding or any other trick you do know and I don’t? Thank you!

 

[gregmon79]

I'd start with 0000 steel wool. Lightly go over the neck with that and see how it fares.

 

[superheavyfunk]

I’ve used those green Brillo pads successfully in the past. Takes a whole lot of elbow grease and a long time though

 

[buldog5151bass]

Another vote for a Scotchbrite pad. Buff until it feels right. After a while, friction will make it shiny again - re-use as needed.

 

[Low Commotion]

I agree with gregmon79. I might add that you put masking tape over the pickups before you start. The first time I used 0000 steel wool on the back of a neck, I ended up with steel wool filings all over the pickups.

Edit: Scotchbrite is also a great alternative to steel wool. And you don’t have to contend with filings.

Nice looking bass

 

[superheavyfunk]

Scotchbrite

Yeah! That’s what they’re called.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Before you start sanding or scrubbing:

If a glossy neck is sticky feeling, that's because it has a buildup of dried wax and hand grease on it. Clean that all off, and then apply a little bit of liquid spray wax, often called NanoWax. Then it will be super slippery and still be glossy.

I clean the goop off of glossy necks with Windex, the classic type with Ammonia. Don't spray it right on the neck. Spray a little bit on a soft cloth and wipe. It'll soften the dried wax and take it right off.

NanoWax is available in autoparts stores and online. Many different brands available. It's a liquid in a squirt bottle. Spritz a little on and wipe it around. Add a little more every so many hours of playing, when it starts getting sticky again. Every so often, clean it again with the Windex.

 

[tb-player]

320 grit sandpaper is what I use to rough it up. You can also sand it down to bare wood then apply a nice oil like gun stock or boiled linseed. That works like a charm and it feels great.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Don’t use steel wool! It sticks to pickups and disintegrates into tiny steel particles that rust eventually. Awful stuff. Green scotchbrite is pretty coarse, the grey is about perfect IME, leaves a nice satin finish that be can be easily buffed up to gloss again if you change your mind. It’s pressure sensitive too, the harder you press, the more aggressively it cuts. Haven’t tried the Nanowax though, sounds interesting.

 

[Feral]

I've done this with 3 necks, and all have come out great using Scotchbrite as others have mentioned.

I take the neck off, put a line of tape at the base of the headstock where the sanding will stop, then dampen the pad a bit and use very little pressure along the length of the neck until the shine is gone and no glossy patches remain. Comes out with a smooth satin feeling.

It will start to gloss up again over time as it's played, so this process will need to be repeated occasionally.

 

[BaltBass5]

Scotchbright green pads. Done. Do NOT use steel wool!

 

[Gervais Cote]

400 grit sand paper works perfect for me. I put some low adherence masking tape on the pickups to avoid any dust accumulation in the cracks when sanding.

Steel wool does a great job as well (0000 size) but you would need to take the neck off the bass to avoid damaging the pickups, IMO.

 

[J Wilson]

From the NMDB (None of My Damn Business) Free Advice file:

I agree with Bruce: I would not. I've encountered this. I don't mind a satin factory finish. But for my many gloss necks, a little good auto wax (NOTE: Wax, not wax polish which contains micro compound) will slick a gloss neck up. Just touch it up from time to time as needed.

 

[LowendG]

The grey Scotchbrite pad is the one to use. It's "just enough", so you can be really even over the entire neck and not overdo it in any spots. That's the one a lot of techs I know use. Keep in mind you have to do it every so often--the grippy gloss feeling eventually comes back.

 

[PFBASSO]

I’ve found that unless you take a significant amount of finish off. The neck is still sticky when hands get sweaty.

 

[Jjacks651]

I have used the 3M White Scotchbrite pad very successfully on my Fender JazzBass and Precison Bass's with maple necks and high gloss finishes. It does just enough to keep my sweaty palm from sticking on those HHH days here in CT.

John

 

[Manticore]

No my circus, not my monkey. But? If your gloss-finish neck is sticky, it's dirty. Bruce has the right answer. Clean it. Removing the finish may get desired results, but will expose the wood unnecessarily, and it will eventually get just as sticky. Why go to the enormous amount of work you're contemplating only to end up with a sticky neck that is now unprotected?

 

[Lammchop93]

Use a scotch pad. Works perfectly.

Avoid steel wool, cause the little piece that break off can wreak havoc if they get under a pickup or in your electronic cavity.

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

I have wet sanded and then scotch brite finished, all the satin gloss off of all my Fender necks and then gunstock oil and g.s. waxed them all. Imo, it is the best way. It takes some time---but all good things do. My Stingrays are oiled and waxed out of the factory, which saved me some time indeed. There is a bunch of threads how to do it here.

 

[Camarillo]

Thanks everybody for the advices.
The wax thing sound interesting, Illngive it a try maybe before sending, if I find the right product in a DIY shop. Not sure I find the products @Bruce Johnson mentioned because I’m on Italy.
Do all the others, just to be sure, the green Scotchbrite you mentioned is this?
https://amzn.eu/d/bsAMqHw

Before you start sanding or scrubbing:

If a glossy neck is sticky feeling, that's because it has a buildup of dried wax and hand grease on it. Clean that all off, and then apply a little bit of liquid spray wax, often called NanoWax. Then it will be super slippery and still be glossy.

I clean the goop off of glossy necks with Windex, the classic type with Ammonia. Don't spray it right on the neck. Spray a little bit on a soft cloth and wipe. It'll soften the dried wax and take it right off.

NanoWax is available in autoparts stores and online. Many different brands available. It's a liquid in a squirt bottle. Spritz a little on and wipe it around. Add a little more every so many hours of playing, when it starts getting sticky again. Every so often, clean it again with the Windex.