Sanding an AVII Precision 1960 neck

[humbuckaroo]

I have a 1960 Preicision with a glossy nitro-over-poly neck which I find sticky. I'd like to sand off the finish and make it more like the modern satin necks in terms of feel. Has anyone done anything like this? What did you use and what are your results? Can you post some photos?

 

[buldog5151bass]

Before you go nuts, just use a scotchbrite pad to knock down the gloss. Works great, and isn't permanent - after playing a lot for a few weeks, it will get shinier again. Repeat as necessary.

 

[2saddleslab]

Pretty sure the finish is nitro, not nitro over poly. I use Scotchbrite on my AVII54. A few quick swipes and it makes the neck super smooth. Repeat this when the shine returns after playing a bit, per the instructions above.

 

[blr2]

Scotchbrite or similar works

 

[buldog5151bass]

Others differ, but I say stay away from steel wool. Bits can get in your fingers, can stick to pickup magnets, and the scotchbrite pad can stay in your bass case so you can reapply as needed.

The best part of this method (other than it works great) is that you are not permanently changing the bass. The finish is still there, just scuffed. And playing polished the shine back.

 

[TeeSee]

There's loads of posts on here about knocking gloss of a neck. You need to decide whether that is what you want to do. 'Scotchbrite' will just take the dirt off but the gloss will remain, it's temporary. If you want a proper satin neck then you'll have to make your mind up to make permanent changes which can be achieved by sanding.
If in doubt go the Scotchbrite way but you'll have to do it all over again a few months down the line, think what T-Cut does to your car overtime very very minutely removing a little bit of finish on molecular level, It's goods enough for most folks but you'll lose it eventually whatever you use. If I really hated a gloss neck then I wouldn't care about permanently removing the finish regardless of whether it was a vintage or not. But it's your guitar and you do you.

 

[andare]

I'll never miss a chance to diss steel wool. It simply does not belong on guitars. We have such better tools today.
Good old wet and dry sandpaper will work, both wet and dry. 600 or 800 grit have worked for me. As has micro mesh.

As has bee said, it will shine back up after a while but you might like it by then. I only have one nitro neck at the moment and it came to me all gummy but it shined up in a week and it feels amazing. Not sticky at all and totally unlike glossy poly. No poly undercoat afaik.

 

[Indiana Mike]

 

[Kindness]

I've taken the gloss finish off the necks of two Fenders, a '57RI and a Cowpoke. I'm exceedingly happy I did. I'm not at my house now, but I can post photos later if you'd like to see the results.

My favorite neck of all my basses is my US Lakland Glaub. In talking with Lakland in November of 2006, someone from Lakland (I no longer remember who) emailed me and gave me the following information:

We use tung oil to finish the necks here. Specifically Moser's low sheen polymerized tung oil varnish. I'm sure that you can find something similar locally. Just prepare the neck by sanding lightly with 1200 grit wet/dry paper and mineral spirits until it looks clean. This is just to clean off dirt, not to take off any wood. Apply one coat of the oil and rub it in. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes and then wipe off any excess with a rag and mineral spirits. Wait one hour and repeat this four more times. After the fifth coat is on the neck, let it sit overnight. Even the finish out with fine steel wool or 1200 wet/dry paper and mineral spirits. If you like it to be on the shiny side you can use paste wax as a final coat and burnish with a cloth (like shining shoes). Needless to say you should wear gloves while doing this. Also, tung oil is very forgiving. If you can't commit to this finishing schedule it's no big deal. The applications can be spread out over time. Just make sure to wipe off the excess before you leave the neck to sit for any time.

This is roughly the process I have used after sanding off the existing finish. I couldn't be happier with the results.

I have no complaints with people suggesting you temporarily knock the gloss down with a scotchbrite pad or similar, that is the most common solution that will make most players happiest. But if you hate that sticky gloss Fender finish as much as I do, I'd get rid of it entirely. For clarity, I have multiple Fenders with satin finishes necks that I love. It's just that thick gloss finish I can't stand.

 

[andare]

I have satin necks that became shiny from playing so they look like glossy necks that have been knocked down.

 

[mikecd1]

My guitarist gave me some baby powder at a gig to use on my hands which takes care of the problem for a good while though I've used the scotch brite pads as well with much success.

 

[TeeSee]

I have satin necks that became shiny from playing so they look like glossy necks that have been knocked down.

And thats always the way, satin will eventually shine up, it's the nature of the beast but it wont be a gloss, a sticky and for me totally unnatural finish that looks great in the gig bag or flight case until you spend a few hours on stage.
It was the same with furniture, french polishing looks wonderful until you place a warm cup of tea, or a glass of cold water on it then all that work was ruined. It ceases to become useful and only a work of art you cannot touch. No wonder gloss went out in the early 20th century to be replaced with varnishes and polyurethanes until some bright spark decided satin would work for a lot of things. These days, there are so many wax oils or even oils that works so much better for necks and comfort, it is a shame that many vintage guitar makers felt the need to produce articles that would have felt more at home in their mom's parlours than what was happening in the mid 20th Century, I mean who'd have thought it spraying a guitar brown the colour of excrement like they did in Victorian times then adding a totally anachronistic vibe of tortoiseshell that was last seen on mandolins in 18C . FFS. Gloss no, but as I said it's up to you .

 

[Brandon Shea]

Another vote for the Scotch-Brite method. I used those for the first time on a Warmoth neck that I thought was too sticky, and it immediately solved my problem. The specific product number I got was 7448 (gray pads).

 

[Number179]

I’ve done 2 necks, regular fender gloss necks and am happy. I wouldn’t do anything vintage or super high end. The feel I chase is what is factory on my 1995 sting ray which is Birds Eye maple. I understand they do the raw>handful of oil coats>wax technique. I used tru oil and Howard’s feed wax.

The non-skunk, I sanded down using fairly coarse paper which took a long time to get to bare wood. The skunk stripe one, I did the razor blade scrape technique which was a lot faster, then sanded by hand.

Non skunk, I think I did like 3 thin coats of tru oil. It still feels somewhat raw, but feels great. Skunk, I splashed a little minwax stain to attempt the Nash relic look, then did like 7-10 thin coats before the wax. It still feels a little raw and also great. It’s easy enough to do without screwing up. Gloss doesn’t necessarily bother me, but if it does, I won’t hesitate to treat with the oil/wax mod. I followed this guy:

 

[selowitch]

I have never felt the need to change or knock down the finish on my bass necks. I leave them in the condition they arrive in. Just my personal preference.

 

[Ostie]

My guitarist gave me some baby powder at a gig to use on my hands which takes care of the problem for a good while though I've used the scotch brite pads as well with much success.

This is what we used to do in the old days. Like 50 years ago, when I was a toddler.

 

[Kindness]

Here's what I did::

For me, it's the difference between a bass that I don't pick up and one that I do.

 

[Number179]

Here's what I did::
View attachment 7347259View attachment 7347260
View attachment 7347261

For me, it's the difference between a bass that I don't pick up and one that I do.

Nice. Similar. I agree - outside of vintage and $3k+ - removing gloss is a no brainer.

Is yours raw or did you condition it with anything?

 

[Kindness]

Nice. Similar. I agree - outside of vintage and $3k+ - removing gloss is a no brainer.

Is yours raw or did you condition it with anything?

It's a tung oil finish. See post #9.

 

[P. Aaron]

I have satin necks that became shiny from playing so they look like glossy necks that have been knocked down.

I have to scotch-wail on my Precision V every so often 'cause it came from the factory with a dulled neck but it glossed up once I started gigging it.