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small "lumps" of varnish on neck?

M

MethodsofDance

Guest
Nov 19, 2013
175
60
UK
#1
Greetings TB folks,

I'm wondering if someone here knows what to do about a little problem. I just recently scored a Hohner fretless Jazz...nice bass, feels good, sounds good and all that. It was second hand but mostly in great shape, minus the expected board wear which isn't much of an issue (you buy a second hand fretless, you get board wear. We all know this). I've noticed something weird on the neck here:

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You see it (just to the left of the center, below the stripe)? Looks like dried wood glue, or varnish or something. A small lump. There's another one on the other side of that stripe. Now this isn't *really* a big deal, it doesn't impede my ability to play the instrument, but it does feel noticeable. What's that all about? Are bass necks usually varnished? If not, what the hell is it doing there? Is there any way I can get rid of it myself without taking a chunk out of the neck along with it? Like I say, not a massive deal, if it can't be got rid of then that's how it'll have to be I guess, but if I could I would like to remove it.

Thanks for any help you may be able to offer!
 
#3
I do that on all my fretless basses. It's a marker placed there by the previous owner so he or she could hit a certain position by feeling with their thumb instead of looking at the neck.

Mine are dots of white glue on the E side of the neck, at the 5th and 7th frets. Occasionally at the 3rd as well, depending on the bass.

I find them very helpful if I'm reading music or singing or giving visual cues to other players.

If it's white glue, a damp cloth should loosen it up enough that you can scrape it off with your fingernail without hurting the finish.
 
#4
No, bass necks are not varnished. Varnish is mostly used for restoring very old instruments and "old school" finishes on acoustic guitars, violins, etc. Yours looks like a poly finish in which case some sanding will be necessary to smooth out the problem spots. I would wet sand starting out with 220 and going up to 1500, then buff & polish to match the rest of the neck.
 

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