Tru-Oil over unfinished roasted maple

[gamb]

I've done some research on the various options for treating an unfinished roasted maple neck and I've decided that Tru-Oil is the way I want to go. I've only got two (probably dumb) questions:
- What technique (or tool) is best for when I oil the fretboard, for making sure I get all the way into the corners where the fret meets the wood?
- Since I'll have access to the entire neck (no tuners on it yet and haven't attached it to the guitar yet) should I oil the entire neck, including inside the tuner holes and the heel where it will attach to the bass?
Thanks!

 

[Beej]

To apply TO, I use an old cotton dress shirt (less fibers) and just rub the heck out of it. I wipe it on really thinly and wipe it off again to dry.

Regarding where to put it, yes, put it anywhere you can reach. This will help to seal up the wood fibers from moisture and will help make it seasonally stable. I even put shellac down the truss rod channel on my own builds.

 

[TerribleTim68]

If you buy the "kit", it comes with application rags -

I used the included application rags, worked great. I got my kit from Bass Pro Shops, you can also get it from Cabela's or even Amazon. You probably won't use the stain (neither did I) but the rest of the kit is useful.

 

[gamb]

If you buy the "kit", it comes with application rags -
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I used the included application rags, worked great. I got my kit from Bass Pro Shops, you can also get it from Cabela's or even Amazon. You probably won't use the stain (neither did I) but the rest of the kit is useful.

Thanks! Sounds like that 'Stock Sheen & Conditioner' may be beneficial for the back of the neck, if I understand what it does correctly?

 

[TerribleTim68]

Thanks! Sounds like that 'Stock Sheen & Conditioner' may be beneficial for the back of the neck, if I understand what it does correctly?

I haven't actually gotten to that part yet, but the manufacturer's instruction webpage states that it will provide a satin finish as a final coat over the oil finish. -
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I also advise doing some grain filling. I did a lot of coats of grain filler (probably 6 or 8) and the Tru-oil started building much faster than everyone said it would, which I attribute that directly to the overzealous grain filling.

 

[dwizum]

Don't really need the sheen and conditioner - tru-oil on it's own will finish to a very nice surface. You can add coats until it feels right to you. More coats = more gloss. Less coats will feel more like fresh polished bare wood. Medium number of coats will be a nice satiny smooth finish. You can buff with an extra fine scotchbrite and/or johnson's paste wax if you want to modify the level of sheen.