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wax finish ?

bassedsouth

bassedsouth

Dec 2, 2004
418
110
Johannesburg
#1
I'm wondering if it's practical to use a decent wax to finish a bass off with , ie what Warwick has done with some of their models ?
I guess that on woods like ash or maple it may not be ideal ? Perhaps after sanding sealer ?
I've kind of pushed the budget on my first build which is close to completion and doubt if I'll be able to have it sprayed professionally !

Does wiping wood down with mineral thinners actually form a type of seal ?
 
#5
bassedsouth said:
I'm wondering if it's practical to use a decent wax to finish a bass off with , ie what Warwick has done with some of their models ?
I guess that on woods like ash or maple it may not be ideal ? Perhaps after sanding sealer ?
I've kind of pushed the budget on my first build which is close to completion and doubt if I'll be able to have it sprayed professionally !

Does wiping wood down with mineral thinners actually form a type of seal ?
Click to expand...

Mineral spirits (thinner) does not provide any kind of seal. Wax alone is not a good idea. Tung oil finish like Minwax, is the easiest and cheapest that you can do yourself. After you've built up enough ttung oil finish, you can wax it for a bit more refined look.
 
#6
"Finishing" your neck keeps the wood from cracking, lestens the dirt on your fretboard so reducing the crud on your strings which kills your tone, and gives the frets a fast and precise feel.

'Lemon Oil' is just common mineral oil with a lemon scent. While this provides a good solvent for removing caked on dirt, it doesnt protect the neck.

Linseed oil on the other hand seels and protects the neck, giving a great finish.

Here is what I do:

  1. Up close, breath on the neck to moisten the dirt, then whipe off with a clean rag (or even toilet paper!)
  2. For the dirt behind the frets, again breath on the area, and scrape the dirt with your fingernail pushing into it through your rag
  3. Still got the caked on stuff? apply a thin amount of saliva (or lemon oil at a push) to the area. Wait a few minutes, and then rub again.
  4. By now your neck should be dirt free.
  5. Get a cotton bud very lightly dipped in Pure Raw Linseed oil. carefully whipe this accross the fret. Be careful not to touch the actual fret of binding or this may have adverse effects over time.
  6. Let this very thin layer of oil soak in for a minute, then gently whipe off with a clean rag to leave a smooth, clean, and dry finish

This makes the fretboard feel like new, its the pro's secret!
 
#8
Forget about linseed oil! Ok, maybe refined, but never ever in a million years would I use raw linseed oil on a bass (I've used refine AND raw linseed oil on some furniture, but that was the first and last time).

Tung oil is very nice indeed, especially if you like a satin finish, and its VERY easy to apply and get a good result.
Check out this : Invalid Link Removed

Or find some oil and wax mixture, like Osmo Color :
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Just as easy to apply as tung oil, and can be polished (thanks to the wax).

"Wax on, wax off..." :-)
 
#9
It's not "refined" linseed oil (at least, not around here)--it's called boiled linseed oil as opposed to raw linseed oil. Boiled linseed oil will dry after it soaks into the wood, as will tung oil, and protect the wood. Just go out and buy a can of Minwax Tung Oil and apply it exactly like it says on the can. Build up about 6 coats, letting each coat dry and sanding very lightly with 400 grit sandpaper between coats. That's the easiest and cheapest finish you can do and it'll give decent protection to the wood. You can apply furniture wax and buff it up after the last coat if you want. Don't just apply wax to bare, unfinished wood. The Minwax tung oil finish can look good if you do it right.
 
#10
I am kinda partial to Watco Danish oil myself. I'm not really sure what the difference is between it and tung or linseed. The last body I did this way was an ash with a flame maple top. I used the oil as a lubricant for my wet/dry paper and I went 400,600,800,1000,1200. Then I used several coats of wax, then put it on a clean buffing wheel for a good "burn in". Maybe a little excessive, but it looked pretty good if I say so myself.
 

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