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Post by Mikeyguitar on May 16, 2020 8:28:50 GMT -5
funkykikuchiyo - since you seem to be the resident expert on wood, I have a question - others experts please feel free to join in 
As mentioned in another thread, I purchased a new guitar with a maple neck and fretboard. It's a Jackson Dinky Pro (MIM). My question is regarding the fretboard - the guitar is nice and the neck is fine, but the fretboard sort of has that "cheap MIM" feel to it, which is to say that it has a more unfinished feel when compared to MIA maple Fender guitars. No fret sprout (yet). It's just the feel of the wood on the fretboard.
The question:
Is there any treatment I can use to have the fretboard have a more finished feel? Maybe more smooth, glossy (though not "full-on" gloss). Not necessarily a varnished feel...just more "finished", if you know what I mean.
I guess a more satin feel is what I'm after.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 16, 2020 9:21:34 GMT -5
So, it is a maple fingerboard as well, right? I just want to make sure.
The fingerboard conditioners out there use lots of fancy words for what they are - nourish, protect, blah blah... they're basically just light finishes/varnishes for dense woods. Since your maple is already finished, it isn't a candidate for those. You'd just get a greasy mess.
What you're feeling is probably a natural coarseness to the satin finish that is one there. Depending on how thick it is, I'd probably try to lightly smooth it out/buff it out. Without seeing it I don't know the best course of action. If it was on my bench, I'd gently test a few things in a couple spots to see what I liked the most. The easiest would be 0000 steel wool. You don't want to dig in too much. Unroll it (yes, they can be unrolled!) and go very lightly, more aggressive than a gentle glide, but not much. You might see the wool turn whiteish, and that is the poly coming off. If the finish is particularly thick, Trizact can work nicely, which is a funny sort of abrasive in the auto industry that is somewhere between sanding and buffing. The SAFEST bet would probably be the fancy scotch-brite pads (I forget their official name) that they sell at woodworking stores. The white one is the finest and would leave a good finish. The downside is that it might be too gentle to make a difference. Which of these would be best is hard to say - as I said, if it was me I'd be doing test spots.
Another option would be to just play it and let it break in naturally. The finish is really thin on those if I remember right, and it would be very easy to go through to bare wood, which wouldn't feel too good.
At our shop we had a customer about 6 months ago with a very similar guitar (maybe the same one with the ebony?) that asked for the neck sanded down and tung oiled because he didn't like the feel. Doing a fingerboard and not just a neck barrel is a LOT of tediousness and not a DIY option for everyone, but still possible.
Peegoo will likely weigh in soon, too!
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Post by Mikeyguitar on May 16, 2020 11:05:37 GMT -5
thanks funky!
Yes, maple neck with maple board.
The neck doesn't bother me...although a smooth satin finish might be nice. The finish actually probably IS satin...just not as smooth as I would prefer.
Don't get me wrong - it's not rough...it just feels "cheap", if that makes any sense.
The only ScotchBrite pads I have are the heavy-duty ones. Too course?...I know they do a nice job on pots and pans. lol
I know I'm being pretty particular. I might just let it go.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 16, 2020 11:32:14 GMT -5
I wouldn't use the kitchen ones. 3M is pretty vague on that sort of stuff, but the cheaper grades have a weird coarseness to them that the nicer grades won't have, even if they're supposed to be the same. I've also had some shed their color a little bit.
If it is just the fingerboard, I'd give the steel wool a shot. You'll clean up the frets at the same time. Be gentle and don't dig in too hard. You'll see when unroll it you can then refold it into a fluffier cloud like thing. You'll want to finish up with some cleaning because steel wool is slightly oily and can leave a mess (I'd do a bit of naphtha and then guitar polish, or mineral spirits/denatured and then guitar polish, or just guitar polish... not worth going out and buying something just for this) and then string it up. Feel free to use a paper towel or something with a little more tooth to it than a polish cloth, it might help with the buffing. I'd hit the back of the neck too, just to keep it uniform. Worst case scenario it feels the same. The more time consuming part would be the restring on a Floyd!
Obviously, tape off the pickups and all that jazz, too.
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DrKev
Wholenote
It's just a guitar, it's not rocket science.
Posts: 416
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Post by DrKev on May 17, 2020 4:31:46 GMT -5
The website says the neck finish is "hand rubbed urethane" if that helps.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on May 17, 2020 8:26:28 GMT -5
Does tru-oil and urethane play nice together?
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Post by Mikeyguitar on May 17, 2020 9:41:30 GMT -5
The website says the neck finish is "hand rubbed urethane" if that helps.
It might...it could be that it's psychological on my part - the wood looks pale, so I think "unfinished & cheap". Still, it is a sweet guitar - pale neck or not. |
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 17, 2020 11:18:38 GMT -5
Hmmm. Hand wiped urethane is probably more accurate. Urethane, as far as I know, doesn't really "rub". the wood looks pale, so I think "unfinished & cheap" Not my cup of tea, but there are a LOT of people who obsess over the "raw" feel, and this is clearly intended for them. Honestly, a decent guitar polish and wiping down your guitar periodically takes care of the "bad sticky gloss" effect most of the time, so I don't see the appeal. I'll stick to my steel wool idea. If it is hand wiped, then it is possible there is raised grain there too, especially on the fingerboard. Knocking down grain should happen pretty quickly. |
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 17, 2020 11:20:53 GMT -5
Does tru-oil and urethane play nice together? I doubt it. I'd want the urethane sanded off first.
Sometimes with tung oil, you can wipe it onto a urethane or lacquer where it is worth through in a few spots - it'll soak into the worn spots and wipe off of the still finished spots with a light solvent. What you end up with is something that still looks and feels "worn", but is better sealed. I have a "roadworn" neck that I intend to do that to at some point, but haven't gotten around to. I imagine the same thing would apply to tru-oil, but I don't know how pleasing the result would be.
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Post by Stinger22 on May 18, 2020 14:09:48 GMT -5
You could do a "Danish Oil" finish which is tung oil and urethane mixed and hand rubbed for several coats. I'm rebuilding my '72 Tele Custom which had a natural nitro which I removed and did about 4 hand rubbed Danish it it came out looking GREAT and has a nice natural feel to it.
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Post by LTB on May 18, 2020 17:22:24 GMT -5
This is one of the best, easiest to use Polyurethane finishes I have used. I applied this to 2 different projects using just a clean white cloth. It goes on smoothly , levels nicely and dries pretty hard. A note of caution, you only want to stir slowly with a paint stick etc. so you do not introduce bubbles. I have only used the Satin but the others should do about the same. Also concerning a previous post on using 0000 steel wool on your neck. Works great, just be sure not to get the tiny particles in the pickups so if the neck is not removable then I suggest you cover them sufficiently and and tape the edges of the covering with blue painters tape. www.rockler.com/general-finishes-high-performance-water-based-top-coat-satinAvailable in Semi-Gloss, Gloss, and Flat as well |
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 18, 2020 19:10:31 GMT -5
With either of those, I'd definitely do the "test in an inconspicuous spot" thing. There could be serious color splotches on the spots where there is no finish compared to where there is still finish left... if it is as thin as they say, then it is more than likely naked in a couple spots.
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