Finishing a neck

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Finishing a neck

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keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

Finishing a neck

I have a Cordoba 50 R classical that I want to re-shape the neck which means sanding and rasping and then finishing. The only thing that will be touched is the neck. The guitar has the usual factory way too thick bullet proof catalyzed urethane which I am not set up to do. I am thinking of using a standard gloss polyurethane--like the stuff one can get at the depot place whose color is that of a Conde. Will regular polyurethane work? If not, what would be something that is similar to the catalyzed crap now on the guitar? If regular poly will work, what is the best way to apply it?

Thanks.

As to why I want to reshape the neck--I have a Johnny Walker flamenco with a flat neck profile that is super comfortable. My hands are not liking the Cordoba shape.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 24 2012 16:18:05

Shawn Brock

Posts: 271
Joined: Sep. 19 2011
From: Louisville KY

RE: Finishing a neck (in reply to keith)

Hey Keith, you could always try this,
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supplies/Finishes_and_solvents/ColorTone_Aerosol_Guitar_Lacquers.html
if you don't want to buy from Conde Depot. :) If you don't like the slick feel of lacquer, you could even do a brush on varnish. Lots of people in the acoustic guitar world are going with the "speed necks" and removing all finish and saying the hell with it. I don't like the feel of raw wood when I'm playing, but what ever works.

Others can chime in on what to use for finishing, and I'll come back in if the topic turns to buffing. I recently removed a 16th of finish from a Chinese mandolin, and never even got near to taking it all off. To tell the truth it was more than a 16th, because I had removed a great deal before I took a micrometer and measured the top thickness. I buffed her back down, and you can't even tell it was messed with except for the color being the just a little lighter. So I'm now a lacquer buffing expert of sorts...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 24 2012 21:27:31

keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: Finishing a neck (in reply to keith)

shawn--as much as lacquer is a good thing it is a far better thing if someone kills their brain cells and not me-- lord knows i did my share of killing brain cells in high school and college and my liver is probably shot from the many years of using epoxy and vinylester doing laminate boat repairs. i have heard tru-oil is the way to go. i may try a test and take a piece of cedar and do one end in tru-oil and one end in poly and see how they do and then go from there. i may try a fast drying varnish although i have to get past the story from jose ramirez 3 about the varnished neck he gave to segovia and segovia brought it back with his arm hairs stuck in the varnish.

love the part of conde depot. i wonder if home depot has smoke and mirror stories like the conde bros.? maybe royal 2 x 4?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 24 2012 22:05:06

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Finishing a neck (in reply to keith)

If you strip off all the lacquer on the neck, you could use true oil, which is cheap, pretty, very easy to aply and very comfortable.
True oil is actually not an oil but an old fashion oil varnish. It even smells good. Its not the toughest of things, but since its so easy to aply, you can always give it a touch up.

Remember one thing cedar has pores. You dont need to fill them, but you might want to do it.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 25 2012 8:50:08

keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: Finishing a neck (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

thanks anders for the input--good advice on the pores. in researching tru-oil it does seem to be a great finish that is easy to apply. i also hear it is good for the movement of the thumb--less inhibiting (ability to move the thumb up and down the neck) than the bullet proof catalyzed goop used by factories. i did a test this morning on the cordoba and walker and the french polished walker is less inhibiting. another plus for the french polish argument.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 25 2012 12:11:18

Flamingrae

Posts: 220
Joined: May 19 2009

RE: Finishing a neck (in reply to keith)

When I was doing more violin family instruments, a well know maker/repairer was using Danish oil for the necks. Drying linseed was another choice. Nice and smooth finish with little resistance for the thumb. Not doing this on guitars yet. I personally am using just a satin cellulose sealer that fills pores and in the fullness of time seems to burnish up quite well. Using a gloss of whatever on the head and body so there is a contrast between that and the neck. I'm sure there are a few possibilities.