Question Black Sugar Roasted Maple AL: Experience with neck sanding

[jzeijen]

I have a Black Sugar AL with a finished roasted maple neck and lately I have been thinking about sanding the neck and give it the oil/wax treatment. Has anyone here have experience with this process on a Black Sugar finished roasted neck? A few years ago I did the same on a SUB1, the result was great. Would it be different on the clear finish of the roasted maple neck?

 

[dibart77]

Hmmm. You'd have to sand it down all the way to wood, which will be time consuming by hand. And the hard thing is that (at least on my Black Sugar Axis) the clear is on the back of the neck AND the fretboard (even sprayed over the fretwire). So you'd need to be careful to sand only up to the edge of the fretboard. But then I'd be worried about moisture getting under the clear on the fretboard. So then do you sand the fretboard, too? Seems scary to me...

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[MJM]

Didn't they all come with ebony boards? I'm surprised your axis neck is completely sprayed, Jeff. I have considered sanding my JPX7 in that finish, but haven't.. If you do indeed sand it, share pics good luck

 

[Rikseven]

I think there is no difference between sanding a roasted neck or sanding for example a SUB1 neck. If you did the sanding job once, it wouldn't be a new thing for you.
I recommend you a great video. This guy explains the sanding step by step pretty well:

If you decide to do the sanding - like MJM asked - please share pics. Have fun and good luck.

 

[jzeijen]

Hmmm. You'd have to sand it down all the way to wood, which will be time consuming by hand. And the hard thing is that (at least on my Black Sugar Axis) the clear is on the back of the neck AND the fretboard (even sprayed over the fretwire). So you'd need to be careful to sand only up to the edge of the fretboard. But then I'd be worried about moisture getting under the clear on the fretboard. So then do you sand the fretboard, too? Seems scary to me...

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I've checked it but on my AL it's only the side of the fretboard that is laquered. The fretboard itself is the same as on my Starry night Stingray. So no sanding of the fretboard would be necessary I think.

 

[Barny]

If it's just because you are not a fan of the feel of the finished neck I highly recommend rubbing the neck down lightly with some steel wool(maybe mask off the line where musicman non finished necks usually finish) it gives the neck a satin/Matt feel which I find much more to my taste than the high gloss. The benefit of 'this is that you can always polish the neck back up again with some t-cut or polishing compound if you want to sell the guitar one day (blasphemy I know) and if you don't fine it meets your requirements you can still attempt to strip the finish off!

 

[dibart77]

OK... Sorry guys. I forgot that mine I think was a special one that I bought at Philly guitar show. A prototype with roasted fretboard too. And is cleared all the way around. So ignore my advice above, it doesn't apply.

Here's a photo:

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[Tollywood]

I love all of my wax/oil finished necks, but I must say that I really enjoy the feel of the finished neck on my black sugar Axis, too. It doesn't get sticky, so maybe my hands don't get as sweaty as some? I don't really know, but I do know that I like the neck as it is.

I usually encourage mods, but not this time. Good luck with it!

 

[Razzle]

I haven't done a MM roasted neck but I've done a fender. I've also sanded off an over-applied gunstock oil that dried as hard as a rock. I'd say both of these are not has hard as the clear on a roasted neck. But if you really like the natural necks, I'd say you would be successful. Just be sure to put a tape at the headstock so as to mimick the transition between natural and varnished area of the headstock. For me, as much as I like the natural necks, if I had a roasted neck, I would probably keep it. My JPX ain't that bad!

 

[jzeijen]

I love all of my wax/oil finished necks, but I must say that I really enjoy the feel of the finished neck on my black sugar Axis, too. It doesn't get sticky, so maybe my hands don't get as sweaty as some? I don't really know, but I do know that I like the neck as it is.

I usually encourage mods, but not this time. Good luck with it!

I like the finished neck too... But I love the oil wax neck feel! That AL with an unfinished neck should be very nice. Since I know I am not ever selling this one, I'm going to probably do it..