Question Cleaning the neck

[g00eY]

I have a SR5 with a maple neck and fretboard. From the EBMM website:

An infrequent dose of gunstock oil will help to keep the neck maintained; we recommend and use Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work. Clean neck first. Use a small amount of Tru-oil, leave it on for 5 minutes, then wipe it off with a paper towel. Then apply Birchwood-Casey Gunstock Wax. Be sure to douse the paper towel with water before disposing of it! Read the wax and oil manufacturer's instructions regarding disposal of these used paper towels.

I have been cleaning my neck with lemon oil about once every two months now. I've had my bass for about a year, but I bought it used and I don't think the owner before me ever conditioned the neck with Tru-Oil/gunstock wax. I suspect it's about time I do this, yea? I just have a couple questions on the process.

When it says "clean neck first" does this mean to wipe it down with lemon oil, or just give it a quick brush with a clean rag? Also, if my bass has a maple neck and fretboard should I be applying Tru-Oil/gunstock wax to both the neck and the fretboard?

Thanks in advance.

 

[MusicMan4Life38]

Where can you get the Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil and Birchwood-Casey Gunstock Wax?

 

[Rick Auricchio]

Try gun stores. I ordered mine directly from the manufacturer, because it's 30+ miles to any city with a gun store...

Cleaning the neck is easy with the spray version of Murphy's Oil Soap. You can also get the "classic" formula and dilute with water, but the spray is easy to use straight.

 

[Jerry J]

I had always heard to never use anything with silicon in it on a bass. But the Birchwood Casey stuff has silicon as part of the formula.

Am I wrong on the silicon issue? I wonder what they use at the factory?

 

[Thornton Davis]

I had always heard to never use anything with silicon in it on a bass. But the Birchwood Casey stuff has silicon as part of the formula.

Am I wrong on the silicon issue? I wonder what they use at the factory?

My understanding of silicon and wood is that if you ever wanted to refinish the instrument, the silicon will prevent the new finish or paint from adhearing to the wood making it impossible to refin. I can't see there being a problem using it on the fretboard.

TD

 

[jerimy77]

I work in the the paint and composites industry and anything with silicone is a big no no. If you ever had to refinish the neck, it would be almost impossible to get the silicone out of the surface, and get paint to adhere or even level without fisheyes in the finish. I use Meguire's carnuba wax, but any silicone free wax would be acceptable, with the exception of a polishing wax as it has light polishing compounds in it to remove scatches. So stay with the old school type waxes, even kiwi shoe polish is better than nothing.

 

[mynan]

We're talking about unfinished necks so unless you plan on painting your neck, silicone shouldn't be a problem.

 

[CElton]

My understanding of silicon and wood is that if you ever wanted to refinish the instrument, the silicon will prevent the new finish or paint from adhearing to the wood making it impossible to refin. I can't see there being a problem using it on the fretboard.

TD

So, the Birchwood Casey wax should be applied to the fretboard as well? I've always thought the EBMM instructions on cleaning a maple fretboard were a little ambiguous. I understand the directions for the back of the neck.

What does everyone use to clean their maple fretboards?

 

[MK Bass Weed]

Dude:

Everything you wanted to know and then some. We have the technology

YouTube - Caring for your Music Man neck & Fretboard

 

[Rick Auricchio]

I just leave the maple board alone.

No Birchwood-Casey on the fingerboard, rosewood or maple. You can apply oil to the rosewood but the maple stays untreated.

 

[spideyjg]

I'm in process of refinishing a 7ender neck that the poly was flaking off so I removed it all, sanded it clean, and I'm using the Birchwood Casey process on it.

For better or worse I did the fretboard as well as the back of the neck. Once complete I'll let you know.

Went with the Birchwood Casey products because I really like how the EBMM necks feel with that.

Jim

 

[CElton]

Dude:

Everything you wanted to know and then some. We have the technology

YouTube - Caring for your Music Man neck & Fretboard

I've seen it and it's an informative video, but it still begs the question, what about the maple fingerboard. That video clearly states "This procedure is NOT recommended for laquered necks and maple fingerboards".

 

[mynan]

I've seen it and it's an informative video, but it still begs the question, what about the maple fingerboard. That video clearly states "This procedure is NOT recommended for laquered necks and maple fingerboards".

The responses that we've gotten in the past from EBMM staff when asked this question is that you can use the WW fretboard conditioner on a maple fretboard. It will clean a maple fretboard...you just have to wipe away the excess as it will not get absorbed into maple like it will into rosewood.

 

[CElton]

The responses that we've gotten in the past from EBMM staff when asked this question is that you can use the WW fretboard conditioner on a maple fretboard. It will clean a maple fretboard...you just have to wipe away the excess as it will not get absorbed into maple like it will into rosewood.

Thanks...

 

[g00eY]

Here's the response I got awhile back from EBMM CS:

At the factory we have switched to using our new Wonder Wipes Fretboard Conditioner. It cleans your neck without mucking up the strings, in fact it cleans them also!

Also for routine maintenance, 100% pure lemon oil is fine (despite what the bottle may say in this case) to help the neck and fretboard get and stay clean and well preserved. If the dirt is really deep, you may want to try using Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 3:1.

After you are finished, you may want to apply Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil (Make sure to remove the oil 5-7 minutes after applying) and a light coat of Birchwood-Casey Gunstock Wax or a high-grade furniture wax for that factory feel. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions! Use paper towels to apply these finishes.

If your neck neck is pretty grimy, then I would recommend lightly sanding the neck to take off the grime so that you aren't "sealing the grime in". We would use in most cases 1200 grit paper, but you could use as high as 600 grit. Then we would use paper towels to apply the gunstock oil and wax treatment. Make sure to remove the oil 5-7 minutes after applying. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions! Thanks for playing Music Man.

I use lemon oil to routinely treat my neck and fretboard, but this will be my first time using the Tru-Oil/wax treatment. Again, they don't really say much about the oil/wax on the fretboard itself.

 

[spideyjg]

The oil bottle states to leave it on for 2 hours which is what I did on the 7ender neck.
It cures to a solid finish that is darker than what an EBMM is.

I hadn't seen the 5-7 minute thing so I followed the bottle.

Did 2 coats then sanded with 1000 followed by the wax. Doesn't feel like the EBMM necks but does feel better than the glossy 7ender.

The oil does bring out the graining in the wood going 2 hours.

Jim