great results, used some 400 grit paper and very, very lightly sanded it........think the wax may have built up over hte last 3 1/2 years, but wow, smooth as a baby's bottom now, and fast....love the EBMM unfinished necks. I have a Silo Special coming soon, am going to give a light sanding as soon as I get it.
- Thread starter Rufedges
- Start date
Tim O'Sullivan
Well-known member
I did some of my axi with wire wool recently and I have no regrets!
banjoist123
New member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2012
- Messages
- 1
"Speed necks"
I'm new to the forum, a bluegrasser, mostly banjo, but this is a trend with banjos, mandos, and fiddles lately, and in fact, I think Stelling now offers the "speed neck" as an option. Violin makers have known for years that an unfinished neck is much easier to use as naked wood that's been lightly sealed off with mineral oil or something like it will not get sticky when moist. Most finishes, from nitrocellulose lacquer to polyurethanes tend to get tacky when humid. What I do with my neck is go all the way down to the wood, then using increasingly fine grades of paper, then 000000 steel wool with a little mineral oil, produce a wonderfully soft and slick neck. I know this can be a problem with the thick epoxy finishes they put on electric neck, but the pay off is not only playability but also improved tone. Acoustic makers have known for a long time that thick finishes impede the response of of the instrument. But we've developed a taste for ultra dense super gloss finishes. But if you look a the neck of a well worn Fender or Gibson from the 50s or 60s, you'll lee that there's very little finish left anyway.
I'm new to the forum, a bluegrasser, mostly banjo, but this is a trend with banjos, mandos, and fiddles lately, and in fact, I think Stelling now offers the "speed neck" as an option. Violin makers have known for years that an unfinished neck is much easier to use as naked wood that's been lightly sealed off with mineral oil or something like it will not get sticky when moist. Most finishes, from nitrocellulose lacquer to polyurethanes tend to get tacky when humid. What I do with my neck is go all the way down to the wood, then using increasingly fine grades of paper, then 000000 steel wool with a little mineral oil, produce a wonderfully soft and slick neck. I know this can be a problem with the thick epoxy finishes they put on electric neck, but the pay off is not only playability but also improved tone. Acoustic makers have known for a long time that thick finishes impede the response of of the instrument. But we've developed a taste for ultra dense super gloss finishes. But if you look a the neck of a well worn Fender or Gibson from the 50s or 60s, you'll lee that there's very little finish left anyway.
TSHOW
Well-known member
Ozzyrules.....did one of my Axis Super Sport Necks with 0000 Steel Wool, then Murphys Gunstock oil, then the wax treatment....and it is really nice now....!
DrKev
Moderator
Just remember to masking tape up your pickups when using steel wool. The little particles that come off can get into the pickups and cause serious problems.
Personally, after 400 grit, I'd even go a step finer. 1200 grit is a great finishing choice and avoids the steel wool shedding issues.
Personally, after 400 grit, I'd even go a step finer. 1200 grit is a great finishing choice and avoids the steel wool shedding issues.
acwild
Well-known member
Scotch Brite (sp?) red pads work well too. The best part is that they don't leave any metal mess.
agt
Well-known member
1200 grit sandpaper here. Very fine, so it doesn't take much wood off. And no metal filings. I use it fairly frequently, several times per year.
acwild
Well-known member
+1
agt
Well-known member
Aren't you worried that you may be playing a toothpick in a few years?
So little dust comes off ... a few decades maybe. Good excuse to buy more EBMMs.
Spudmurphy
Well-known member
micro mesh is also great stuff to use.
Sylmasta Ltd Micro-Mesh Abrasives
Sylmasta Ltd Micro-Mesh Abrasives
Sweat
Well-known member
0000steel wool works perfect, no need to go to extremes with tape, etc.
0000 is so fine really does not shed or cause many particles. Plus remeber ligthly ,your not finishing a new wood product.
Best practice, wrap guitar body in a dust proof towel or cloth, lightly use 0000wool for about four or five gentle up and down strokes, wipe with a clean polishing cloth, fing play!,,
TSHOW
Well-known member
Thats funny acwild!!!! EBMM toothpicks....., now thats an idea!!
Tollywood
Well-known member
Great idea, indeed:
A free pack of ebmm toothpicks with every Big Poppa Smoker purchased.
acwild
Well-known member
DrKev
Moderator
I have a beautiful birdseye maple cutting board for my kitchen. (Made by a guy called Edward Wohl, you'll find him on the webosphere somewhere). It's so lovely, I just can't bring myself to let a knife near it. Maybe with the roasted maple toothpicks I'll use it as a food platter or something. Of course when I think of roasted maple I think of pork.
