Hello,
New to Music Man (just bought a SR5) and new to this forum. Mine has a maple neck. What's the best way to keep the finish in good shape? I've seen many old maple necks that look terrible.
Cheers
basadam,
Hello and welcome!
The new Ernie Ball Basses have gunstock oil and wax on the neck as a light finish.
The reason you have seen worn spots on necks is because the oils are thin and will eventually wear away the more you play the instrument.
If you have a new bass and have not yet worn thru any areas on the neck, your best bet is to re-apply gunstock oil as a precaution when you feel the time is right, or if you see signs of wear.
The oil will have a glossy look after 2 or 3 applications. It would be necesarry to flatten the gloss with 0000 steel wool and then wax the neck. It's really quite easy to do.
Sports Authority has the oils in the firearms dept. of the store. (Birchwood-Casey) Spelling??
Of course, you will have to remove the neck and strings in order to do a proper job.
The other way, is to clearcoat the neck with a lac type product.
While even this would likely show wear eventually, it would surely outlast the oil.
Either way, it's a matter of taste.
Good luck
