satin neck finish gone? bongo

[Cybergimp109]

hey, when i got my bongo first i loved the finish on the neck but it has slowly disappeared due to playing.. first i thought it was just covered in filth but i gave it a clean and its still glossy. only from frets 0-8 or so..
is there any way to get it back or is that it. it seemed to be prettymuch gone after only a few months so seems a bit gay, love the bongo tho just i have an ibanez sr506 and that had a similar finish on wood not paint and thats still fine after years (but probably just the wood under it less noticable than the gloss on the bongo).

none of this is a big deal just wondering anyway.

 

[MadMatt]

If I understand you correctly the satin finish has gone glossy from a lot of playing? Sounds like your Bongo has you hooked!

Try rubbing the back of the neck with fine (000 or finer) steel wool. This gets it back to a satin finish.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

No it doesn't Matt, you only rub it in further at the risk of digging into the paint. This is the only drawback of painted necks and in particular with the Bongo's satin feel which on my new Bongo lasted less than a week.

There's nothing that I tried which works someone even suggested to use the gun stock wax but that only worked for a few days.

Welcome to the club, that's my only gripe with the Bongo, I am seriously considering having it stripped to the maple like DTG has. Yet it is one of the best sounding EBMM basses and a real powerhouse, that I am loving so much to the point where I just put up with the sticky neck and try to get around by keeping it clean and waxed.

 

[ivbenaplayin]

I use an automotive spray-detailer product called Mist-n-Shine from Wizard's on my bongo necks. It makes the paint slippery and smooth without a wax buildup. Sanding of any kind will damage the finish.

 

[Cybergimp109]

ah ok so, ill just put up with it so, cheers for the info.

it was pretty bad when dirty but clean and glossy is fine, i just gotta clean it more often than once every 6 months it seems

 

[Cybergimp109]

i might look for something like that benaplaying but i live in ireland so id say itll be hassle to find the exact product.

cool cool anyway

 

[agplate]

You'll get used to having a gay neck...

Whatever

 

[danny-79]

The gun stock wax isn't a bad an option, but as G.W says it doesn't last to long but does make playing easier while it is working, use it and an just give the neck a wipe with a dry cloth after each session.

 

[MadMatt]

No it doesn't Matt, you only rub it in further at the risk of digging into the paint.

Ok, I stand corrected.

My last non-EBMM had a satin painted neck and that always worked fine. I've also used 1000 grit wet sandpaper very lightly to make the paint on the neck very satin and finished with 000 Steel wool (also wet). That does remove a very slight amount of paint but it would take a lot of time to sand though to wood with 1000 sandpaper.

 

[ErlendDL]

You could sell it and get a BFR Rosewood Bongo...

 

[Cybergimp109]

You'll get used to having a gay neck...

Whatever

damn straight i will!

and i think im fine with not bothering, if theres no semi-permanent solution then ill just keep it clean. its fine just prefered the satin finish.
anyway cheers

 

[Steve-O]

Whenever mine got partially glossy from playing, I just polished the whole thing with car wax.

 

[Oldtoe]

My blue Bongo has been my number one player since they came out in 2003, shiny neck and all. I've never had to stop in the middle of a tune and say, "Gee, if only my neck were less gay and sticky."

You know what really bothers me? The west wind. I mean, there are three other cardinal directions out of which the wind could blow; but NO...sometimes it just HAS to blow from the west.

Jiminy Christmas.

 

[NotRicklessNow]

well, from a luthier/tech's point of view

Here's the deal. I'm a repair tech (some days I'm a luthier too.)

Keep it clean.

If you don't keep it clean, I'll do a full fret job next time you bring it in, just out of spite.

If it's fretless, I'll put 'em in.

-CK

 

[Deaj]

Here's the deal. I'm a repair tech (some days I'm a luthier too.)

Keep it clean.

If you don't keep it clean, I'll do a full fret job next time you bring it in, just out of spite.

If it's fretless, I'll put 'em in.

-CK

I have a strat in need of a refret. If I stop cleaning the neck and send it to you will extend this 'threat' to my strat?


....Please?




I actually like the way the finish on my Bongo's necks have burnished to a semi-gloss. I really dig the way the satin felt when my Bongo's were new too.

 

[Cybergimp109]

My blue Bongo has been my number one player since they came out in 2003, shiny neck and all. I've never had to stop in the middle of a tune and say, "Gee, if only my neck were less gay and sticky."

You know what really bothers me? The west wind. I mean, there are three other cardinal directions out of which the wind could blow; but NO...sometimes it just HAS to blow from the west.

Jiminy Christmas.

i was typing this question during a song at a gig of course , was just curious if it was reversible.

you should buy an indoor fan

and "NotRicklessNow" your threat sounds mighty tempting. i shall filth it up from now on, eat dinner off of it, use it as a plunger etc

 

[boyet]

This is the same problem that I have. I've been using my Bongo as my main bass and eventually stripped the satin finish from playing it every single day. I now have the painted neck without the satin finish. I was Actually considering refinishing it with a clear coat to protect the paint and to prevent it from being stripped to bare wood. Idunno if it's a good idea but I might as well keep my neck painted.

 

[mynan]

This is the same problem that I have. I've been using my Bongo as my main bass and eventually stripped the satin finish from playing it every single day. I now have the painted neck without the satin finish. I was Actually considering refinishing it with a clear coat to protect the paint and to prevent it from being stripped to bare wood. Idunno if it's a good idea but I might as well keep my neck painted.

It's probably not that the satin finish has been "stripped"...more likely that it has been "polished". I'm betting that you've got quite a few years left before it gets to bare wood.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

Gents, rather than using steel wool, try a ScotchBrite pad. Then there are no microscopic metal bits to a) stick into the wood to splinter your hand; b) rust; c) migrate to the pickups.

You can find ScotchBrite pads in hardware stores and supermarkets (usually on the back of kitchen sponges).

 

[ivbenaplayin]

Gents, rather than using steel wool, try a ScotchBrite pad. Then there are no microscopic metal bits to a) stick into the wood to splinter your hand; b) rust; c) migrate to the pickups.

You can find ScotchBrite pads in hardware stores and supermarkets (usually on the back of kitchen sponges).

Scotch-Brite pads will do the same thing to the neck's finish as sandpaper will... it will ultimately ruin the finish. If you really want to remove mil thickness (and that IS what you'll be doing - removing paint) from the neck to TRY to restore the satin finish, I would recommend using 2000 grit wetsanding paper very lightly with a very, very little amount of water - this sandpaper can be obtained from any automotive body shop, but you will be removing paint from the neck. I don't know what the mil thickness is on a bongo neck from the factory, and I'm sure that it varies from instrument to instrument, but the end result will be the same no matter what, and that is paint removal... Ultimately, it's your bass, do what you will with it, but IMHO (and I have quite a bit of experience in the world of refinishing) you will most likely do more damage than good to it...