Question The history of the sanded neck finish?

[mtrejo]

I remember back in the early 90's I read an article on EVH. I believe it was here that I first heard of sanding the neck for a better feel. This piqued my curiosity and thus I wound up sanding my neck on my semi cheap guitar I owned at the time (still own as a matter of fact, I NEVER get rid of any guitar I've ever owned). It looked funky but it felt so good!

So does anybody know when/why EBMM started doing this? Obviously it really sets these necks apart from the competition beyond words, along with the complete package, but EBMM are know as having the most comfortable neck in the business. I have wondered about this every time I look at my own version of the sanded neck.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

In a large portion of the guitar world, it's misunderstood that the neck is simply sanded and left that way. Skipping the tru-oil part is an invitation for moisture to get into the wood and reek havoc with it. I'm one of those people who have taken other brand guitars and done the tru-oil treatment to get a better neck feel. Where it started......I have no idea.

 

[TNT]

Yes, all the "bare wood necks" have something that is applied as a protective finish, (however slight it may be). Although, I have a project guitar too with nothing applied, and it really doesn't feel any different than my Axis' necks!!

 

[mtrejo]

yeah, sorry guys, I guess I totally goofed on the sanded part. I meant not painted but with the standard gunstock oil and wax finish. Have these necks always had this finish since day one or did it change at some point.

Was any other manufacturer doing this type of thing when EBMM started? It just seems like such a unique aspect of the EBMM neck.

I did sand my neck from the chepo guitar I mentioned earlier, however, I never knew about applying the gunstock oil and wax to defend against moisture.

Sorry for my poor wording fellas, I'm a numbskull.

 

[Colin]

i think it started with the EVH model

 

[Spudmurphy]

FWIW I remember reading on the forum (when johngitarz was about) that at some point a "Super Glue concoction" was applied as an after market service.
Now how that would have been applied - I really don't know. I guess that it would have had to have been thinned down quite a bit. I also wonder how long it would last ?

Does any Knucklehead have a "super glued" neck?

 

[Spudmurphy]

I did sand my neck from the chepo guitar I mentioned earlier, however, I never knew about applying the gunstock oil and wax to defend against moisture.

Interesting, I'm building a guitar the moment - making my own body but using a bitsa neck.
I've sanded the finish off the neck and also experimented a bit with the final sanding. It will have a tru oil application.

 

[beej]

Does any Knucklehead have a "super glued" neck?

Ah, the "pimped" neck. I've had two (one was actually Jon's old Axis), and I still have one (my main AL). It's made the AL very stable. Prior to that it had had several refrets, etc. to get it to play well. The superglue + acetone treatment did wonders. And you can't tell that it's been done, feels like any other MM neck, very slick.

I don't know if this is still offered. I do know it's rare that it needs to be done. But wood is, of course, wood and over time some necks need more TLC than others.

 

[fsmith]

My Petrucci has the "pimped" neck too... When I sent it back in 2004 for a replacement neck Jon offered to do it for me. It has aged really well over the years and almost looks like a roasted neck now. I haven't had to do anything to it since then. I still redo the gunstock oil and wax treatment usually once a year on the rest of my guitars.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Superglue and Acetone huh? - Hell let's do an experiment!!!

 

[mtrejo]

Wow, I like these unorthodox neck techniques. Very Interesting information indeed. Spud, very that you are building your own guitar. I might just have to Google the procedure and revisit said guitar. Part two, coming up.

 

[beej]

Superglue and Acetone huh? - Hell let's do an experiment!!!

Y'know, I wish I had on my old homemade strat copy. I built it back in high school. Kept the neck unfinished, just used Tung oil. Served me well for years, but the neck eventually warped. I had it steamed and bent back into shape, but was never the same again. Wish I'd known about the "pimping" technique then- I would have tried it. (Yeah, and probably ruined it further.)

 

[Spudmurphy]

Wow, I like these unorthodox neck techniques. Very Interesting information indeed. Spud, very that you are building your own guitar. I might just have to Google the procedure and revisit said guitar. Part two, coming up.

Without taking up too much of BP's bandwidth - I long to get back into playing slide guitar and I need to have a higher action than any of my balls. I have been given an old brass drip tray - they used to have them on all the bars in the pubs in the UK. It's rectangular, brass and has a Cardiff Brewers Logo stamped into it. This will effectively cap a piece of ash and will look like a Bo Diddly type of guitar. Just waiting for a nice piece of wood and off I go !!!