Painted neck? Sanded neck?

Drache713 · #1 12-01-2002, 07:36 PM

Hey, I was pondering the other day about customizing my guitar and the question about the neck came up. I can't figure out whether I would want a natural non-painted neck or a painted neck. I perfer how a painted neck looks (especially with binding, yummy), but I want a very fast comfortable neck and I don't know whether a painted neck would be "sticky" or not. I don't really want to have to wipe off fingerprints either. Which would be a faster neck, a painted neck or just a finished neck? Could I have a "flat" or "satin" or "powder" paint color on the neck to increase speed? Or is it more a factor of the finish affecting speed and playability than paint being on it or not? Would sanding off the finish on a neck (like described in the tech section I believe) help with wither a un-painted neck or painted neck?

Gresh · #2 12-03-2002, 10:48 AM

Personally I prefer raw wood. Most unfinished necks do in fact have something on them, and I like to sand that off as well. Nothing beats a completely bare neck.

I took a completely painted 7 string Ibanez custom shop neck down to bare wood and it feels fantastic. It has binding as well and it just looks fabulous. No comparison in feel between painted and raw wood. It was a heck of a lot of work, but it was worth every ounce of sweat. Now I've just got to refin the headstock and the body and wire it all up.

Globbits · #3 12-03-2002, 11:28 AM

I've never played a raw wood neck that has felt sticky, but most painted necks will become sticky with 'palm-sweat'

Drache713 · #4 12-03-2002, 07:57 PM

I read on the Warmoth site that a raw maple neck would have a higher chance of curling and warping, so they reccomend a finished neck. Sounds like B.S. to me, but is it true or not?

EKG · #5 12-03-2002, 08:04 PM

I'm thinking warping or curling would apply to any type of unfinished wood. Unfinished wood would absorb the moisture in the air, then dry out, etc. Even the slightest finish will help warping from occurring.

ukwan · #6 08-08-2005, 04:32 PM

My guitar is an unfinished neck.. i love it, my guitar tutor hates the unfinished feel.. says it feels too rough i see it the otherway around myself.

fettouhi · #7 08-09-2005, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukwan

My guitar is an unfinished neck.. i love it, my guitar tutor hates the unfinished feel.. says it feels too rough i see it the otherway around myself.

Just oil the neck

.

Regards

André

sniperfrommars1 · #8 08-09-2005, 10:25 AM

Unfinished necks simply feel better in my opinion. Eddie is correct in the regards that a finished neck will be less likely to warp, but this will usually only apply at least in my opinion to guitars left in the wrong type of environment. My saying is if your comfortable your guitars are, if you think its too humid chances are your necks will. All of my main guitars have an unfinished neck aside from my 520 and its satin finished not really sticky at all, though i would prefer raw wood, i actually like that particular guitar too much to change it. My les pauls neck is raw naw, my sg, several rgs, my wolfgang of course etc etc.

Drew · #9 08-09-2005, 10:47 AM

I personally like the feel of a totally unfinished neck - it's a little "rougher" to the feel in a way that actually and paradoxically reduces friction, by making your hand less likely to bind while sliding.

That said, my (stripped) UV is WAY more prone to weather-related "shifting" than my (lightly finished) CST is - going from cool and dry to hot and humid (which happens often enough around Boston, lol) can shift the action as much as 2-3 mm in a day or two. So, given a preference, I go for a lightly applied matte finish, simply because you NEED something on the neck in an area like New England, with such drastic seasonal (and intra-seasonal) weather fluctuations.

Food for thought.

-D

JJEMMER777 · #10 08-09-2005, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniperfrommars1

Unfinished necks simply feel better in my opinion.

Yep unfinished for me too.

the.godfather · #11 08-09-2005, 11:46 AM

I prefer the "feel" of unfinished necks too.
But I prefer the "look" of painted necks for some reason.

JTM45 · #12 08-09-2005, 11:05 PM

I've always loved the way a lightly finished or bare wood neck felt but when i got my newest Ibanez 7 which has a painted neck i was surprised how little difference it actualy makes in practice.

The neck on my RG2027 only has a very light lacquer on it (it feels almost like bare wood) but it's really no faster,less 'sticky' or easier to play than my painted Ibanez 7 neck.

The only time i have found a lacquered neck to be really 'sticky' is a neck that had been finished with nitrocellulose lacquer.Now that is sticky!

mlr_pa · #13 11-26-2005, 12:52 PM

How about a compromise? Japanese stain the neck, then add 1 coat of tung oil. Color AND a raw(ish) feel.

**jim777** · #14 11-26-2005, 01:43 PM

I've had lots of both, and don't honestly have a preference. If you have an unfinished neck, you just need to give it a little steel wool every now and then (once or twice a year, maybe?) to keep it clean. I have Jacksons with painted necks and they are easy as can be to fly all over. I'd opt for a finish if I was having one custom made, though. The neck will last longer and be less likely to be adverselt affected by humidity changes.