Official Luthiers Forum!

Another quickie...

What finish to you use for the neck? I'm in the middle of spraying nitro for the body and headstock area, thinking about Tru-Oil for the back of the neck based on some recommendations. But everything in me is dying to keep on spraying nitro while I'm going. I mean, I don't even have the Tru-Oil yet and I'm dying to get done here. Should I go ahead with the nitro and stop with a satin finish? What do you do?

_________________
Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

And while we're at it, how do you like to prep and finish the fingerboard? IIRC, steel wool and lemon oil is often used here. Am I right?

Thanks for the help, guys!

_________________
Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

I do a nitro high-gloss on my necks. It really depends what your preference is.

Josh

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Fingerboard: I just finish it with fine sandpaper (800 or 1000) and use lemon oil. I do not put the lemon oil on until the guitar is done.

Josh

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Thanks, Josh. Got one more for ya.

Hope I'm not overcomplicating this thing, but how do you define the line between the back of the neck and the fingerboard? Do you mask down the side of the fingerboard or the top only? I guess I'm thinking that the finish would start peeling and flaking if allowed to go right to the top edge, so it would need to be stopped short, right?

_________________
Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

Wes, I think most people just finish the side of the fretboard the same as the neck. Just mask the face of the fretboard and when the neck is all finished, you may have a sharp edge from the finish to lightly sand smooth.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Wes

What Rod said. Only the face (playing surface of the board) of the board is going to get the oil. You lacquer the back of the neck and the side of the fretboard as one.

I think I know what you are saying about the flaking. Here is what I do.
-Finish the neck and body
-attach the two together after they have been buffed
-sand my radius into the board
-then I take a file and slightly bevel the edges of the board. That gets rid of the sharp edge where the finish stops. This is the same file I use for beveling the fret ends. Just a few light passes to break the edge is all you need. That way when I hammer in the frets I do not get any chipping or flaking at the edge of the board.

Hope that helps.

Josh

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com