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Hi everyone.

First post but long time reader.....some wonderful stuff in these pages. I'm just a couple of years into guitar repair and I've hit a new problem that I haven't been able to get my head around. I wondered if I may ask here after looking through various posts on Fender neck restoration, I haven't found anyone with this problem.

I'm doing a refinish on a Mexican Strat and the neck was pretty awful when I took it on. I have cleaned it using first a blade edge, then fine grit papers and on to wire wool and used a wood bleach to try to lighten the many years of dirty finger marks, but there is this (seems to me) oily stain at the nut end that I can't shift.

Heres a before and after so far


And Heres the problem end
http://www.marc-johnston.com/marcsguita ... image1.jpg



So far I have tentatively tried the wood bleach - not really doing anything - I rubbed in a small amount of washing up liquid to see if i could dissolve it out, but it hasn't seemed to have any effect either. Im now stumped. I cant find the correct term to search google as putting in "oil stain" or any kind of search with stain in brings up pages of people staining necks, not removing unintentional stains.

Many thanks in advance.

WOW! That neck has certainly had some playing time. Good job so far! So you've tried wood bleach.... oxalic acid, or hydrogen peroxide? How about saturating it with acetone? Got any MEK? (it's dangerous - be careful)

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Oxalic acid is the bleach I have tried. I have now removed the top two frets and am bleaching from within the grove as the stain looks like it's seeped in from those areas. It looks like it's fading a bit more. I may let this dose dry and rub it off with wire wool, rinse it with water and give the acetone a try.....not sure what MEK is, off to google.

MEK is methyl ethyl ketone, a volatile solvent - righteously banned by the Soviet Republik of Kalifornia.

I thought it had been banned in the USA years ago, but I saw some on the shelf the other day at HD.

Just for future reference, the acetone made a massive difference.....took a couple of soakings but it's 90% all gone now, just a few stubborn streaks close to the fret slot that could be covered if a suggested refret goes ahead.

Many thanks for the suggestion Chris Pile

Is this supposed to be a joke?

Well.... I laughed at it.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

A little cheeky jab at California's ban-everything-that-might-be-bad-for-you legislation.

MEK used to be the standard solvent in aircraft. It has been completely removed from the process specs where I work. That said, it's still in the tool crib. The worst danger is kidney and liver damage.

Well yer not supposed to drink the stuff !

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