What do you use to keep you neck slick, thumb side.

Binkman

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Don't want to use 000 steel wool. I do wash hands but hate the smell of baby powder!
thanks.
 
Depends on the finish. On my Epi Les Pauls the poly finish on the neck is too sticky for my liking so it gets knocked back with a Scotchbrite green pad. Doesn't take much, just a couple of minutes of light pressure to get down to a more satin feel and is easily undone with simple buffing.
 
Fingernail buffing blocks (the ones with a different grit on each side) work really well. The finest grit will put a high shine on most surfaces, including guitar necks.
Actually these things are very useful for all kinds of tasks in my shop.
 
My guitars all have lacquered necks, high gloss...a little guitar polish on an old t-shirt and they're good as new.
 
Thanks guys.. I have 000 wool.. and also use lint free polishing towels and various polishes avail but even that tacks up. But what do you use on your hand? what kind of talc that don't stink? :D (optional body talc use would be helpful.) :D
 
Many years back when I was a gigging guitarist I noticed that the finish on parts of the neck on my fave and only electric guitar had worn down to bare wood.
Since we had some down time I decided to refinish it. Sanded it down slightly and applied a fresh coat of spray on poly.
Much to my chagrin I noticed it had developed "orange peel" where the finish wasn't smooth as glass but slightly bumpy looking.
Of course as luck would have it I get a call that we have a new gig that weekend, so I piece it back together with the plan of doing a proper finish after the gig.
Well, that never happened. I noticed that the slightly bumpy finish was so much smoother and that my hand never stuck to the neck like it did other times when the palms got a little sweaty.
Since then my enemy has become my friend and I welcome that orange peel finish whenever I can get it.
edit: another plus is that if you get it fine enough it actually looks sparkly in the right light and bigger plus, fingerprints don't show.
 
Well I had thought that 'cue stick' talc would work. But hell 2.75 with 6$ or more! in shipping? geez how heavy is a lil' unlabeled bag of talc? swear these vendors make their money in shipping costs.
 
My guitars all have lacquered necks, high gloss...a little guitar polish on an old t-shirt and they're good as new.

Some of the "Guitar Polish" is great stuff, but automotive wax or polish will work fine.

Just make sure its very fine or no abrasive wax or polish. I haven't hurt the lacquer on my Gibsons yet.
 
1. On my "case queens" geetars -- I still have a few 50s, 60s, and 70s that have remained virtually unplayed:

Nothing.

2. On any of my several "player" geetars, 50s-70s era, some of which I've been using since circa 1966 and most since the mid 1970s:

What finish? I just keep 'em clean and the back-o-necks have remained smooth, fast, and eminently playable.
 
Naptha (lighter fluid). The best stuff I found for a glossy neck was an auto detailing product that was basically naptha with talc. You had to shake it or the talc would settle.
 
Not much can be done if you have a personal PH chemistry that reacts with a finish. I am lucky and get along very well with most, but I just don't like the soft gummy feel of a poly finish. I have played some early Fender's and Gibson's that had a bit of that gooey drag and that was with nitro cellulose.

Clean hands and a clean finish without polish or wax build up works best.
 
Back
Top Bottom