24 3/4" Conversion Strat Neck with birdseye! Tung oil this too?

[EVH_5150]

I just received my gorgeous showcase neck.  I was considering a light tung oil finish to bring out the grain (like EVH, EBMM, etc).  Is that advisable?  Can I apply it ever-so-lightly to the fretboard too?

Serial Number: SN24999
Style: Stratocaster®
Construction: Gibson® Scale (24-3/4") Conversion
Scale: 24-3/4" Conversion
Orientation: Right Handed
Neck Wood: Birdseye Maple
Fingerboard Wood: Birdseye Maple
Nut Width: 1-11/16"
Back Shape: Standard thin
Fret Size: SS6150 (Stainless)
Tuner Ream: Sperzel (25/64")
Radius: 10-16" Compound
Fret #: 22
Mounting Holes: Standard 4 Bolt
Inlays: Black Face Dots
Side Dots: Black Side Dots
String Nut: GraphTech Black TUSQ XL - Standard Nut $30.00
Finish: No Finish
Additional Info: High Grade Birdseye Maple

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I would Tru Oil that neck rather than Tung Oil.

 

[EVH_5150]

I would Tru Oil that neck rather than Tung Oil.

Ok, I bought fresh bottles of both.  What would be the reason for the Tru Oil vs. Tung?  I have zero experience with either.

 

[stratamania]

EBMM who you mentioned do use Tru-oil, which is a polymerized oil based on Linseed. Its a better product for the job. As the fretboard is maple you would use it on that also.

Tung oil, if it is pure, is better for salad bowls.

 

[Mandalie]

You are putting sperzels on that? How do you plan to drill the mounting holes?

 

[EVH_5150]

EBMM who you mentioned do use Tru-oil, which is a polymerized oil based on Linseed. Its a better product for the job. As the fretboard is maple you would use it on that also.

Tung oil, if it is pure, is better for salad bowls.

Salad bowls...LOL.

 

[EVH_5150]

You are putting sperzels on that? How do you plan to drill the mounting holes?

I chose the Sperzel size holes, but I'm actually mounting a set of Hipshot Grip-Lock tuners that utilize their UMP (universal mounting plate).  No holes are required to be drilled and they are compatible with 25/64" holes.

 

[rgand]

A friend of mine just converted a Fender neck with those Hipshot UMP plates. They worked great and covered all the holes Fender drilled in it.

I like their Griplock tuners on my necks. I just toss the plates aside and mount them with the screws but I could use the plates just as easily.

 

[EVH_5150]

A friend of mine just converted a Fender neck with those Hipshot UMP plates. They worked great and covered all the holes Fender drilled in it.

I like their Griplock tuners on my necks. I just toss the plates aside and mount them with the screws but I could use the plates just as easily.

Yeah I like the fact that no drilling is required!  Definitely a good selling point!

 

[rgand]

A friend of mine just converted a Fender neck with those Hipshot UMP plates. They worked great and covered all the holes Fender drilled in it.

I like their Griplock tuners on my necks. I just toss the plates aside and mount them with the screws but I could use the plates just as easily.

Yeah I like the fact that no drilling is required!  Definitely a good selling point!

The tuners are really good, too. I get the staggered Griplock ones. Nice.

 

[EVH_5150]

Same here...staggered so that string trees aren't required! 

 

[stratamania]

EBMM who you mentioned do use Tru-oil, which is a polymerized oil based on Linseed. Its a better product for the job. As the fretboard is maple you would use it on that also.

Tung oil, if it is pure, is better for salad bowls.

Salad bowls...LOL.

As funny as it sounds, pure tung oil is used for salad bowls and the like. It is a very old method dating back a long time in China.

 

[EVH_5150]

Now I'm looking hard at this Finishing Oil from Rocklers:

https://www.rockler.com/liberon-finishing-oil

The guy in this video actually has a Warmoth neck hanging off camera and he talks about how he used the finishing oil on the other neck.

https://youtu.be/JggKGhjo_fk

 

[stratamania]

That Liberon oil finish is probably good for a body, but I would still use Tru-Oil for the neck although its preference at the end of the day.

 

[EVH_5150]

The guys in that video said they apply the finishing oil and then follow it up with a top coat of tru oil. 

 

[stratamania]

The guys in that video said they apply the finishing oil and then follow it up with a top coat of tru oil.

Nothing wrong with Liberon products but I am not sure I see the point in that other than a can of Liberon Finishing Oil at least in the UK probably goes a lot further than Tru-oil and is less costly for the same amount. It might be a way if they are doing a fair amount of production of getting a result for less overall cost.

But for a neck, a 3-ounce bottle of tru-oil will be more than you need for several necks.

 

[EVH_5150]

The guys in that video said they apply the finishing oil and then follow it up with a top coat of tru oil.

Nothing wrong with Liberon products but I am not sure I see the point in that other than a can of Liberon Finishing Oil at least in the UK probably goes a lot further than Tru-oil and is less costly for the same amount. It might be a way if they are doing a fair amount of production of getting a result for less overall cost.

But for a neck, a 3-ounce bottle of tru-oil will be more than you need for several necks.

True....I didn't know how similar the products were.  If that's the case, then yeah it makes no sense.