How to get a finish off a neck..UPDATED

[newpatch]

Hi All,

I bought this neck and you can see it in the pictures that it's yellow. Is there a way to sand it with 600+ grit sandpaper or something to take it off and coat it with Tru-oil?

Or is there another way of taking off the finish....or at least get the color lighter in color? I want to acheive a natural look...

dinkyguitar

 

[Watershed]

The fingerboard is going to be the problem really.
Easier than sanding but still a PITA would be chemical means.
That's likely to be a pretty tough urethane finish on there.
You'll need a pretty nasty stripper to get it off.

 

[newpatch]

I also should have mentioned that I'll be replacing those frets with SS frets which will make it easier...

I'll try 0000 steel wool and see it I get anywhere....

dinkyguitar

 

[Watershed]

Oh that changes everything.
In that case, yea, pull the frets, and sand down the fingerboard with the appropriate radius block.

I believe that you'll need something more abrasive to get that finish off though.
I'd try 120 -> 220 -> 320.
Shouldn't be too bad then.

 

[Cagey]

Watershed's right - you'll be at it for the rest of your life trying to get the finish off with 0000 steel wool. You'll need something substantially more abrasive than that, and you'll need the appropriate radius block to keep from making a wavy, uneven mess of the fretboard surface.

 

[newpatch]

Thanks guys for your suggestions....

Well, I know you guys said to try a lower grit than 0000 wool, but just for ha-ha's I tried steel wool and the yellowish was coming off and showing the natural maple....quite nice and what I wanted.

It looks like this yellow was not a finish...not sure what it was but it was coming off. Not real fast but using some pressure. I could probably change to a slightly courser steel wool to take it off quicker...

Now my question is....am I taking it down to raw wood???? And do I need to put tru-oil on?? I want the natural look...

dinkyguitar

 

[pabloman]

You'll need a pretty nasty stripper to get it off.

:headbang1: