Nitro on Neck and Fretboard?

[jrsdws]

We just got our maple/maple Warmoth neck for the Jagstang build.  We were considering Tru-Oil for the neck, but if the fretboard gets nitro then the whole thing might as well be nitro I guess.

Do you finish the maple fretboard with nitro and scrape off the frets every few coats or do you just use fingerboard oil instead?  I have a bottle of Behlen Fingerboard Oil that says to apply it new instruments...penetrates wood and dries hard.  Seems easy and can easily be reapplied as it wears.

 

[Tonar8352]

I lacquer headstocks and fingerboards only on my maple necks and then oil the back. Warning: I forfeit the Warmoth warranty by not hard finishing the whole neck. I don’t mind because I have not had any necks go bad and I love the way they play.

I use two different methods to tape the headstock. The first two pictures show a method that leaves a V shape where the lacquer ends. It is hard to see the line after the back of the neck is finished sanded and polished as you can see buy looking at the Strat neck on the far right of the top picture. The second two pictures show how I tape it if I want to relic the neck and give it more of the look that it would have after being played for 50 years.  I use ¼” fine-line tape to do the round profile and then tape the rest of with regular lacquer tape and paper.

I shoot the headstock and fingerboard with lacquer and after it is rubbed out (the hard part) I tape off the frets and clean them up with 0000 Steel Wool, then they get a complete fret level and polish after the bone nut is installed.

You would be able to use the same method with the true oil on the back and I think you would love the way the neck will feel.

I hope that helps!

 

[-CB-]

Do you finish the maple fretboard with nitro and scrape off the frets every few coats or do you just use fingerboard oil instead

The fingerboard oil is not for maple boards - generally

I scrape every three coats or so, using the "large nail" method Leo used.  Works great, no issues.

I fit the nut first, the mask it.  Leave the edges at the sides of the slot unmasked, and you can get a factory type finish there, by smoothing it all together

After final coat - dry - scrape, de-orangepeel the board, and buff

 

[jrsdws]

Can the entire thing be Tru-Oiled...fingerboard and all?

 

[-CB-]

yup if you like that sort of finsh