No finish bodies?
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Toulouse_Tuhles
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Totally up to you. Bodies generally don't have warpage problems.
Rosewood, Walnut, other dense, tighter grained hardwoods... sure!
Something like Ash... might be a little coarse.
FWIW, I bought a really, really... ratty Fender Telecaster Deluxe back in about 1979ish. It had been brush painted black, over rattle can red, over a factory "whitish over burst". It all got sanded back to bare alder. Being young, and fairly tight on money, I did what I could do, to put something on the wood. Kiwi brown shoe polish dyed the wood and gave it a little sheen. I played that guitar for about 5 years, and nobody ever said a word about the "shoepolish" finish, but thought it was natural and nice looking in "bare" wood.
I'm thinking about a bare wood J-Bass body actually....
As far as necks go, I like Goncalo.... but they get a few coats of MinWax matte lacquer.
Rosewood, Walnut, other dense, tighter grained hardwoods... sure!
Something like Ash... might be a little coarse.
FWIW, I bought a really, really... ratty Fender Telecaster Deluxe back in about 1979ish. It had been brush painted black, over rattle can red, over a factory "whitish over burst". It all got sanded back to bare alder. Being young, and fairly tight on money, I did what I could do, to put something on the wood. Kiwi brown shoe polish dyed the wood and gave it a little sheen. I played that guitar for about 5 years, and nobody ever said a word about the "shoepolish" finish, but thought it was natural and nice looking in "bare" wood.
I'm thinking about a bare wood J-Bass body actually....
As far as necks go, I like Goncalo.... but they get a few coats of MinWax matte lacquer.
Toulouse_Tuhles
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No need to go that fine, but all up to you...
stratamania
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You might need a strap and strap locks in case it slides off your body.
If there is no finish to wear, then your wood will be wearing.
If there is no finish to wear, then your wood will be wearing.
TonyFlyingSquirrel
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These bodies are made in the USA, not Finland...
S
swarfrat
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I went to 2000 grit on my maple neck. But I wouldn't bother on a body.
BroccoliRob
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Wouldn't a raw body get like crazy filthy? It's #touching all the things all the times
TonyFlyingSquirrel
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BroccoliRob said:
I had a Washburn N2 some 27 years ago in unfinished Alder, and if you don't wash your hands & have corrosive sweat, then, yes, it will show, but for the 2 years that I had the guitar, I never had any issues with it. I don't sweat excessively, I eat well so I don't have acidic sweat, so I might be an exception.
BroccoliRob
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TonyFlyingSquirrel said:
I mostly play topless and I sweat a lot out in the sun, so I'd defs be super uncomfortable prowling the streets. Finishes for me! Is it supposed to sound better? What would be the point of leaving a body raw? What's the #EndGame?
Speaking of the Avengers, remember when Chris Bevans wanted Robert Downey to host the 'Scers (what I call the Oscars)? If Bobby Downs is like me, the only thing he's qualified to host is a parasite.
zebra
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I've considered doing this as well - essentially burnishing an entire body.
While I don't see anything particularly wrong with it, that's a huge commitment to sanding - and not just sanding in a single direction up and down a neck, either - lots of fiddly sanding around curves and such.
Regarding the grease factor, a thin coat of linseed or tung oil, and/or some carnuba wax can offer a little extra protection from dirt, sweat and grime. (With burnishing, wood can get so slick that some stuff just won't adhere to it, so that's something else to consider.) It wouldn't be completely naked, but just throwing that out there as a possibility. You'd still get a very natural look and feel.
While I don't see anything particularly wrong with it, that's a huge commitment to sanding - and not just sanding in a single direction up and down a neck, either - lots of fiddly sanding around curves and such.
Regarding the grease factor, a thin coat of linseed or tung oil, and/or some carnuba wax can offer a little extra protection from dirt, sweat and grime. (With burnishing, wood can get so slick that some stuff just won't adhere to it, so that's something else to consider.) It wouldn't be completely naked, but just throwing that out there as a possibility. You'd still get a very natural look and feel.
pirate
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Just threw this whole no finish body out there for discussion/thoughts, especially seeing so many now not finishing, and just burnishing, their necks. I don't really hear about anyone having issues with dirt/filth on their burnished necks, so I would equate the same non issues with a burnished body?
I suppose I first thought about it when I posted the link to a guy doing a "picnicaster" modeled after weathered picnic tables he saw in a park, a weathered wood look, complete with nicks and scratches, staining using black tea, gouges with wood burners, and even some graffiti. After doing all that, I thought, why bother with any finish at all on it? And folks pay big $$$ to have a guitar given a relic look.
I suppose I first thought about it when I posted the link to a guy doing a "picnicaster" modeled after weathered picnic tables he saw in a park, a weathered wood look, complete with nicks and scratches, staining using black tea, gouges with wood burners, and even some graffiti. After doing all that, I thought, why bother with any finish at all on it? And folks pay big $$$ to have a guitar given a relic look.
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swarfrat
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Burnished necks tend to be much harder and closed pore than body woods.
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