Question for those of you who've had roasted maple necks

[hillerheilman]

Hey all. I've been absent from the forum for quite a long time. Sorta forgot about my account here till now. Anyway, last time I was here(probably more than a year ago, my bad :-\ ) I asked about fretboard wood choice on a roasted maple neck. I finally got the guitar completed a couple weeks ago, after I finally managed to find a good tech that didn't break my stuff and life was done pulling shenanigans of course. It took me awhile to get the right design that was comfortable for me to play seated due to a disability, and a longer time to find the right pickups, but I think I've got her where I want her now. I'll throw pictures below.
  On to my actual question. I ended up going with a roasted maple fatback profile neck with a maccasar ebony fretboard. I chose roasted maple with the intention of leaving it unfinished.(I had a really crappy Epiphone with a lacquered neck before this, and hated it. Wanted to be as far from that as possible) I've been playing it for a couple weeks and I definitely dig the raw wood, but I've been researching threads about burnishing roasted maple as well as doing oil finishes. I know there's the old saying about not fixing things that aren't broken, but it's got me wondering if I can't make it just a bit better. So my question for those of you with roasted necks is this; what'd you do to yours? What was it like compared to the raw version? I don't want to make it feel like a lacquered neck at all for fear of having the same problems I did with the Epiphone, but I'm looking for opinions.
Here she is:

For anyone curious about the specs:
Warmoth neck, fatback roasted maple/ ebony, 12 inch radius, 24 inch scale, 6150 ss frets, 1 5/8 nut.
Custom designed body, pg and control plate.
Mastery trem and staytrem bridge.
All pickups(baby 71/classic 53 p90/baby 71) from Jamie at The Creamery.
Triple shot switches for series/parallel/split.
6 way(all strat combinations +neck and bridge) rotary.
One volume, one tone with push/push for phase switching on neck pickup.
Output jack in back strap button.

EDIT: I don't know why, but only the image of the neck wants to show. Sorry guys.

EDIT: fixed the pictures! Added some more as well

 

[rgand]

I just put mine on the way they come from Warmoth. The feel is just what I like. I did start to burnish one and at 400 grit didn't like the direction it was going so I stopped burnishing and went with it.

Most people, however, burnish theirs for a smoother feel and to bring out the beauty of the wood. You may find that to your liking. There's only one way you can find out and that's to try it.

Whatever you do, it will no doubt feel better than a neck with a finish on it so you can't go too far wrong.

You may want to try that photo again slightly reduced in size. It would be cool to see what you've done with it.

 

[Logrinn]

I'm like Rgand, I haven't done anything with the 4 roasted maple necks I've got (also 24" by the way).
My goal is to play them til they're burnished :icon_jokercolor:

 

[dmraco]

The three that I have had have been really smooth.    The 1st one I burnished.  The other two I left alone.  After playing for a bit all three have the same feel.

I did find the roasted maple, especially the fret board can get dirty easy.  I always wipe the ENTIRE neck with orange oil when changing the string.  Cleans and adds some oils to the neck.  After applying the oil I will wipe with a cotton cloth.

 

[hillerheilman]

Fixed the pictures guys!

I'm like Rgand, I haven't done anything with the 4 roasted maple necks I've got (also 24" by the way).
My goal is to play them til they're burnished :icon_jokercolor:

I thought about just playing till it was naturally burnished as well. Just not sure if maybe it'd be better to the point where I should just burnish it now, or maybe an oil finish.

The three that I have had have been really smooth.    The 1st one I burnished.  The other two I left alone.  After playing for a bit all three have the same feel.

I did find the roasted maple, especially the fret board can get dirty easy.  I always wipe the ENTIRE neck with orange oil when changing the string.  Cleans and adds some oils to the neck.  After applying the oil I will wipe with a cotton cloth.

I've actually considered an oil finish recently as well. I've been oiling the fretboard every string change, which is usually around 2-3 weeks

 

[rgand]

Thanks for getting those photos up. It looks great.

 

[vetteman]

I have a couple of unfinished Warmoth necks on guitars.  My roasted maple was not nearly as smooth as delivered as my all rosewood neck.  I lived with it 'til this past weekend and hit the back with 500, 800 and finally 1500 grit sandpaper.  I thought I ruined it at 500 grit, but the 800 started bringing the color back and the 1500 brought it back to the as delivered color, but MUCH smoother.  If yours feels even the slightest bit rough I recommend sanding at it.  Mine took less than an hour to do. 

 

[stratamania]

When you mention you have been oiling the board every two or three weeks.

I do not know what "oil" you have been using but it is not needed and is probably not doing it any good in the long run.

 

[Rick]

I'll put mineral oil on my raw exotic necks and fretboards once a year.  Never put it on my maple necks.  As to roasted maple, I've never owned one ... I've never thought about the care and feeding of a roasted maple neck ... good question.

 

[stratamania]

The OP is mentioning oiling an ebony board. It is the neck shaft that is roasted maple.

 

[hillerheilman]

Thanks for getting those photos up. It looks great.

Thank you very much! While it's not much compared to some of the finish work I've seen on the forum, I think I did alright for my first go.

I have a couple of unfinished Warmoth necks on guitars.  My roasted maple was not nearly as smooth as delivered as my all rosewood neck.  I lived with it 'til this past weekend and hit the back with 500, 800 and finally 1500 grit sandpaper.  I thought I ruined it at 500 grit, but the 800 started bringing the color back and the 1500 brought it back to the as delivered color, but MUCH smoother.  If yours feels even the slightest bit rough I recommend sanding at it.  Mine took less than an hour to do. 

hmm. Good to know. I was really heavily considering sanding it. Overall it feels nice but there's certain spots that feel a bit more rough. I wouldn't run the risk of altering the neck profile, would I? Doesn't seem like that much material would be removed but I'm inexperienced in these things.

When you mention you have been oiling the board every two or three weeks.

I do not know what "oil" you have been using but it is not needed and is probably not doing it any good in the long run.

Is that so? I was told that ebony boards require oil a lot more often than anything else, so I've just been very lightly using Dunlop lemon oil every string change. Is that actually bad for it?

The OP is mentioning oiling an ebony board. It is the neck shaft that is roasted maple.

yep. That's accurate. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Cagey]

I was told that ebony boards require oil a lot more often than anything else, so I've just been very lightly using Dunlop lemon oil every string change. Is that actually bad for it?

Yes. Ebony is very dense and is not going to absorb any oil. In fact, its specific gravity is so high it won't even float in water - one of the few woods like that, Kingwood being another.

The hardwoods used for fretboards have a certain amount of essential oils intrinsic to them that really doesn't go away or "dry up". You don't need to add any, certainly not a perfumed mineral oil like "lemon oil". All it'll do it gunk it up, seep under the frets, and eventually deteriorate the wood. Given enough added oil and time, you might have a tough time refretting the thing.

If the fretboards needed any oil added to them, they'd get far more than necessary just from your fingers.

The reason most people oil their 'boards is because they don't like the "dry" look they have when they clean the excess oil and gunk off them, and feel like the wood is being abused. A tiny amount of oil on a rag will beautify the wood ahead of the time it would take for it to happen naturally.

The reason Ebony or any other hardwood cracks (or causes "fret sprout") is due to moisture loss, not oil loss, and even then while fret sprout is common until dealt with, cracks are rare. But, if you're worried about a dead piece of wood's health, all it wants is an environment that's roughly 40%-50% relative humidity at about 70°F (21°C). Incidentally, that's the ideal temp/humidity for most finish work as well.

 

[vetteman]

OP  -  The amount of sanding that is required is quite small.  I made a little bit of sawdust with mine but can't tell that the overall size/shape was altered at all!  COMMENCE SANDING!!!!!! :toothy10:

 

[stratamania]

I see Cagey, already answered the question posed to myself so will just say that is good information.

One of my guitars with an ebony board is now about thirty years old. It does not get oiled and is in fine condition. Very occasionally and I am meaning a couple of years apart here I may use something like a Dunlop 65 lemon oil as a cleaner but not to "oil" it. I would put no more than a drop or so into a cloth and use it as a surface wipe on and off approach.

 

[hillerheilman]

I was told that ebony boards require oil a lot more often than anything else, so I've just been very lightly using Dunlop lemon oil every string change. Is that actually bad for it?

Yes. Ebony is very dense and is not going to absorb any oil. In fact, its specific gravity is so high it won't even float in water - one of the few woods like that, Kingwood being another.

The hardwoods used for fretboards have a certain amount of essential oils intrinsic to them that really doesn't go away or "dry up". You don't need to add any, certainly not a perfumed mineral oil like "lemon oil". All it'll do it gunk it up, seep under the frets, and eventually deteriorate the wood. Given enough added oil and time, you might have a tough time refretting the thing.

If the fretboards needed any oil added to them, they'd get far more than necessary just from your fingers.

The reason most people oil their 'boards is because they don't like the "dry" look they have when they clean the excess oil and gunk off them, and feel like the wood is being abused. A tiny amount of oil on a rag will beautify the wood ahead of the time it would take for it to happen naturally.

The reason Ebony or any other hardwood cracks (or causes "fret sprout") is due to moisture loss, not oil loss, and even then while fret sprout is common until dealt with, cracks are rare. But, if you're worried about a dead piece of wood's health, all it wants is an environment that's roughly 40%-50% relative humidity at about 70°F (21°C). Incidentally, that's the ideal temp/humidity for most finish work as well.

oh geez! :doh: I guess I should have done more research. My bad. thanks for the info.

I see Cagey, already answered the question posed to myself so will just say that is good information.

One of my guitars with an ebony board is now about thirty years old. It does not get oiled and is in fine condition. Very occasionally and I am meaning a couple of years apart here I may use something like a Dunlop 65 lemon oil as a cleaner but not to "oil" it. I would put no more than a drop or so into a cloth and use it as a surface wipe on and off approach.

  That's pretty much what I've been doing every string change. Just a drop or two on a cloth and wiping down the fretboard. But I now see doing it that often isn't necessary
.

OP  -  The amount of sanding that is required is quite small.  I made a little bit of sawdust with mine but can't tell that the overall size/shape was altered at all!  COMMENCE SANDING!!!!!! :toothy10:

good to know! I'm actually reading through a thread by Cagey on burnishing right now. Becoming more and more convinced.  :toothy10:

 

[stratamania]

Glad the information has been useful.

 

[hillerheilman]

Quick update. Got some sandpaper last night and went from 600 all the way through 2500 grit. Took 2+ hours but was worth the time. Seriously. I wanted to stop at 600, but I ended up going all the way up and it was WELL worth it. I'm reminded of the "true level" scene from the show Rick and Morty. I'm pretty sure all other neck finishes are now rendered obsolete :toothy10: Highly recommend doing this. Thanks all.

 

[Cagey]

That was my first experience, too. Got to 600 grit and thought "why have I not heard of this before?" I thought about stopping there, but went on anyway, only to find it could get even better. And yes, for me, it has made other finishes obsolete, unless it's a wood that has to be sealed against the environment.

 

[musicispeace]

Late to the party here but, for the love of Leo Fender, the oiling the fretboard thing drives me nuts. To each their own regarding their own guitars, but I would like to say that when I first started playing in the late seventies NO ONE I knew oiled their fretboards and I never saw or heard about any fretboards fracturing or anything. Cagey is knowledgeable on the environmental factors for reasonable guitar health and he sees a lot of instruments. One time I had to have something done that I didn't have tools for and dropped my guitar off to the supposed best tech in town and told him not to put anything on my cocobolo fretboard. I'm still watching it come back from the amount of flipping whatever he put on it. Totally unnecessary. The worst kind of subjectivity lurks in music stores and involves other people's guitars. But playing again since 2010 I have had no issues with a no oil policy.