Raw body?

[Jumble Jumble]

So everyone here likes raw necks. But it seems that bodies always get a finish of some kind, even if it's just oil.

Just wondering, is that purely aesthetic, or is there a reason this happens? I'm thinking about getting a wenge on BK LP body and leaving it raw.

 

[drewfx]

There's some worry about a raw body getting sweated on and scratched up and whatnot if left unprotected.

I left my rosewood twelecaster body raw, but it never leaves the house and gets babied:

 

[line6man]

Raw bodies are gross unless you're really good about keeping them clean.

 

[Cagey]

The body doesn't get hurt per se, but it will become putrid and disgusting fairly quickly. Particularly so with those woods because they have such a wide-open grain structure. Think what your fingernails would look like if you didn't wash your hands for a week, and what kind of maggot-gaggingly foul toe-jam goop you'd find under them if you were to look closely. Same thing would build up in the pores of your guitar's body, what with dirt, sweat, dead skin cells, beer, fast-food residue, hooker dust, smoke particles, and whatever other detritus is floating in the air looking for something to stick to. It would probably qualify as a hazmat/superfund site in no time at all. Liable to start suffering from serial attacks of bronchitis, strep throat and pinkeye from touching your guitar then touching your face or your food/drink.

 

[StogiePatriot]

Jumble, I think one key reason that the woods are finished is the abuse that the bodies take - sweat soaking into the more porous woods and the more frequent use of multiple laminated bodies also has driven that - not to mention that most woods are boring as hell and the canvas is too large not to use.

Now, that being said, if you use a HARD wood (not poplar, considered a hardwood but c'mon) like wenge, cocobolo, bubinga, morado, tigerwood, rosewood and the other hyper dense and heavy woods, it's a sin to go farther than lacquering the body.  The reason to minimally finish those wood however is the oxidation that occurs.

if you use General Finishes Arm-a-Seal http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2007259/9891/Satin-ArmRSeal-Quart.aspx that has a tung oil and urethane base it's as close to naked as you can get once the finish cures.  That is the trick with the oil finishes is that you almost need to create an airbox to put the body in to accelerate the drying/curing process that can take a few weeks to complete.  Before that it gets tacky and you can booger it up (personal experience).  I totally agree that the natural beauty of these darker tropical woods needs to be on display but if you take any of those woods, plane and sand them down and wait a few weeks, you'll notice a dull nap that developed on the surface of the wood.  That's the primary reason to minimally finish the wood.

Make sense?  If you're down with purpleheart turning dull brown or wenge going gray, there's not a physical reason to finish the tropical wood - it's all aesthetic. 

 

[Jumble Jumble]

All good stuff, thanks. Of course I just remembered that even raw W necks are treated with so e kind of oil, right?

So I guess if I want that raw wood feel,yes, a light oil treatment is going to be best. Any more recommendations?

 

[Updown]

What about getting the body in a Satin finish  :dontknow:
If it's anything like the necks are, it's pretty close to raw.

Like this one ... http://www.warmoth.com/Pages/ClassicShowcase.aspx?Body=2&Path=Spotlight&bFinish=285

 

[StogiePatriot]

What about getting the body in a Satin finish 
If it's anything like the necks are, it's pretty close to raw.

Yeppers; my 'rule' for whatever it's worth is that if you have a darker brown or figure, nothing more than semi-gloss or it will detract from the figuring.  The lighter you go the more gloss is going to benefit the look.  Straight black or nearly (like wenge) screams for light high gloss coats that don't cake up but make the wood just pop.  If you use a cut mix of 1/1 lacquer thinner and high gloss Deft or whatever you have, it will soak better, leave more of the 'feel' of the raw stock and still give the finish.

Ultimately, the best thing to do is hit your woodcraft or something and buy a wenge board that is 3"x24"x1" and tape off four blocks.  Run the four options you pick and see what shakes loose.  Use painters tape to separate the areas, and remove it when your done so you have a raw wenge comparison against the finish.