Slickest/smoothest neck wood you've ever played?

[Hunter]

I've been reading these forums trying to find good advice on what raw neck wood to order, but a lot of questions people ask about neck woods are geared towards tone. I'm one of those people who thinks things like pickups, amps and technique have a bigger impact on tone than wood (not to say wood has a negligible impact), so I'm much more interested in the feel. So tell me, what's the best raw neck (in your experience), in terms of feel. I basically want a wood that will arouse me just by touching it. Any suggestions?

 

[SustainerPlayer]

That's easy.

Pau Ferro.

 

[Hunter]

I keep hearing good things about Pau Ferro. Unfortunately, Warmoth don't seemto be offering it as a neck wood at the moment. At least not for Tele necks. I'm not having much luck finding a Pau Ferro Tele neck in the showroom either. I'll definitely keep a look out for one.

 

[Cagey]

I go through a lotta necks here, and the two most sensual woods I've had have been Pau Ferro and Satine (Bloodwood). Coupled with an Ebony fretboard, those end up like sex on a stick. But, most of the raw neck woods can be made to feel incredible by burnishing them.

 

[stratamania]

If you give Warmoth a call or e mail sales about a Pau Ferro neck they may be able to sort something out.

 

[dmraco]

Pau Ferro.  there several in the showcase.
this one is killer.
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Path=Spotlight&nWood=22&i=SN16977#.VN9Zlym4lGw

 

[Hunter]

I go through a lotta necks here, and the two most sensual woods I've had have been Pau Ferro and Satine (Bloodwood). Coupled with an Ebony fretboard, those end up like sex on a stick. But, most of the raw neck woods can be made to feel incredible by burnishing them.

Wow, seems like burnishing is the way to go. I was interested in roasted maple, since I love the look of maple necks (with maple fretboard too). Looks like that's back on the table, if I can sand it down to something as smooth as Pau Ferro anyway. Would I need to burnish the fretboard as well (if I go with roasted maple)?

 

[Hunter]

Pau Ferro.  there several in the showcase.
this one is killer.
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Path=Spotlight&nWood=22&i=SN16977#.VN9Zlym4lGw

Yeah, I came across that in my search. Not quite the specs I was after (I like a fatter neck profile), but I can compromise.

 

[Cagey]

Wow, seems like burnishing is the way to go. I was interested in roasted maple, since I love the look of maple necks (with maple fretboard too). Looks like that's back on the table, if I can sand it down to something as smooth as Pau Ferro anyway. Would I need to burnish the fretboard as well (if I go with roasted maple)?

Maple burnishes really well, but you usually can't do it because Maple is kinda squirrelly so it requires a hard finish and burnishing will prevent finishes from sticking. However, roasted Maple doesn't require a finish, so you're good to go. I have one here, and it's sweet!

If you want to do the fretboard (highly recommended), you'll have to order the thing without frets. Trying to polish the 'board with frets on it will not produce satisfactory results.

 

[Rick]

Ebony.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

I go through a lotta necks here, and the two most sensual woods I've had have been Pau Ferro and Satine (Bloodwood). Coupled with an Ebony fretboard, those end up like sex on a stick. But, most of the raw neck woods can be made to feel incredible by burnishing them.

Even Maple as long as you don't care about the warranty....
Mines done out to whatever the finest micro mesh pad is (Love me some Micro mesh)
with the lightest of light oil finish, mostly from my hands.
And that SOB is smooth as a smelt.

 

[Cagey]

No doubt. You can burnish Maple until it's like glass. Problem is, you can't count on it to remain stable. It's sort of a crap shoot. According to Warmoth, about 10% of unfinished Maple necks "go pretzel", which is why they won't warrant them. I can't argue with that number, as I don't have the empirical data they do. But, I have built some things out of Maple in the past and know that the stuff can be squirrelly. Takes a while, but it happens. On some stuff, you may not care. But on a guitar/bass neck, you really need the thing to behave itself. Players get attached to their instruments, and if a neck twists/warps, it's somewhere between difficult and impossible to repair. In fact, if somebody brought me a twisted Maple neck, I'd probably advise them to toss it. Even If I could repair it, the thing is already showing that it doesn't work and play well with others. A typical Maple neck costs less than the amount of time it would take to recover one.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

Well there is some finish like I said.

I took a couple of passes with the Formbys, which in honesty is more varnish than it is oil.

I plan on pulling it off and hitting it a few more times, not like I am going anywhere, all this freakin' snow....

 

[Cagey]

Yeah, thanks to "global warming" we're all either freezing to death, suffocating under mountains of snow, or both.

I don't think you need to go nuts with the finish. As long as it's sealed against the environment, you're good to go. Also, if you do take the neck off again, look at the end grain. If the thing is anywhere near quartersawn or flatsawn, then it's unlikely to twist. Bow and relief are usually able to be adjusted in or out  with the truss rod.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

Yeah, thanks to "global warming" we're all either freezing to death, suffocating under mountains of snow, or both.

I don't think you need to go nuts with the finish. As long as it's sealed against the environment, you're good to go. Also, if you do take the neck off again, look at the end grain. If the thing is anywhere near quartersawn or flatsawn, then it's unlikely to twist. Bow and relief are usually able to be adjusted in or out  with the truss rod.

Def not quartersawn.

Would this be considered Flatsawn?

 

[TBurst Std]

Can you show the grain at the endof the neck? Easiest way to tell.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

Here's a macro of the top of the headstock.

 

[TBurst Std]

Not as good as the other end, but that is close to flat sawn. Flat sawn would be horizontal, quarter sawn, vertical.

 

[DangerousR6]

Yeah, thanks to "global warming" we're all either freezing to death, suffocating under mountains of snow, or both.

I don't think you need to go nuts with the finish. As long as it's sealed against the environment, you're good to go. Also, if you do take the neck off again, look at the end grain. If the thing is anywhere near quartersawn or flatsawn, then it's unlikely to twist. Bow and relief are usually able to be adjusted in or out  with the truss rod.

Def not quartersawn.

Would this be considered Flatsawn?

quartersawn maple will typically have this pattern to it, kinda like DNA markers like this.

Flat sawn and rift sawn typically shows the grain pattern...

 

[DangerousR6]

Not as good as the other end, but that is close to flat sawn. Flat sawn would be horizontal, quarter sawn, vertical.

perzactly...