The Accidental Telecaster...
- Thread starter Verne Bunsen
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BigSteve22
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Wow! 
That's one slam'in neck! Nice grab Bro.....
That's one slam'in neck! Nice grab Bro.....
Verne Bunsen
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My eyeballs kind of bugged out of my head when I saw it. I knew right away that I had made an expensive mistake by visiting the showcase.... Normally I’m in pretty safe territory browsing necks because most of the stuff that catches my eye ends up being “Standard Thin”, which isn’t my thing. This one is a 59 Roundback, which is very much my thing. It has a twin Strat neck in the showcase that I would be much obliged if one of you fine folks would go buy, so I could stop wanting to, haha!
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Path=Spotlight&backCont=13&i=VMS13660#.WqxOa2KIaEc
http://www.warmoth.com/Showcase/ShowcaseNeck.aspx?Body=1&Path=Spotlight&backCont=13&i=VMS13660#.WqxOa2KIaEc
Verne Bunsen
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I did a bit of fancy schmancy image manipulation to “try on” the new neck. I think it fits quite nicely!
Verne Bunsen
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It’s my first Showcase neck, gotta love the one-offs! I can’t wait to see it in person....
stratamania
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Very nice neck. (Good job the strat one wasn't standard thin and 1 5/8" as I might have had another neck ordered 
Verne Bunsen
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It was pretty much built to my specs: 59 Roundback, Vintage/Modern, compound radius, 22 frets, black TUSQ nut, gloss finish. The only thing that isn't exactly how I'd order it is the 6150 frets, my preference is 6105. I think it'll be okay though :toothy11:
stratamania
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I think you will too ccasion14:
ccasion14:
Verne Bunsen
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Funny you should mention, this will be my first stainless fretted neck....
Verne Bunsen
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That thought had occured to me...
Verne Bunsen
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Well, I'm going to call this update "Good News / Utterly Gut Wrenching News :sad1:".
The good news is that the neck came in and it is more stellar in person even than in the pictures. I don't think my pictures will capture it any better, but I'm going to snap a few anyway. The chatoyance in the mahogany is beyond anything I've seen, it dances like the aurora when the neck is moved under light. Really an exceptional piece. I didn't know mahogany came like this. I'm generally in the "unadorned headstocks look incomplete" camp, but I quickly came to the conclusion that any thing on this headstock would be a detraction. The birds eye maple is spectacular as well. Just a whole lot to love about this neck.
On to the utterly gut wrenching part. Disclaimer: Contains graphic imagery, viewer discretion is advised. I taped up the fretboard with blue masking tape and tried a few things to remove the finish from the frets. I tried scoring the finish around the fret with a blade and lifting it, that worked but it left residuals on parts of the fret surface that had to then be cleaned up else-ways, and really I was not all that crazy about working a blade so close to the fretboard. I tried steel wool and found it messy and inconsistent: certain parts of the fret would clean right up while another part of the same fret would be unbelievably stubborn. I tried the Stew Mac Fret Erasers and found them completely ineffective. I cut a piece of an unwound guitar string and worked it over the surface and that worked like a charm. Just like wearing it off by playing, but without the buzzing in the interim, right? The sides cleaned up acceptably with a quick pass from my Alaska Airlines Frequent Flyer card. I peeled off the masking tape and was greeted by this:
5th, 6th, 7th frets:
10th, 11th, 12th frets:
End of board:
I'm flabbergasted really. It actually didn't compute initially; I thought the tape had somehow left a residue or something. It makes me sick to think that I somehow caused it but I really can't connect anything I did to this result. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. Adhesion issues with the finish maybe? I don't know. I'm going to send full sized copies of these pictures to Warmoth and see what they have to say. Any way you slice it, it's not a fitting end to such a stellar neck.
/ Utterly Gut Wrenching News :sad1:". The good news is that the neck came in and it is more stellar in person even than in the pictures. I don't think my pictures will capture it any better, but I'm going to snap a few anyway. The chatoyance in the mahogany is beyond anything I've seen, it dances like the aurora when the neck is moved under light. Really an exceptional piece. I didn't know mahogany came like this. I'm generally in the "unadorned headstocks look incomplete" camp, but I quickly came to the conclusion that any thing on this headstock would be a detraction. The birds eye maple is spectacular as well. Just a whole lot to love about this neck.
On to the utterly gut wrenching part. Disclaimer: Contains graphic imagery, viewer discretion is advised. I taped up the fretboard with blue masking tape and tried a few things to remove the finish from the frets. I tried scoring the finish around the fret with a blade and lifting it, that worked but it left residuals on parts of the fret surface that had to then be cleaned up else-ways, and really I was not all that crazy about working a blade so close to the fretboard. I tried steel wool and found it messy and inconsistent: certain parts of the fret would clean right up while another part of the same fret would be unbelievably stubborn. I tried the Stew Mac Fret Erasers and found them completely ineffective. I cut a piece of an unwound guitar string and worked it over the surface and that worked like a charm. Just like wearing it off by playing, but without the buzzing in the interim, right? The sides cleaned up acceptably with a quick pass from my Alaska Airlines Frequent Flyer card. I peeled off the masking tape and was greeted by this:
5th, 6th, 7th frets:
10th, 11th, 12th frets:
End of board:
I'm flabbergasted really. It actually didn't compute initially; I thought the tape had somehow left a residue or something. It makes me sick to think that I somehow caused it but I really can't connect anything I did to this result. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. Adhesion issues with the finish maybe? I don't know. I'm going to send full sized copies of these pictures to Warmoth and see what they have to say. Any way you slice it, it's not a fitting end to such a stellar neck.
Cagey
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Oh, man! That's too bad!
It does look like an adhesion issue. What kind of masking tape did you use? Not all masking tapes are created equal. Some are stickier than others. The blue "painters" stuff is usually what you want. Also, is that poly or nitro on there? Nitro can get softened by residual solvents in the glue.
Incidentally, that is a fine-looking piece of lumber. I never knew Mahogany could show up like that either, until I started seeing Warmoth examples from time to time.
It does look like an adhesion issue. What kind of masking tape did you use? Not all masking tapes are created equal. Some are stickier than others. The blue "painters" stuff is usually what you want. Also, is that poly or nitro on there? Nitro can get softened by residual solvents in the glue.
Incidentally, that is a fine-looking piece of lumber. I never knew Mahogany could show up like that either, until I started seeing Warmoth examples from time to time.
dmraco
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That is horrible. Same questions ad Cagey of course. Odd it sticked so well to the frets and not the wood.
I am guessing it may be the tape. I have seen some tapes play hell on nitro (is that is what it is). I think the adhesive had a reachtin with it.
If that is poly...I am thinking more of an adhesion issue.
I am guessing it may be the tape. I have seen some tapes play hell on nitro (is that is what it is). I think the adhesive had a reachtin with it.
If that is poly...I am thinking more of an adhesion issue.
Verne Bunsen
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Thanks for the sympathies. It's a real shame, I haven't seen too many necks that impressed me the way this one did and it just feels like a loss.
The tape I used is regular ol' blue 3M painter's masking tape. It's the same stuff, same roll even, that I've used on numerous bodies and necks, Warmoth and other. I've certainly never experienced anything like this with it. And it wasn't even on for very long, 45 minutes to an hour tops? About half of a Lars Larson podcast...
The finish is clear gloss, and as I understand it all of their gloss finishes are Poly? Beyond that I wouldn't know how to distinguish between the two. The spec sheet is not specific in that regard, stating only "Clear Gloss".
I sent those same pictures off to Warmoth with an e-mail saying what I did and what I experienced, not sure what to expect but I'll keep this updated.
Simply to indulge my own curiosity, not that any part of me is hoping-against-hope or anything, but is a repair of this kind of damage possible? I can't help but think this neck is worth saving if it's feasible....
The tape I used is regular ol' blue 3M painter's masking tape. It's the same stuff, same roll even, that I've used on numerous bodies and necks, Warmoth and other. I've certainly never experienced anything like this with it. And it wasn't even on for very long, 45 minutes to an hour tops? About half of a Lars Larson podcast...
The finish is clear gloss, and as I understand it all of their gloss finishes are Poly? Beyond that I wouldn't know how to distinguish between the two. The spec sheet is not specific in that regard, stating only "Clear Gloss".
I sent those same pictures off to Warmoth with an e-mail saying what I did and what I experienced, not sure what to expect but I'll keep this updated.
Simply to indulge my own curiosity, not that any part of me is hoping-against-hope or anything, but is a repair of this kind of damage possible? I can't help but think this neck is worth saving if it's feasible....
