Un-sticky Maple finishes

[fdesalvo]

Hey, guys.

I just bought an all maple neck and am looking into finishing options.  I'm after a powdery feel on the fretboard - maybe not possible, but I'm spoiled by the ebony board on my other strat!  from the research it looks like the two choices are tung oil or tru-oil.  What say you guys?  I understand that both don't hold up well on the fretboard and require periodic maintenance, but I can't stand the sticky gloss on my buddies Am Dlx strat.  What should I be looking at?

Thanks!

 

[AutoBat]

tung oil isn't a hard finish, and will not satisfy your warranty
tru oil IS a hard finish.

 

[fdesalvo]

Yea, I'm not concerned with the warranty, really.  Just searching for a non-grabby finish.  Thanks, bro.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Multiple coats of Tru-oil with the occasional steel wool and steel wool after final coat.  It won't even feel like it has a finish.

 

[Steve_Karl]

Behlens Master-Gel is nice.
I've got it on the maple ( back ) of my maple / ebony neck. It's never grabby.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=11909.0

My 1981 G&L F-100 has a maple/maple and came with a very hard thick gloss on it. I scraped off the finish on the fretboard about 3 yrs. after getting the guitar because it was always grabby.

 

[Steve_Karl]

Multiple coats of Tru-oil with the occasional steel wool and steel wool after final coat.  It won't even feel like it has a finish.

And you could make it easier and cleaner ( no more metal particles sticking to everything ) by using scotch brite pads instead of steel wool.
http://www.sightsea.com/renders/scotch-brite_grit.pdf

I always have a sheet or two of light gray and white.
Light gray is the same grit as 1000 steel wool and white is even finer.

 

[Paul-less]

Multiple coats of Tru-oil with the occasional steel wool and steel wool after final coat.  It won't even feel like it has a finish.

And you could make it easier and cleaner ( no more metal particles sticking to everything ) by using scotch brite pads instead of steel wool.
http://www.sightsea.com/renders/scotch-brite_grit.pdf

I always have a sheet or two of light gray and white.
Light gray is the same grit as 1000 steel wool and white is even finer.

+1 for the great suggestion. Tru-Oil FTW. I have it on all my necks, and I haven't looked back a day in my life.

 

[fdesalvo]

Tru-oil definitely looks like the winner.