War Strat Neck Finishing.

[strat.tenor]

Close to buying a Strat replacement neck.  In my mind, I'm planning on finishing it myself.  It's gonna be a classic solid maple neck.  I'm a golfer also and I've refinished two "wood" woods and used a product call "SPAR", which supposedly is the same sealant that they put on the hulls of wooden boats.  Anyone familiar with this?  Pros/cons of using it on a guitar neck?  I'm going for the satin/no gloss finish.

I'm also planning on taking QTips with alcohol and brushing them past the frets after each coat.  Just the top of the frets, don't care at all about the sides.  Any thoughts on this I would appreciate.

TIA.

 

[tfarny]

I don't get the second one - you're going to finish the frets with spar urethane? or coat them with alcohol? Neither plan makes any sense at all to me. But welcome!

 

[strat.tenor]

I don't get the second one - you're going to finish the frets with spar urethane? or coat them with alcohol? ...

The SPAR I plan on using is a spray application.  I will suspend the neck, spray both sides, and then after each coat, while the coat is still easily dissolveable,  I will use alcohol to remove the SPAR from the tops of the frets.  The best, hand rubbed oil finishes don't have a finish on the fret.  So I thought I would do my best to keep the frets free of it.  Is there an advantage to having the frets covered with multiple layers of sealant?

 

[big bob]

I would wait until the neck is finished, then remove the coat on the frets. spar varnish is probably not what you want to use. why not use tru-oil or lacquer? they both come in a spray.

 

[strat.tenor]

... spar varnish is probably not what you want to use. why not use tru-oil or lacquer? they both come in a spray.

I figure SPAR is a more durable, longer lasting finish.  I figure if you sat a guitar neck in salt water for a month it's integrity wouldn't survive it.  But these wooden hulls do ... often for more than one season.  If I'm going to go through the mechanical steps of spraying/finishing, why not use the longest lasting sealant?  (this is my theory)

 

[tfarny]

My suggestion is you go the tried and true way. If you coat a guitar neck with very heavy paint you might not like the resulting looks or feel. I would save the boat painting methods for the boats. I'm just saying that the priorities are rather different - most people like a thin, smooth finish on a guitar neck that is even and nice looking, and they're not concerned about whether or not the neck can survive for months submerged in cold brine.
For a good looking, simple, effective finish I would recommend Deft Nitro lacquer available in spray cans at home depot. Follow instructions on this site, and clean off the frets only once the lacquer has hardened. Nitro lacquer is the preferred finish of just about every high end custom guitar maker and for a good reason, it looks and feels great.
Tung oil finishes are another very nice and well-regarded way to finish a neck, though maybe less durable than lacquer and harder to apply.

 

[blue313]

Like Bob is saying, Spar is a varnish.  It's tough but not as tough as a poly finish.  Some poly finishes can even resist non-aircraft grade chemical stripper.

I guess the question is do you want the most durable period, or durable for a guitar?  I think these guys are pointing you in a better direction, instrument wise.

 

[big bob]

it's not about tough for me. It's about feel. I love the feel of lacquer, I'm coming around to the raw feel of tru-oil. Spar varnish would feel slow and sticky. well like a boat hull, however that said all waxed up it might feel silky smooth. If you do go for the spar we will def. need pics and a tone report. either way good luck and keep us posted.  :headbang:

 

[stubhead]

I figure if you sat a guitar neck in salt water for a month it's integrity wouldn't survive it.

And if you tried to play a boat, it'd sound really, really weird.... :hello2:


(ah jes kint hep mysef)

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

There's always the boatneck.....

Just kidding.

I've used Spar varnish to protect wooden doors and trim on a house right on the beach in New England.  It is a very thick gloopy coating.  It worked great on the house, but I wouldn't want that sort of feel on my neck.  I prefer less drag on my hand, and a natural wood feel.  The spar varnish just is too sticky and thick for my tastes.  Plus, I've never read about it being used in instrument finishing (an art that dates back hundreds of years).

I understand your desire to make your build the best or strongest possible--after all, you're building it yourself for yourself.  Why spare any expense?  It may well be that spar varnish is a great finish for a guitar neck, but the general opinion is that there are better choices. 

A regular lacquer or poly finish is plenty strong for the abuse most guitars receive.

 

[Gerry Blue]

I hear you about the frets, I cut small strips of masking tape and place them over the frets, this protects them , especially tops and most of the sides, saves you from removing all the lacquer, especially if you have already leveled, crowned and polished them. Right now I'm spraying one myself with Matte Can Lacquer (pic). I let it dry, sand, repeat twice, let it cure and sand it with 600 to even it, it gives a fast and comfortable sating finish, Ive read though wthat with time all satin finishes (unless oil or somehting) can get some gloss from friction of playing. It has happened to me, then I take out my 3M 600 grit, give it another light pass, just to kill the gloss. This is like every 6 months or something.

regards  :guitaristgif: