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Post subject: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:45 am
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So I wanted a little play on my Number 2 strat plus deluxe today and got to thinking that it'll probably need a refret in the not to distant future as it's had a lot of use before I got hold of it. The frets are a lot flatter than my number one and I noticed that I could feel the fretboard a lot more when bending. The frets were crowned and polished before I got it by a luthier apparently but to be fair I've done a better job on my number one.

Anyhow this got me thinking, why do I prefer the feel of rosewood fret boards? I came to the conclusion that it's because they aren't lacquered. Ha, now this is something that I can improve on with my maple necked plus deluxe I thought.

1200 grit wet and dry in hand and an hour later and the back of the neck now feels like a satin finish more akin to my Telebration Lite-rosewood Tele and the newer American standards. The fret board, if not totally satin feeling (I did this with the strings still on but slackened and moved out the way) feels so much more fluid and doesn't stick to the tips of my fingers at all.

It was so much of a success that I also did my number one. I wouldn't suggest this if you aren't confident with sanding your pride and joy but for me it's improved both my 1989 Strat Plus Deluxe and it's probably lengthened the time till I need to refret my 1991 ash Plus Deluxe.

RESULT!

Sorry, the photos don't really show what I've done but at least there is some neck eye candy!

Image

Image

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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:49 am
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Report back in six months and let us know if the neck absorbed 5lbs of water and pretzeled.


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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:58 am
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I have a Strat Plus I bought for $165 and the previous owner took the finish off the back of the neck. I wouldn't do that to any of my guitars, but it does feel super smooth and fast. I really like it, just wouldn't want to screw up my other guitars by trying it.


Last edited by JasonSD on Sun Feb 16, 2014 10:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 10:20 am
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Maple doesn't have the oil retaining property of rosewood and ebony. The finish is on there for good reason. I expect that this neck will look like utter crap within a few months, with dark blotchy stains, and may even start to push up the frets as it absorbs humidity. Worse, you can't get rid of the finger stains either, cause they soak deep into the wood.

Here's an example of a used unfinished maple neck, not particularly old either:
Image


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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 10:24 am
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All fair points which is why I haven't gone totally through the finish on either :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 8:27 pm
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Yeah man, people hate it when maple necks get "damaged" and end up all "blotchy".....

*cough*
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If it feels good Sacha Plus Deluxe, play it, doesn't matter what it looks like :)

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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:22 pm
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Impulse7 wrote:
Yeah man, people hate it when maple necks get "damaged" and end up all "blotchy".....

*cough*

:wink: :wink:

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:06 pm
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SKcoppertele wrote:
I like the look of beat up maple. It says "yes, I plaid this guitar. It didn't sit in a case for months. I played it and sweat all over it and its mine"

That may be true, but it also whispers "ewww, I don't want to touch that".
It could deter others from touching your gear! : D


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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 11:41 am
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Sacha Plus Deluxe wrote:
All fair points which is why I haven't gone totally through the finish on either :wink:


So you're saying there's still a small layer of protection around the neck?

I've often thought about doing the same, but have ben hesitant.


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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 4:36 pm
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Yep I only used 1200 grit wet and dry and basically scuffed up the gloss finish to a satin feel on both the back and the fingerboard. The downside is if you look close on the the fingerboard you can see the sanding strokes and on on the back it's showing up a few dings which still have the gloss in them.

As they are both gigging guitars, for me at least, its a very small price to pay and I'm not really bothered about having pristine guitars, I'd rather use them and have them look that way.

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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 5:20 pm
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SKcoppertele wrote:
I like the look of beat up maple. It says "yes, I plaid this guitar " ...

Hmmm, now there is a thought. A plaid guitar!

Image

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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 7:51 pm
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Aye lad, but doncha think it's a wee bit lewd?

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:21 pm
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Hmmm I never plaid a plaid guitar. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:02 pm
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Sacha Plus Deluxe wrote:
Yep I only used 1200 grit wet and dry and basically scuffed up the gloss finish to a satin feel on both the back and the fingerboard. The downside is if you look close on the the fingerboard you can see the sanding strokes and on on the back it's showing up a few dings which still have the gloss in them.

As they are both gigging guitars, for me at least, its a very small price to pay and I'm not really bothered about having pristine guitars, I'd rather use them and have them look that way.

I've done the same thing with 2000 grit steel wool. The result was not quite satin but not nearly as glossy and the feel was much faster.

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Post subject: Re: Best mod I've done yet!
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2014 6:02 pm
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Well I thought I'd provide an update. After five or six gigs I don't really like the feel of my satinish fret board :(

I think it may be due to the frets being low (gonna need new ones soon) as my fingers have been sticking more than they did before with the glossy finger board. So back home tonight and a broken string has caused need for a restring so out with my auto glym polish and the fret board is back to a fairly glossy/shiny finish. Not as good as it was but like a glossy satin finish.

Image

Image

_________________
89+91 Strat+Dlx
MIM FSR Strat
LP Std
MIM Tele
Tele Lite-Rswd
MP Jag
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Dano U2
Charvel SDI Lacewood US
Tokai V
Hondo II LP Jnr
Martin 00028-EC
Hand-made 000 acoustic

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Fender Bls Dlx
Bugera V5
Orange Micro-terror


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