Coming along nicely!
- low life -
Was at Guitar Repair of Tampa Bay yesterday to check on the progress of my bass Mick is making for me. He showed me the neck and had me check it out if it was to my liking. Love that it is having 22 frets. A little still needs to be taken off the G string side to be perfect for me. I have to say it is pure art. He shapes the entire neck by hand using files and sanding. The picture does the Mother of Pearl inlays no justice at all. I love that he is able to incorporate the multi colors and small knots into the fretboard. He still has to brand the logo into the head (instead of a decal) The head will be shot with nitro and the neck hand rubbed with gun stock oil.
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Sweet looking neck! I love the grain pattern. Just curious, but what does "shot with nitro" mean? I keep meaning to go by GRTB, but have been very busy laying around the house. I need to take them a guitar of mine that needs improving.
Nitro is nitrocellulose it is a lacquer based finish as opposed to a polyurethane or polyester finish which is used on a lot of the newer instruments.
Ahhh, I see. I have heard of the nitrocellulose finish. Which type of finish is better?
I would say it is personal preference. Some like nitro for the old style look and feel. Some like poly because it is almost indestructible. The poly coats tend to be thicker and impervious to anything once cured. Some say it takes away from the tone of the instrument because it seals it so well like encased in plastic. It does not age like a nitro finished instrument. I don't like the way a neck feels when finished with it. The nitro necks wear and tend to get faster. I actual prefer a oiled neck.
Thanks for the info Harleyman. I really need to improve my knowledge of finishes and how to care for them. I would imagine that most of my guitars are poly coated since they are all newer instruments. I think I know what you mean about the poly finished necks. If my hands are not cool and completely dry, I get a lot of "sticktion" on the neck. I have a couple of guitars with "satin finish" necks and they are always nice and smooth and slippery. Is satin finish bare wood that needs to be oiled occasionally? I recently obtained a guitar that has a tung oil finish. That is another finish I know nothing about. How often do you need to apply fresh tung oil on that type of finish?
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