I just sanded the back of my neck down.

yossarian_lives · 06-21-2008, 07:33 AM

Hey all you crazy kids.

So, I played an Epi ultra in a shop the other day - awesome guitar, but what I really liked about it was that matte finish on the back of the neck. My Epi standard has a really glossy finish on the back of the neck that's almost sticky. So, I decided to take some sandpaper to it. Didn't take long at all - just ten minutes with three different grades of paper and a few minutes with a buffing cloth and I now have a lovely matte satin-type finish on the back of my neck. Just thought I'd put this up here in case anyone else is thinking of doing the same.

Eggy · 06-21-2008, 07:53 AM

I've done it to all of my guitars. It's a simple "do it once" mod that cures the problem forever.

Kølabrennern · 06-21-2008, 10:08 AM

And which grades of paper are preferred? I'll probably do this to my Lesser.

Knarbens · 06-21-2008, 10:23 AM

Wow! Good Idea. I want to see how it looks!

hbucker · 06-21-2008, 10:28 AM

FWIW: After you play it for a while your hands will smooth it out and you'll have a gloss neck again. Can't knock you for trying though.

Adwex · 06-21-2008, 10:39 AM

I've used 0000 steel wool a few times on my neck.

yossarian_lives · 06-21-2008, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kølabrennern

And which grades of paper are preferred? I'll probably do this to my Lesser.

I used 40, 80 and 100.

yossarian_lives · 06-21-2008, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hbucker

FWIW: After you play it for a while your hands will smooth it out and you'll have a gloss neck again. Can't knock you for trying though.

Oh really? Yeah - I didn't think about that! So, for a permanent solution I'd either have to go down to the wood and leave it unfinished, or put on some kind of matte/satin finish, is that right?

yossarian_lives · 06-21-2008, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knarbens

Wow! Good Idea. I want to see how it looks!

I'll get some pics up when I can....

Eggy · 06-21-2008, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hbucker

FWIW: After you play it for a while your hands will smooth it out and you'll have a gloss neck again. Can't knock you for trying though.

Nope.

I've never found that to be true.

Dino · 06-21-2008, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yossarian_lives

I used 40, 80 and 100.

Holy crap!

jkinnison90 · 06-21-2008, 01:00 PM

Good idea. The neck on my Epiphone isn't very sticky.

kspeed · 06-21-2008, 01:16 PM

For those that don't want to alter the finish, you can always spray on a little guitar polish and whipe it down before you play.

hbucker · 06-21-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eggy

Nope.

I've never found that to be true.

Interesting. I've always found it to be true.

Could have something to do with skin and oils and the individual I suppose. IMO the only way to get that permanent matt finish is to go down to wood and oil it. Even spraying a matt finish will polish over time for me.

I have an acoustic that I bought partially because I liked the matt finish. Within a year it was as glossy as if I'd bought it that way. Every matt finish I've ever played has polished with time.

Obviously, your results may vary. But mine have not.

Guitars-N-Hemi's · 06-23-2008, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yossarian_lives

I used 40, 80 and 100.

I would not suggest 40,80,100 grit those are very course grits. I don't think I would use any thing below 400 grit to start. Perhaps sand paper is graded different where Yossarian lives. But here in the U.S. those grits will chew up your neck in a hurry.

Dino · 06-23-2008, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guitars-N-Hemi's

I would not suggest 40,80,100 grit those are very course grits. I don't think I would use any thing below 400 grit to start. Perhaps sand paper is graded different where Yossarian lives. But here in the U.S. those grits will chew up your neck in a hurry.

Thanks for posting this.
I was hoping most would have gotten the message from my earlier post ... "Holy crap!

" but I guess I should have elaborated.

yossarian_lives · 06-23-2008, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guitars-N-Hemi's

I would not suggest 40,80,100 grit those are very course grits. I don't think I would use any thing below 400 grit to start. Perhaps sand paper is graded different where Yossarian lives. But here in the U.S. those grits will chew up your neck in a hurry.

I'm in the UK, so, yeah, maybe the gradings are different. *shrug* Seemed to come up nice the way I did it anyway! I did spend quite a while with a buffing cloth afterwards as well.

jon_c · 06-23-2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guitars-N-Hemi's

I would not suggest 40,80,100 grit those are very course grits. I don't think I would use any thing below 400 grit to start. Perhaps sand paper is graded different where Yossarian lives. But here in the U.S. those grits will chew up your neck in a hurry.

I think they'll probably be the same. I'm in the UK and worked as a joiner for the past 14 years so I'm quite versed with sand paper. In my work, the majority of the time I plane the timber, then use 80 grit and then 120. On occasion I'll use 50 grit which is very coarse. I cant imagine any of those being used on a guitar without cringing but I'm a wuss

dwagar · 06-23-2008, 07:05 PM

I would think a 40 grit would put such heavy scratches in it'd be hard to get them out. Use finer paper, it takes a bit longer but it's much safer.

jon_c · 06-23-2008, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwagar

I would think a 40 grit would put such heavy scratches in it'd be hard to get them out. Use finer paper, it takes a bit longer but it's much safer.

Sound advice.

I used 50 grit paper on a random orbital sander (that produces a finer finish than by hand) on a baulk of timber to remove the circular saw teeth marks and it looked like a bear had scraped its arese on it

That was ok as it was being used a ceiling beam so the 'rustic' effect was fne

Dino · 06-23-2008, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon_c

Sound advice.

I used 50 grit paper on a random orbital sander (that produces a finer finish than by hand) on a baulk of timber to remove the circular saw teeth marks and it looked like a bear had scraped its arese on it

That was ok as it was being used a ceiling beam so the 'rustic' effect was fne

LMAO!

wantsa58 · 06-23-2008, 10:50 PM

40, 80 and 100 grit!!! Yeah, you do that lol. I actually stripped my neck so i have no paint on it hardly at all.. a little here and there around the binding and where the body meets the neck. After i stripped it i sanded it with fine grit sandpaper (320, 400, 600) till it was smooth as hell... took about 4 hours to get it done.

I actually did it because my friend knocked over the guitar and it got 2 "dings" in the neck. The finish had cracked so i just got rid of it.. to bad those dings are still there, but not as noticeable and honestly doesn't bother me a bit.

If i had a camera around here id post some pics up.

wantsa58 · 06-23-2008, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eggy

Nope.

I've never found that to be true.

well it is, find an old gothic les paul and feel its neck, chances are that finish has glossed over.. it takes a long time though.

InTheEvening · 06-24-2008, 12:05 AM

I should try it.

LesPaul · 06-24-2008, 01:15 AM

I made a few mods to my Epiphone Les Paul Special Model, Now it actually really plays well, I added a new bridge pickup (Dimarzio Virtual Hot Paf), I Added a Push-Pull to my tone knob to go from humbucker to single coil, I also put on some new speed knobs, made a custom pickguard from a Gibson Les Paul pickguard, also changed my pickup rings along with the creme color "three way switch". I just love it, hope all you guys have as much fun as me playin'.

Benniator · 06-24-2008, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LesPaul

...

It took over a YEAR for someone to register "LesPaul" as a username on this forum? SERIOUSLY?

06-21-2008, 07:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
yossarian_lives Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 22 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I just sanded the back of my neck down. Hey all you crazy kids. So, I played an Epi ultra in a shop the other day - awesome guitar, but what I really liked about it was that matte finish on the back of the neck. My Epi standard has a really glossy finish on the back of the neck that's almost sticky. So, I decided to take some sandpaper to it. Didn't take long at all - just ten minutes with three different grades of paper and a few minutes with a buffing cloth and I now have a lovely matte satin-type finish on the back of my neck. Just thought I'd put this up here in case anyone else is thinking of doing the same.

06-21-2008, 07:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
Eggy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cumbria UK Posts: 439 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. I've done it to all of my guitars. It's a simple "do it once" mod that cures the problem forever. __________________ My videos - http://uk.youtube.com/profile?user=Eggy777

06-21-2008, 10:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
Kølabrennern Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Norway Posts: 474 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. And which grades of paper are preferred? I'll probably do this to my Lesser. __________________ Couple of my bands: Myrkgrav - Folk metal. Quadrivium - Avant-garde symphonic metal.

06-21-2008, 10:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
Knarbens Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 595 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 1 Post	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. Wow! Good Idea. I want to see how it looks! __________________ Sorry for my bad english! 1992 Orville Les Paul Standard Plaintop HCS

06-21-2008, 10:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
hbucker Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 819 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. FWIW: After you play it for a while your hands will smooth it out and you'll have a gloss neck again. Can't knock you for trying though. __________________

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06-21-2008, 10:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
Adwex V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 530 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. I've used 0000 steel wool a few times on my neck. __________________ www.myspace.com/rockerlivemusic

06-21-2008, 01:00 PM	#12 (permalink)
jkinnison90 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nelsonville, Ohio Posts: 1,378 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. Good idea. The neck on my Epiphone isn't very sticky. __________________ 2003 Epiphone Les Paul Standard - Heritage Cherry Sunburst

06-21-2008, 01:16 PM	#13 (permalink)
kspeed Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 554 Thanks: 5 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. For those that don't want to alter the finish, you can always spray on a little guitar polish and whipe it down before you play.

06-23-2008, 07:05 PM	#19 (permalink)
dwagar V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 2,592 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. I would think a 40 grit would put such heavy scratches in it'd be hard to get them out. Use finer paper, it takes a bit longer but it's much safer. __________________ ------------ Don my favorite toys (one wants to be a '59, the other is a '59):

06-23-2008, 10:50 PM	#22 (permalink)
wantsa58 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 500 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. 40, 80 and 100 grit!!! Yeah, you do that lol. I actually stripped my neck so i have no paint on it hardly at all.. a little here and there around the binding and where the body meets the neck. After i stripped it i sanded it with fine grit sandpaper (320, 400, 600) till it was smooth as hell... took about 4 hours to get it done. I actually did it because my friend knocked over the guitar and it got 2 "dings" in the neck. The finish had cracked so i just got rid of it.. to bad those dings are still there, but not as noticeable and honestly doesn't bother me a bit. If i had a camera around here id post some pics up. __________________ Heritage Cherry Sunburst Epi Les Paul Standard Vintage Dimarzio Super Distortion pups 50's style wiring harness from Jonesy "MLP's Official Thread Pirate Plunderer" MLP Thread Pirates

06-24-2008, 12:05 AM	#24 (permalink)
InTheEvening Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: On the moon Posts: 195 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: I just sanded the back of my neck down. I should try it. __________________