Varnishing a neck

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='steve-soar' post='861355' date='Jun 8 2010, 07:12 PM']I thought it was the whole neck he wanted refinishing. [/quote]
Akshuly reading it again, you're probably right. When he said "Do I just lay some masking tape over the frets?" I never considered that he meant masking off each individual fret. Best of luck with that like.

[Dave Vader]

If you want the lovely old amber look, Manchesterguitartech.co.uk does a premixed tinted nitro lacquer. Spray over the frets, it peels off fairly easily, or get a proper fret crowning file to whip it off with, should be fairly simple. Trick with spraying is to do very thin coats very often, rule of 3s etc. go to reranch and have a read of their forums, much good advice.

[henry norton]

[quote name='Marky L' post='861204' date='Jun 8 2010, 05:50 PM']Yeah, this is replacing a funsome "lively" neck and I don't want to end up cooking and twisting from too much hot sun.. but I do like the concept.

I was actually thinking of doing the fretboard too (*runs and hides) and was wondering about coating the frets with wax instead of little strips of masking tape prior to varnishing. I do have a very clear and disturbing image in my mind of me blubbing, holding a buggered neck and mumbling "Why the f**k did I even think about doing this..."[/quote]
It's not [i]that[/i] difficult - if the neck is set up and ready tp play then maybe masking the frets might be a possibility, but otherwise, you have to stone, re-crown, smooth, deburr and polish the frets anyway, which is a fair bit more work than smoothing and polishing the thin cellulose coating on a maple neck will need. Cellulose goes on really thin, so you may as well spray the whole neck, board and all and not worry about masking. This way you can polish the frets the same time you're polishing the face of the board.

[Marky L]

Yes, it is ALL of the neck I am thinking of.

I'm sort of getting the impression that after sanding down, which worries me a little, then just spray away (frets included) and then clean them down afterwards. I'm lurching between "ahh just get on an try it" and "uh oh, here's a hug rod for my back".

Thinking further, what does it actually matter if the frets get varnished too and I leave it? Would it drastically affect the sound and maybe feel? I guess after a playing for a while, the action of fretting a string would wear the varnish off the frets. Just thinking aloud (and hoping to be lazy...).

[Clarky]

[quote name='Marky L' post='861615' date='Jun 8 2010, 10:58 PM']Yes, it is ALL of the neck I am thinking of.

I'm sort of getting the impression that after sanding down, which worries me a little, then just spray away (frets included) and then clean them down afterwards. I'm lurching between "ahh just get on an try it" and "uh oh, here's a hug rod for my back".

Thinking further, what does it actually matter if the frets get varnished too and I leave it? Would it drastically affect the sound and maybe feel? I guess after a playing for a while, the action of fretting a string would wear the varnish off the frets. Just thinking aloud (and hoping to be lazy...).[/quote]
Hi Mark, I don't suppose you have a great local luthier/guitar repair shop who will do it for £20-30? I'm afraid that what I would resort to as I would be too cowardly

PS, did you manage to get the action just right?

[steve-soar]

[quote name='Clarky' post='861620' date='Jun 8 2010, 11:02 PM']Hi Mark, I don't suppose you have a great local luthier/guitar repair shop who will do it for £20-30? I'm afraid that what I would resort to as I would be too cowardly

PS, did you manage to get the action just right?[/quote]Err, how's £150-200 grab ya apples?

[Marky L]

Hey Clarky, yup I'm happy with the action and it's an easy enough neck to get on with too. I'm wondering if I need to stick a shim under it as the E string saddle is right down as low it'll go and the G is pretty low too.

I'm thinking that a luthier is going to charge more than it's worth TBH which is why I fancied giving it a shot but I'm a bit cowardly too. I'm happy to learn stuff but need to be shown really, that seems to be the way I learn things best.