Is it okay to have an unfinished guitar neck?

Is it okay to have an unfinished guitar neck?

If your hands are dry while playing, both finished and unfinished necks should play just fine. If you like the look of an unfinished neck but have sweaty hands, I suggest you treat your unfinished neck with a clear sealer – this gives you the look but the wood is sealed off with a protective layer.

What is an unfinished fretboard?

In terms of guitars, unfinished simply means the wood hasn’t been painted/lacquered.

Should you finish a fretboard?

Unlike Rosewood and Ebony maple fretboards do require sealing. In most cases this is in the form of Nitrocellulose Lacquer. If your neck is maple along with your fretboard you can finish your neck and fretboard at the same time.

Can I leave guitar body unfinished?

Without the gloss or the satin finish, your guitar will not have a fresh look. An unfinished guitar may sound better but it can only serve you for a year or so. It gets easily dirty and damaged and hence left with no visual appeal.

Can you use lemon oil on unfinished maple fretboard?

Maple fretboards are a slightly different animal than darker woods like rosewood or ebony. Do NOT use any kind of lemon oil on your maple fretboard–regardless of whether the product contains actual lemon oil or not.

Do I need to seal a maple fretboard?

Maple. Unlike Rosewood and Ebony maple fretboards do require sealing. In most cases this is in the form of Nitrocellulose Lacquer. If your neck is maple along with your fretboard you can finish your neck and fretboard at the same time.

Do maple fretboards get dirty?

Cleaning maple fretboards are different depending on if they have a glossy or raw finish. Cleaning them the right way will remove dirt and grime from the frets as well as prolong the guitar’s life. Follow the instructions below which correspond to your maple fretboard’s finish type.

How do I know if my fretboard is finished or unfinished?

Finished would be like a Strat maple fretboard. It will have some sort of a hard, smooth coating (finish) to protect the wood. An unfinished fretboard would be a rosewood or ebony fretboard, something where the actual wood is exposed, with no coating (finish) on top of it.

Should you oil an ebony fretboard?

There are two primary finishes that a guitar fretboard will usually come in; varnished and unvarnished. Most maple fretboards will be varnished, whereas rosewood and ebony are typically raw, or unvarnished, wood. If your fretboard is varnished, then good news – you never need to worry about oiling your fretboard.

Do you lacquer a fretboard?

Traditionally, maple fret boards are lacquered while rosewood and ebony are left without lacquer. So if you like the feel of a maple fretboard, you can emulate that by applying lacquer to a rosewood board. If you choose to apply lacquer to the board, be careful.

Why is lemon oil bad for maple fretboards?

Pure, Full-Strength Lemon Oil Despite being an oil, pure lemon oil can cause drying of your fretboard and, with excessive or long-term use, can break down any adhesives that might be holding your frets or fretboard binding (if yours has it).

Is linseed oil good for guitar fretboards?

It’s safe. Use it only on the unfinished wood like the fretboard and bridge. The wood can dry out over time, and an oil like this, or linseed oil, or even mineral oil, can protect the wood and beautify it as well. Don’t overdo it.

What finish is best for a guitar neck?

High Gloss Finish is attractive and can be smooth for bending notes but can get tacky in humid conditions. Satin Finishes have more of a matte look and are considered “Faster” to play when changing hand position.