finishing a maple neck

[bar0065]

what should i finish a maple neck with preferably a lacquer

[Trevor Davies]

Are you meaning the maple fretboard, or the neck and headstock, or both?

Actually, it may not matter! I think most folks here use the same top coat material for the neck and the maple fretboard. I have only ever used Tru-oil on the maple fretboards, but I'm about to try w/b poly on my next build. But the rosewood fretboards are oiled (I usually use lemon oil).

[bar0065]

i am meaning both and am thinking about a lacquer or varnish of some kind

[fender3x]

I use shellac for color and sealing, then 6-10 coats of General Finishes High Performance top coat (satin finish) both applied with a brush. That makes me pretty much of an anomaly here ;-) I have never use lacquer or varnish.

[McCreed]

I use shellac for color and sealing, then 6-10 coats of General Finishes High Performance top coat (satin finish) both applied with a brush. That makes me pretty much of an anomaly here ;-) I have never use lacquer or varnish.

The General Finishes is a polyurethane, so technically it is a varnish. Varnish is not really a product unto itself. It's a catch all term that can be applied to any clear protective top coat. That includes drying oils, polyurethane, even shellac.

But anyway...
The cheeky answer to the OP's question is "whatever you want". It's mostly personal preference. Different top coats provide different results, so it depends on what you want to achieve. Some prefer a gloss, others satin (I'm in the satin camp). IMO gloss polyurethane feels different than gloss lacquer (ftr I have not tried any satin lacquer).

Another consideration is your work space. If you don't have facilities to do spraying, then you may be limited to hand applied finishes like wipe-on poly, Tru Oil or Tung Oil. TTBOMK there are no lacquers (acrylic or nitrocellulose) that can be applied without spraying by either rattle can or gun.

I would say that the majority of DIY'ers here use oil based or water based poly, or Tru Oil which actually has polyurethane as one of it's ingredients.

So I haven't really provide a definitive answer, but hopefully some information that might help you get there

[fender3x]

Perhaps not a definitive answer, but useful clarification nonetheless. I sort of assumed there since some products call them selves varnish and some don't, not unlike lacquers, there might be something called "true" varnish like there is something called "true lacquer." It seems that the definition of varnish, however is even broader.

I think what may be most useful is for people to say the actual commercial name of the product they use and the application technique. I think of myself as pretty much of a noob at this, and that would be most helpful to me. Every approach seems to have up and downsides. Mine doesn't take much space or equipment, and is relatively free of harmful chemicals that one might breath or touch. On the other hand, it takes more than a month to cure before I can sand, and requires a ton of sanding as downsides. Upside is that it works in the crazy hot and humid climate of South Florida. Downside...did I mention all the sanding?

[Rabbit]

Perhaps not a definitive answer, but useful clarification nonetheless. I sort of assumed there since some products call them selves varnish and some don't, not unlike lacquers, there might be something called "true" varnish like there is something called "true lacquer." It seems that the definition of varnish, however is even broader.

the highline guitar guy posted a rant some time ago on his youtube channel about the definition of varnish.

In the end the choice of finish realy comes down to preference and capability. I'd prefer to use a matt or satin 2k automotive clear, but after the move that is no longer an option.

[McCreed]

the highline guitar guy posted a rant some time ago on his youtube channel about the definition of varnish.

In the end the choice of finish realy comes down to preference and capability. I'd prefer to use a matt or satin 2k automotive clear, but after the move that is no longer an option.

I reckon that guy would have a lot of things to rant about! I'm not a fan of his channel. To each his own...

I hear you about post-move. I no longer have a big detached shed and now have a much smaller workspace. I can still spray but it's not ideal, especially high VOC stuff. I've recently tried water based poly, which very low VOC, but I'm still tossing up whether I like the way it finishes. Definitely different than oil based poly.

[LouiDee]

For the back of a neck i like to sand it down to a very high grit like 1200 , and leave it without a finish
But i was wondering
Has anyone used LINSEED OIL before?
On a MAPLE FRETBOARD
Would that be ok for the fretboard also ?
Asking because i have some.linseed oil and can use it if its appropriate

[McCreed]

1. It is not recommended to leave the neck unfinished. Part of the job of the finish is that it minimises the effect of environmental conditions (ie: humidity) which will cause movement in the timber. For example the neck relief or even worse twisting.
Another downside to leaving the neck unfinished is it will get grungy from sweat and body oil and will not only look dirty but will eventually feel sticky and grabby. At least with even a thin finish, it won't absorb the sweat & oil and can be cleaned.

2. re: Linseed Oil, IF you use it (I wouldn't) it needs to be BOILED linseed oil, not RAW. I have seen too many people end up with a sticky mess of a neck. I know the aforementioned Highline Guitars guy uses it, I've seen results IRL that make me avoid it like the plague. It also takes a long time to cure.

If you want a "natural" neck on the back, my general advice would be to apply at least a thin finish with something like Tru Oil, polyurethane or similar to the back of the neck and go a bit heavier on the fretboard.