What is the best finish for guitar necks? I have used  a number of coats water bases varnish but it gets dirty/ sticky, what do you use/ recommend?

Regards David

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Vegetable oil and elbow grease :)

I'm a believer in Tru-Oil, it's a great finish and wears well. Also easily applied. Small bottles available at sporting goods.

I've had good results with Deft satin finish lacquer ( dries very hard) and also Tung oil both need to be either sanded or steel wooled (1000 grit or 000) when finished.  

a couple of coats of danish oil, sanded down and finish with 2 coats of tru oil.

The reason is slightly financial in that the base coat danish oil is cheap, the tru oil isn`t so cheap but it has the best finish.

My super-quick Danish Oil method, after sanding to 320 grit and thoroughly removing dust with white spirit:

(Most likely not the most durable finish, but it looks good and is nice and smooth)

1. Liberally apply Danish Oil with a lint free cloth, continuously for 5 minutes until the wood stays looking wet

2. Return after 20 mins and re-apply

3. Return after 20 mins and re-apply (not much should be soaking in now)

4. Return after 20 mins and wipe all excess oil off with a clean lint free cloth (tee shirts rags work well)

5. Return after 1 hour and buff with a lint free cloth

6. Repeat step 5

7. Leave to cure for 48 hours. After this time you can rub down with 0000 grade steel wool to remove nibs/smooth over pores, but as long as your prep sanding was thorough enough I have never found this necessary.

8. Wax polish and vigourous buffing - the finish should now be lovely and smooth, with a low lustre shine.

Hope this helps!

Dont really make no never mind. I have used brush on paint, spray paint, stain, and a bare surface. Depends on the look you want, the color and or finish of the body, color coordination and how much work you want to put into it.

I spray thin layers of clear lacquer on mine, great results every time.  Always brings out the colour of the wood.

...agreed, don't use water based varnish on oak it will literally bring the grain out - spray lacquers work fine and dry very quickly (-: 

I am using three coats of high gloss eurathane mixed half with mineral spirits. I sand down to 320 first. Each coat dries over night prior,to resanding.

Thinning it out gives even thin coats. It is not as hard as laquor,,but it is tough, resistant to scratching. It does get harder over time. You really can't buff it like laquor. Maybe you could after a year.

Sometimes I put just a sheen of mineral oul on over it. It seems to take away any plastic feel.

I've tried oil but tend to prefer satin poly (thinned by adding 10-20% white spirit).  I sand each coat down with 400 grade then finish off with 800 then 3200 grade micromesh cloth.

Danish oil is my favorite.

I'm with Gary. I use Tru-Oil. I figure if it's tough enough for a rifle stock, it's good enough for my guitar neck. Goes on easy and makes the wood just glow.

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