Makers Mark and a pocketknife? Why waste good bourbon ruining a good guitar?

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´75 Emmons p/p D10 8+4, '96 Emmons Legrande II D10 8+5, ca '72 AWH Custom D10 8+3, Peavey Nashville 1000

Myself, I don't recommend taking it down to the bare wood. The problem with some of these new guitars is that the finish is so thick. But I don't like the absolute bare wood. Just a barely-there thin finish.

I'm pretty certain we can get it off..

t

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 12 April 2006 at 03:56 AM.]

Of course anything you do will void the warranty, but who wants to play a guitar that feels nasty to you? If you do go naked and it warps, you can always get another good neck for $160 or so. I would vote with the guys who advocate de-glazing or satinizing the gloss finish that's already on there (or glossing the satin finish, depending on what you don't like), personally I would just work it over with 600 grit wet/dry emory paper and see how that felt. You'd have to make sure to do a consistent, light, overall job, maybe even by taping off consecutive areas, counting strokes, and using something like a piece of a mouse pad as a sanding "block."

[This message was edited by David Mason on 12 April 2006 at 04:10 AM.]

I would take the JD neck off the body, store it away and not mess with it in the event you want to return the JD it to its factory freshness.

Distroying the JD neck could cost more in decreasing the future value of your JD than the cost of buying a replacement neck.

My 2cents...
Good luck in your decision...

Just to be clear, is it:
a) a glossy shiny type of finish,
or
b) a more natural unfinished kind of finish?

Its kinda funny how a decal on the headstock can make a regular guitar worth even more.
I can remember a time when we didn't think pre-CBS Tele's and Strat's were not worth much and many people re-painted, routed and did all kinds of other things to these guitars.

Now a pre 1960 Strat is over $25,000 and 50's Teles are reaching way past that depending on condition.

Get a spray can of SANDING SEALER and spray a few light coats on the back of the neck, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next coat. I repaired guitars professionally for several years, and I found this to be the cheapest and best method to get a "fast" neck. The sanding sealer will have a satin finish, but will allow your hand to slide easily. If you want it to be even less sticky, after the sanding sealer is thoroughly dry take very fine steel wool (8 zeros) and rub it lightly in the direction of the length of the neck.

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[This message was edited by Roy Ayres on 12 April 2006 at 04:08 PM.]

I have used Scotch sanding pads on one of my Strats. I think they're 150 and 320 grit. Go lightly whatever you use and check it as you go. You can also use some tape at the headstock and at the neck heel to make the scuffing more of a straight line and look more defined and "professional" if you want. (I guess a well worn and played vintage guitar isn't though, so do what you like.) Also, I don't think that you need to take the neck off of the guitar to do this. I know I didn't.