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Thread: My neck's too clean

  1. #1
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    My neck's too clean

    Morning all. I've just bought my first bass, a Squier vintage modified Jazz, sunburst, and I'm having far too much fun on it (who knew 4 strings were so cool )

    My question is purely cosmetic: it has a rosewood f/b on a maple neck, and the maple is too light for my liking. Does anybody have any suggestions for tinting it a bit darker?

    Thanks in advance,

    Tim
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  2. #2
    Forum Member melody's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Morning Tim, Brown shoe polish works good.. The more you put on the darker it will become..

    http://www.shoecaresupplies.com/Shoe...FeuPPAod4GgA3Q

  3. #3
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Yep, brown shoe polish. I usually put some on, rub it in, the buff off the excess. Doing a couple light coats allows you to get it to the tint you like. Have fun and RAWK ON!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  4. #4
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Thanks guys.

    Should I seal it afterwards? (I'm wondering if it will come off on my left hand when I'm playing)
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  5. #5
    Forum Member melody's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    No need to seal it up it will not rub off....

  6. #6
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    That's why I said to buff off the extra, then you're golden!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  7. #7
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Thanks again guys, I'll give it a go and report back
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  8. #8
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Any news Timbo? I'm excited to see the results.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  9. #9
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Chuck, I got to thinking, and what I thought was "THINK BIG"

    So what I've decided is that as well as tinting the neck, I'm also going to sand off the old headstock decal and put on this masterpiece:



    Never done anything like this before, definitely overreached myself on this one, god knows what will happen
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  10. #10
    Forum Member jeru's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    I love it. That's great.

    BTW -- pics or it didn't happen.

  11. #11
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Oh wow, now that's gonna be uberkool!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  12. #12
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Hmm, apparently the decal idea complicates things a bit. I was just going to sand off the old decal, do the kiwi and then put on the new decal, but evidently I can't put the decal on wax/polish, has to be on lacquer. And I can't put lacquer on the kiwi, 'cos it'll fall off or something, so...

    I'll sand off the old decal, spray on some lacquer that I've ordered, put on the new decal, spray on some more lacquer, and then kiwi the whole lot and see what happens.

    That's if I can stop playing it for 5 minutes of course. Think I might be a closet bass player
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  13. #13
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Oh no! You've reached the slippery slope!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  14. #14
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Photos are wanted. Before then after. Looking forward to seeing it.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  15. #15
    ZoneFiend photoweborama's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    I've heard that if you take less showers, your neck will become darker, but you will also stink!
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  16. #16
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean



    Here's a before, I'll do an after...er...after

    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  17. #17
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Just put the decal on:



    I have to leave it 24 hrs to dry properly, then shoot some clear (listen to me sounding as if I know what I'm doing!), then kiwi it.

    So far, so good
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  18. #18
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    I found Kiwi brown to look a little pink-ish on some things. The tan has more of an amber hue.

    My Strat's neck was a little pale so I sprayed it Fender Neck Amber from ReRanch and put a couple of coats of clear over it.

    ReRanch Fender Neck Amber

    Before-


    After (sorry for the difference in lighting)-
    Last edited by Don; 11-24-2012 at 10:46 AM.

  19. #19
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Don, that looks stunning. If I can get anywhere near looking that good I'll be happy.

    Unfortunately, Reranch isn't available in the UK, and to be honest I am trying to keep this as simple as possible. I looked at tinted lacquer etc., but I got a bit confused by it all (doesn't take much), whereas I reckon I can handle shoe polish.

    I tried some brown kiwi on some scrap, and agree: it looked a bit too red for me. I'm getting some mid-tan and light-tan and see what they look like. I like the feel of the kiwi, the jazz neck is very matt, hopefully the kiwi may add some "slip"
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  20. #20
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    That looks cool Timbo!
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  21. #21
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Well, the good news is that the decal is on, lacquered, buffed etc:



    The not so good news is that I can't get the Kiwi to tint the neck. I took the neck off and tested the back of the neck that lies in the pocket (so that if it didn't look right, it wouldn't matter). I've left the polish on for up to 30 minutes, but as soon as I buff it out, it all comes off.

    Wonder if I've got a Kiwi-proof finish? Looks like I may have to use tinted lacquer after all...
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  22. #22
    Forum Member buckaroo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    sand down the orig laquer....put on the shoe polish...let it dry then sand it lightly. then spray the laquer and very very lightly sand that. You will then have lightly sanded laquer with shoe polish "sealed underneath".

    ALT....sand off the original laquer, then apply shoe polish. WIPE the polish. Then apply mineral oil to seal.

    A real OLD timer guitar repairman around my parts claims that a lot of the old Fender necks we see today, that are so worn looking, are that way because guys sanded them down when they were new. Just like today's players do. They were too sticky! He claims that they just oiled them a bit, if at all, after sanding and then grime just got in there over time to make them dark. I believe him.

    In the old days, there wasn't as much of a concern about looks as there was reducing the friction of the maple.

  23. #23
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Thanks Buckaroo. None of the info I've found online suggests I have to sand the neck first, but it's not sticking to my neck so what you say makes sense. Mebbe it's a different type of finish on my neck to what others have found.
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  24. #24
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    That decal looks great! Wish I had some advice for the finish, but I don't, sorry.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  25. #25
    Forum Member Timbo's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    Thanks Chuck. My typical arse about face way of doing things: I start off tinting the neck, and end up with a new decal. Now it's put back together, so I'm going to play it for a while (it's a new toy remember!), then have another go.
    'Alton Towers - Where the magic never ends', or so the commercial says. Imagine my disappointment when it closed at 7.30

  26. #26
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: My neck's too clean

    I do THE SAME THING quite a bit! Instead of just enjoying my new toy, I decide.it's not "good" enough. I then dismantle it and drop too much money buying parts to "fix" it... When in reality I should just enjoy my new toy and have fun with it. But no, I have to be a and render my new toy useless for awhile.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

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