How to Oil and Wax your Guitar Neck

Музыка

Hey y'all! This is how to do an oil and wax treatment on unfinished guitar necks, just like Ernie Ball Music Man do at the factory. Enjoy!
CHAPTERS...
00:00 Intro
01:18 What is Gunstock oil and wax?
02:54 Taping the Headstock
04:50 The Sandpaper I use and how
06:10 Sanding the Neck
08:51 Applying the Oil and Wax
13:51 End!
Enjoy!

Пікірлер: 76

  • @barnettg66
    @barnettg662 ай бұрын

    Dunno why but there's a strong Bob Ross vibe here. "We'll paint a happy little tree right here. Just a few strokes. That's all you have to do...". Great vid.

  • @philcunningham67
    @philcunningham672 жыл бұрын

    I enjoyed this Kev & was actually rather therapeutic to watch 😁 Good style & approach .. I’m going to try this next time I change strings … oh & a big YES to videos on guitar set up !!! 😁😀☺️

  • @michael_caz_nyc
    @michael_caz_nyc Жыл бұрын

    I just use 3 - 4 lite-coats of Tru Oil. I did not like the feel of the wax, so I stopped using it. Great info presented here. I have a Sterling SS-4 Bass and it came out incredible. I also did a little fret-end filing - it now plays like a Custom Shop. oNe LovE from NYC

  • @arieassa2186
    @arieassa2186 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much.Just what I needed🙏

  • @theseptembersessions_music
    @theseptembersessions_music Жыл бұрын

    Thanks a bunch! This made daring to reshape a nitro neck that I ordered and the applying oil instead! Thank you!

  • @Gratefulman1965
    @Gratefulman196511 ай бұрын

    I have done this quick and satisfying process on one of my telecasters and two of my acoustics. I start with P600 dry and then finish with a wet sand with P1500. A Dab of Tru-Oil and done. Thanks for this video. Hopefully more folks are trying this application. The results are satin smooth necks that are beautiful.👍

  • @jenga-0072
    @jenga-00722 жыл бұрын

    thank you,needed this!

  • @These_go_to_eleven_1959
    @These_go_to_eleven_19594 ай бұрын

    The information about this is the way MUSIC MAN does their necks is 100% true and can be proven by watching the Video titled "Inside Music Man | Factory tour" at the 12:26 mark of the video posted just 10 days ago. So the info is up to date. Music Man has oiled the necks this way for years and years.

  • @stevewood694
    @stevewood694 Жыл бұрын

    So cool, thank you for this video! I love my Music Man Silhouette, and I bought a different guitar recently with a completely unfinished neck which I plan to use this process on.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    You’re very welcome!

  • @thesurfjunkies
    @thesurfjunkies11 ай бұрын

    Cool video, thanks for the info.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    11 ай бұрын

    You’re welcome!

  • @waynechurchill7212
    @waynechurchill72124 ай бұрын

    Great job

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    4 ай бұрын

    Thank you, Wayne!

  • @denattheoakleyoutpost6740
    @denattheoakleyoutpost6740Ай бұрын

    I’ll be treating my first unfinished neck. No tuners installed yet. Would I use the oil on the headstock and fretboard as well? The wax? Great video for a rookie like me. Thank you! (Btw, I had Covid in 2022. Took a long time to get energy back. Trusting you are feeling well now that time has passed)

  • @deanallen927
    @deanallen9273 ай бұрын

    Great video. Show us how to do a whole neck, oil and wax back, lacquer headstock.

  • @MrPhotonjockey
    @MrPhotonjockey Жыл бұрын

    Tru-oil takes several hours to dry and probably 24 hours or more to fully cure. I would wait a while before waxing, to make sure the Tru-oil has had a chance to harden properly.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    As I said in the video that's not necessary here. We are not building a up a finish, we doing a very light surface treatment, it's just a small amount of oil spread very thin. And this is exactly as done in the factory. And I've been doing this for many, many years. Trust me!

  • @vinced5741

    @vinced5741

    3 ай бұрын

    @@DrKevGuitar I will trust your words on my next project.

  • @tordsletten9259
    @tordsletten9259 Жыл бұрын

    Very good video! That finish is the best. But please, never ever throw a wet oily paper towel directly in the garbage! Tru-oil, tung oil etc can self combust and burn down your house. No kidding. Stay safe and keep posting great content!

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, that’s the standard advice. I always wet the oily paper towels before going to garbage. It’s perfectly safe like that.

  • @TommiPaavilainen
    @TommiPaavilainen Жыл бұрын

    Super! I just wish you'd have published this video 13-14 months ago instead of 9, as I let both the oil and the wax to sit for way too long and therefore should redo the process for my 3-piece guitarobe. Although I agree - the process is really quick and pleasant especially with a coffee at hand - having a day job and a family with small kids, it's a rare occasion to have enough patience and me-time to remove the necks, create a suitable workspace for sanding and make all the other preparations before getting into the process itself, as what I really should do is to play the guitar instead of a playing a IRL RPG as a wannabe-luthier. :)

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    LOL! Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂

  • @claesvanoldenphatt9972
    @claesvanoldenphatt99727 ай бұрын

    I got a Siggery Fury in trade for an amp some years back. The neck was absolutely stark naked and frankly a little rough for my taste. The previous owner didn’t seem to have played it much. The fret ends up high we’re rough too. I sanded the neck and rolled the edges of the ebony fingerboard and planed the fret edges with sandpaper mounted on a board. Then I applied gunstock oil in several coats to build up a bit of gloss, buffing with 000 steel wool between applications. I achieved a heavier finish than the one demonstrated here but still very thin. I might try this even more minimalistic treatment on another neck.

  • @vinced5741

    @vinced5741

    3 ай бұрын

    same here. I did too many applications and buffing and waxing. Next project will be the minimalistic treatment

  • @mvyper
    @mvyper10 ай бұрын

    If you wanna go à little further, you can actually apply your oil more liberally and wet sand it in the wood with very fine sandpaper, we're talking 1500ish. You then wipe off the excess oil and sand dust with a cloth in the direction of the grain, let dry for a few hours and then wax.

  • @Matan2222222
    @Matan2222222 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the Great Video! I have a Fender neck that ive unfinished with 150p-220p-320p-400p sandpaper (Canada 3m). do you recommend using ony one coat of Tru Oil and buff it right away? (Im not going to use the wax didnt like the feel on my other neck) Thanks in advance! Matan

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes. That’s all you need.

  • @Matan2222222

    @Matan2222222

    Жыл бұрын

    @@DrKevGuitar Do you recommend letting the tru oil dry after buffing or to use the wax right away?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    @@Matan2222222 No, you can go for the wax right away. there’s really very little drying to be done. The wood soaks up a little right away and the excess comes off on the paper towels (which is really what the buffing is about).

  • @goosegaskins
    @goosegaskins Жыл бұрын

    Does the wax finish make the satin-y finish of the tru oil any less slick? Or does it help make the neck feel even smoother? I'm thinking I may just go with a tru oil finish instead of oil and wax, but I'd like to hear your thoughts, if you don't mind. Hopefully, long COVID is no longer giving you any issues!

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    The wax reduces friction even more. By all means just stop at the oil if you like it like that. Sadly, I’ve passed my one year anniversary with Long COVID with no end in sight. Crossing my fingers for improvement I the next few months. I appreciate your good wishes. Thank you!

  • @goosegaskins

    @goosegaskins

    Жыл бұрын

    Aw, man, sorry to hear that. Hopefully, you get some relief sooner than later. Thanks very much for your video and your thoughts on oil and wax. Take good care!

  • @zaldvalencia

    @zaldvalencia

    4 ай бұрын

    @@DrKevGuitartried this method without wax but the problem is I immediately used the guitar. Somehow it is a bit tacky. Idk if it is my sweat or I need to dry it out for few minutes? Will the wax will help? Love the satin-y feel thank you

  • @DravenxEyeless
    @DravenxEyeless6 ай бұрын

    Would your typical guitar lemon oil + carnuoba wax work? I want to restore an old mahogany neck on a Charvel I have and can't find either gunstock tru-oil and wax where I reside, sadly (Chile, SoutAm). I do have the sandpaper, a P1200 labeled one.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    6 ай бұрын

    No, simply because mahogany is not a wood that works well with this kind of finish. Mahogany necks and bodies are always given a lacquer or varnish finish. You should look for advice specifically on finishing mahogany.

  • @warrenleprieur9203
    @warrenleprieur92035 ай бұрын

    Can you do this to a roasted maple neck? I have a very light scratch going the length of the fretboard maybe three inches long. I'm unsure how it got there. Was thinking of doing a light sand and then this. would you use the same grit for this? For reference its a Q series 5 pc maple/bubinga neck.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    5 ай бұрын

    In principle yes you can of course do this to roasted maple same as plain maple. BUT you have to be sure your neck has an oil finish. I thought the Q series necks were satin varnish? Also, trying to sand the fingerboard you may end up making it worse, introducing a lighter color to part of the board where it was sanded compared to the rest of it, because it may have darkened with age and oils from your fingers. I would suggest just leaving it alone. In time you may not even see it.

  • @Cake_Doge
    @Cake_Doge2 ай бұрын

    I have used this method to coat the neck of my bass which I sanded down the matte paint off of, which eventually turned gloss by all the playing and the grease of my hands. But I am curious to see if this would also help with the feel of the neck of the bass I play all the time which already has some sort of oil finish on it? It is a maple neck and it doesn't look dry like an unfinished wood, would it hurt to try?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    2 ай бұрын

    No, the worst you could do (if the finish was thick) is make on oily mess which you would just clean off. Personally, I would start as I did here with a light sandpaper clean and take the shiny finish back to matte, then oil. Go lightly first, and maybe just a small part of the neck near the heel to see how it goes on. 👍

  • @Cake_Doge

    @Cake_Doge

    2 ай бұрын

    @@DrKevGuitar Thanks man, right now it is not that bad but it is uneven and it gets glossy and sticky as the grease of my palm polishes the the back of the neck. I sand it down lightly to get rid of the dirt when it happens but it goes back to its usual state since there isn't a properly sealing finish. Previously I used a combination of beeswax and mineral oil (baby oil) since they were the only types of agents that I had and could work as surface finish. This attempt like my previous attempt will be out of curiousity as much it is a need for the bass. I will come back with the results.

  • @jschauer7420
    @jschauer74205 ай бұрын

    Does this darken the wood or enhance the grain? I just ordered a quarter sawn roasted maple neck and searching for the best way to finish it.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    5 ай бұрын

    Yes it will enhance the grain and wood color and yes darken a little too.

  • @say_when5988
    @say_when59888 ай бұрын

    Triple boosted neck

  • @Axen5986
    @Axen598611 ай бұрын

    Good info. Do you think that an unfinished neck that has been oiled feels better than a finished neck that has been sanded.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    11 ай бұрын

    Yes, I do think so, but some people may not agree.

  • @Axen5986

    @Axen5986

    11 ай бұрын

    I have a few guitars most of which are in different stages of modification. I was thinking of sanding the neck of one down to bare wood and applying the oil and wax. What do you think.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    11 ай бұрын

    @@Axen5986 It is irreversible and may affect the resale value but anyone I know who has done so has been happy with the result.

  • @srincident
    @srincident23 күн бұрын

    Can you apply the wax the next day, or does it need to be done successively, as shown? Thank you.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    22 күн бұрын

    @@srincident I don’t see why not. Shouldn’t make much difference.

  • @somehandsomemustachedman3164
    @somehandsomemustachedman3164 Жыл бұрын

    Would gun stock oil work with any wood? Including rosewood? Would I even need to oil a rosewood guitar neck since it’s a maple wood?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    I don’t know what you mean by “rosewood is a maple wood” but yes, you can use the oil on any wood. I’m a very tight grain hardwood like Ebony maybe very little oil will soak in to the surface at all, it may not be necessary. But you are wiping off the excess oil before it thickens or hardens so that’s not a problem.

  • @juancarlossanchezcaro7176
    @juancarlossanchezcaro71766 ай бұрын

    Hello,tengo un bajo musicman con diapasón de arce,también lleva el mismo proceso en el diapasón?? Tru oil y wax? Trank you😊

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    6 ай бұрын

    Yes, but I prefer Ernie Ball “Wonder wipes” fretboard conditioner. Each wipe has a lot of oil so i keep them in a ziplock bag and I can reuse them 8 or 10 times. Just wile the fretboard, let sit for a few minutes and then use paper towels to clean and wipe off the excess oil.

  • @juancarlossanchezcaro7176

    @juancarlossanchezcaro7176

    6 ай бұрын

    Trank You!!!!!!

  • @destianpatrianagara1119
    @destianpatrianagara111911 ай бұрын

    Are there more benefits of applying multiple layers of oil?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    11 ай бұрын

    Not really. It's not really necessary in this case we are specifically after the feel of (almost) raw wood and a light surface coat of oil is all we need to protect it against moisture. It's not durable, offers no real protection against knocks, but is very easy to maintain and repair scratches or dents. In general woodworking terms, multiple layers of oil create a real oil finish is midway between a light single layer and a real lacquer or polymer varnish. Real varnish finishes offer best protection and minimum maintenance but repairs of chips or deep scratches is more difficult.

  • @sungsupaek
    @sungsupaek Жыл бұрын

    Why is the ebmm headstock normally left gloss? Is this a stylistic decision?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    I guess so, they’ve been doing it since the early 90s when they started the oil and wax finished necks.

  • @EatYourOwnBacon
    @EatYourOwnBacon Жыл бұрын

    so on a maple neck do they do the fretboard and everything?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    I think so. Personally, I prefer the Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes fretboard conditioner for all fretboards. It's like a "wet wipe" for unfinished fretboards but oil impregnated. One wipe allows we to condition and clean 8 to 10 fretboards. Wipe on, then buff off with paper towels. On really dry fretboards, leave it a few minutes to soak in, repeat the application if necessary before buffing off.

  • @user-vg9ui2do2z
    @user-vg9ui2do2z9 ай бұрын

    спасибо.привет из россии!

  • @ileutur6863
    @ileutur68632 жыл бұрын

    Any alternatives to Birchwood products? They are insanely pricey where I live and can only be ordered with 2 week wait time. Also, if I were to only use one product, which one would it be?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    2 жыл бұрын

    Any quality gunstock oil would work fine. Personally I would use the oil rather than just the wax. In fact I plan to next time, just to see what difference it makes, if any.

  • @sam-ww1wk

    @sam-ww1wk

    Жыл бұрын

    you can easily mix your own with blo, a bit of urethane, and spirits. test the ratios out on scrap. danish and tung oil finish are similar, too. they're all just various ratios of the basic ingredients.

  • @MauroGiacometti
    @MauroGiacometti8 ай бұрын

    Do you have to repeat the process every now and then ? How long will the oil&wax finish last?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    8 ай бұрын

    Is a said in the video, so people never feel the need, some people do it once every year or two, I do it once or twice per year. It’s entirely up to you.

  • @smarfmart
    @smarfmartАй бұрын

    What wax are you using?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Ай бұрын

    Birchwood Casey Gunstock Wax

  • @jguitar23
    @jguitar23 Жыл бұрын

    I got an ibanez artcore and the fretboard seems unfinished, or nearly. Can i oil+wax it if i'm not sure how it was finished?

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    Жыл бұрын

    Fretboard? On the fretboard use fretboard/ fingerboard conditioning oil. I like the Ernie Ball wonder wipes for that. If a neck is finished and you try to oil and wax it, you’ll just make a mess. Try on a small unobtrusive part of the neck first. Or just contact Ibanez and ask them first.

  • @jguitar23

    @jguitar23

    Жыл бұрын

    @@DrKevGuitar Thanks so much!!

  • @These_go_to_eleven_1959
    @These_go_to_eleven_19594 ай бұрын

    Here is Inside MUSIC MAN confirming the oiled necks kzread.info/dash/bejne/rG2ez7eomNmTmJM.htmlsi=1DA5vBXuf4XoaHW1&t=745

  • @jopathmusic
    @jopathmusic Жыл бұрын

    Technically you're supposed to buff in one direction, up with the grain

  • @oldskoolmagik6825
    @oldskoolmagik68257 ай бұрын

    Thanks Tape clothes first.

  • @DrKevGuitar

    @DrKevGuitar

    7 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

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