Don't Let Unfinished Woods Fool You!
Unfinished necks are popular with builders, repair shops, and DIY people looking to customize their guitar and bass. Unfinished necks are great for anyone who wants to paint or stain thier neck themselves. We offer tons of spray paints and cans of paint in dozens of colors as well as stain and all the tools you need to get it done.
In the case of our flame maple necks, they are highly sought after for an entirely different reason. Flame maple is the hardwood of a maple tree that has a distinctive pattern resembling flames. It is commonly used in guitar bodies and necks due to its bright tone, stunning aesthetics, and exceptional sustain.
They offer a stunning natural look that allows the wood to be the center of attention. However, often unfinished necks are incorrectly seen as dull and the flames are overlooked. Don't let unfinished woods fool you! All you need is a light finishing to bring out the flames, perfect for those who prefer the smooth feel of natural wood. Here are some suggestions to make your next unfinished neck look its best.
Here you can see one of our unfinished roasted flame maple necks. The figuring appears dull without much depth to it. At first glance it seems almost non-existent.
This is common. Do not fret! The depth of the “flame” figuring is often hidden to the naked eye on unfinished woods. This can cause concern when considering woods for your instrument's neck or body.
Despite the initial appearance, the figuring on these necks can really come to life with the right finishing techniques.
An evaporative solvent such as naphtha can be applied to the wood with a cloth to give the look of a finished piece of wood for a very small window of time. Do not use water as it will cause the wood to swell and may damage the instrument.
Here is the same neck with tung oil applied to half of it. Notice the difference in appearance between the finished flame markings on the left side and the unfinished portion on the right side. The tung oil brings out the natural beauty of the wood, enhancing the flames.
Do not let unfinished wood fool you! Once a finish such as tung oil or lacquer has been applied the color of the wood will darken and the depth of the figuring will become visible, transforming a seemingly dull wood into something like this. This transformation process brings out the natural beauty of the wood, enhancing its overall appearance and appeal.
Tung oil is cheap and easy to come by, they sell it at home improvement stores and even at Walmart and Target.