I've just come across an old (20+ years) Fernandez Strat-style neck and a no-name, pretty butchered up Tele copy body. I'm planning on sanding the body down, making some repairs and refinishing it for my dad, who owns the parts, but the neck I'd like to leave as is, per his request.
The only problem, the guitar was partially assembled and placed in a corner of a room in a house in Alabama in 1987. Then, the house caught fire. No fire damage to the guitar, but plenty of soot, smoke, and residue all over the neck, fingerboard, body, and exposed electronics. It was placed in a Hefty bag, transported to Florida where my family relocated (I was 16 at the time), and then spent time from the late, late 80's to today in a garage, where I dug it out.
Like I said, the body is getting completely sanded down again, and even if I can't salvage it, it's no big loss because the guy my dad got the body from butchered it pretty good while trying to make (not route) a big hole for a middle humbucker pickup. Thank god for pickguards, they hide many flaws.
I would, however, like to completely clean the neck and fretboard without removing any of the original finish, since it's the reason my dad got the neck in the first place. So my question would be, what in the world can I use to remove soot and gunk off of a neck without damaging the underlying finish and the rosewood fingerboard?
I would appreciate any and all suggestions you can make, and if I have to, I can re-finish the neck. Don't be afraid to tell me it's trashed, as well, since I've already told him there may not be much we can do to it.
Thanks,
Matt Williams
Luthier Newb