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I have this Korean build semi hollow Aria made in 90's . i really like unfinished necks (back) so i'm thinking of shaving it down to bare wood. it has maple neck not sure Hard or soft but definitely Maple . if you try to dent it with finger nail , nail gets a dent not the wood . i tried it on little wood on the back of the neck which is reviled . some people just in case brash it with Thung or Tru oil but i'd rather have it completely unfinished. there are mixed opinions . some say its ok to leave it unfinished , especially if its Maple others they say over time it can get ruined. i just want to know to do it or not to do it. i will oil it if it is a high risk of throwing the guitar away but as i said if there is no risk involved i'd have it completely unfinished.

and since i'm on the subject i want to at least steelwool extra polish off the body . guitar sound beautiful , i can hear rich tonal quality and resonace too. it has lots of poly finish typical for asian guitars , i want to make wood to start breathing a bit. opinion on that wold be great too.

thx in advance

I would definitely put some type of oil finish or wipe on poly or something similar. The bare maple will get very dirty over time if not finished.

looks don't worry me so much but ruined neck does. it's a neck through .if i have to oil it i'd do
thin layer of tru-oil. would it be be enough to protect it from getting it really dirty forever?

thx

It's likely that if you leave the neck unfinished that it will change shape due to temperature and humidity much more so than if it is sealed. So in winter your action might go to shyte and then by summer it'll either jump back or, more likely, get worse. Now if it's kept in the same humidity and temperature year round, maybe it won't be much of a problem. But that is very unlikely.

If you like the feel of an unfinished neck, just finish it with tru oil and on the last coat hit it with some steel wool. You can do the same with lacquer.

It's a good idea to have your neck finished.

*edit* The body wood does not need to breathe. I don't know where you got that idea, but I'm 99% positive that will do nothing for you whatsoever.

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appreciate your advise .how many coats of tru oil should i apply and in what intervals? and how long should i let last coat dry before i stillwool it? i will take your advise on body sending . i read lots of junk on the internet . should stop that habit i guess


Many Thx

Just want to say I was finishing a friend's neck and Tru-Oil didn't finish as natural as the Formby's (I've only used those two types, btw). The Tru-Oil grabs my thumb, the Formby's is fast and feels closer to bare wood. It's a big difference to me. And a little goes a long way.

This reminds me of a black Les Paul a fellow was trying to sell on Craigslist.
He sanded off the black lacquer on the back of the neck for "faster action".
It looked horrible, I could swear I saw lines of sweat on it.
In my opinion, appearance does matter, so I would try for some type of protection on a bare neck.

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I got sick of my sticky Les Paul neck, too and sanded it. So much better! Running my thumb down the neck with the new finish (Formby's) glides like needle bearings.. until you hit the factory finish on the headstock. Then the fun is over. Factory finish is like wearing a condom - if you ain't gotta...

On electric necks , I use 2 coats of Minwax Antique Oil finish and then 2 very light coats of Satin Spray on Poly . Feels and looks like raw wood , but it is protected . This is the typical first comment that I hear . "I love the way this neck feels" . I tell people what I did and they just look at me kind of weird . You see , the thing that makes a neck sticky is that the finish is too smooth . Try this if you like . Take a suction cup and stick it to a window/glass and remove it . Now do the same thing but wet the suction cup . Sticks even more/better . Now try this same test with a non smooth surface . Think of your hand as the suction cup and the neck as glass and you will get the picture . As you perspire , the suction becomes even greater .
When you scuff the finish of a smooth neck , you are reducing the potential for that suction to occur .
You may now begin with the slings and arrows .