Neck Pocket, Control And Pickup Cavities

[bugman96]

I saw on this thread that Drak is going to spray lacquer in the neck pocket. If I'm going to use an open grained wood like korina would I have to spray the neck pocket/pickup and control cavities or would just grain filler do the job?

[SwedishLuthier]

I think that Drak sprayed the neck pocket to stop the blank from desintegrating. Remember he had a WERY rotten piece of wood. With a good pice of wood I would stay away from spaying the neck pocket if possible. I often get a bit of overspray into the pocket, but I try to scrape it away befor screwing the neck into place. I think that laquer stop the sound transfer from the neck to the body a bit.

Also; if you attach a laquer finished neck before all solvents have evaporated, you might end upp with a neck that is sticking into the neck pocket and is impossible to remove. Happened to me with the old stewmack vaterbased finish. I waited a week before I buffed the finish (a few days is sufficient according to the manufacturer) and another couple of days before attaching the neck. A few months later I tried to remove the neck but it was completly stuck. I actually broke off a piece of the side of the neck pocket while trying this!

[bugman96]

I think that laquer stop the sound transfer from the neck to the body a bit.

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So then the neck pocket (and cavities) don't need to get sealed?

[Southpa]

If your neck fits perfectly right now then tape over the inside surfaces , especially the face (where the mounting holes are), before spraying. If I found my neck fit was a little on the loose side I might try to make up the difference with paint, but just around the sides. For all other cavities it doesn't matter. I usually just shoot away, at least the inside wood will be sealed.

Edited September 13, 2005 by Southpa

[bugman96]

If your neck fits perfectly right now then tape over the inside surfaces , especially the face (where the mounting holes are), before spraying.  If I found my neck fit was a little on the loose side I might try to make up the difference with paint, but just around the sides.  For all other cavities it doesn't matter.  I usually just shoot away, at least the inside wood will be sealed.

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Thanks! Since it doesn't matter I'm gonna assume I could use grain filler to protect it a little rather than lacquering?

[Southpa]

No need to use grain filler in your cavities. It serves no purpose. The whole idea of allowing paint spray into control, neck and pickup cavities is just secondary to the whole finishing process, with the exception of certain circumstances, eg. drak's thread. He is working with very fragile, crumbly , literally rotting maple aka spalted maple. The wood has varying grain texture and porosity so it has to be stabilized from every angle possible, which includes all body cavities. But when working with normally stable guitar woods there is no reason to go out of your way to make sure that the wood in these cavities be filled or protected in some way. Just continue working on the OUTSIDE of the guitar.

Edited September 13, 2005 by Southpa