Neck-Through Finishing: Neck/Body Differently, Or All The Same

[Jed McM.]

First post ever, second guitar build ever. 

I'm building a neck-through baritone, and approaching the step where I need to order finish supplies. I had planned on doing the entire thing using a uniform gloss nitrocellulose, but wanted to ask if I should consider doing that for the body, and a different route for the neck and headstock, maybe satin nitro or TruOil or some other option, something less grippy. The transition from body to neck is sufficiently distinct where I could mask it off without going nuts or having it look terrible, but I don't have any good sense of whether or not this is worth considering.

Thoughts?

PS: The core is maple/padauk laminations, the wings are khaya.

 

[Bizman62]

In my opinion (and I know I'm not alone) a shiny neck can be sticky when your palm sweats. I've tried sanding them matte with some 1000 grit paper and that helps a bit, but what I (and many others) like better is an oiled neck. Some even prefer a plain neck but IMO that will gather your DNA too fast. Thus some TruOil or something similar with potentially some wax to make it even slicker is both dirt and moisture resistant and nice to grab. The body and headstock can well be coated with whatever pleases you. Note that an oil finish is very easy to patch or redo on the neck, just sand it clean and reapply. It will blend nicely even in spot repairs.

[ScottR]

My go to is a nitro body and an oiled neck. Danish oil soaked in and then reapplied with steel wool

SR

[Jed McM.]

Any issues with masking when using oils? I'll be using aerosols for the body at least (haven't take the HVLP plunge yet), which I assume will be fine, but feels like heavier wipe-0n type finishes would be more liable to seep? Or maybe that's me being overly worrisome.

 

[Bizman62]

My current build has a clearcoat on the body and the headstock and I've simply covered the neck with masking tape. It's not any different to protecting the fretboard, you don't want any lacquer on it unless it's a lacquered maple one. There'll be a ridge of lacquer at the edge of the tape which has to be sanded flush. It doesn't matter much whether you oil the neck before or after sanding the ridge, either way the transition will become smooth. 

Shortly put, I believe that if you apply the rattle can stuff first the oil won't push it off by seeping underneath. But if you apply the oil first there's a chance that the aerosol won't stick.

[Jed McM.]

Ahhh, interesting. Ok, I think I have my options sorted out, as well as the order of operations. The fretboard is ebony, so it won't be getting anything that heavy.

Thanks for the feedback, folks.