I am by no means a finishing expert, but I have recently done some experimenting with coloring some of the maple necks I am working on. The best way that worked for me, was as follows.
Sand the neck as smooth as desired (I tend to like my necks smooth as glass). The next step I take is to apply Minwax Wood Sheen (This is how I get the maple to the color I desire. I have found that it does not get splotchy like other wipe on finishes tend to when used on hard maple, though I would recommend you test on scrap first). Follow the instructions on the bottle for application, and reapply as needed to get the color you want. The next step is negotiable. To give the neck a little more durability, I spray Minwax Polyurethane over the oil. [b]Make sure the polyurethane you use is the oil based, and not the waterbased. The polyurethane over the oil is not necessary, but if you do not do it, you will eventually need to recoat with oil.
Im sure there are numerous other ways to color maple necks, but this is the one that I have found to yield the best results for me. Being that I am new to finishing, I strongly encourage you to test this method before applying it.
Hope that helps