Any tips on making neck play faster / more comfortable

[Mincer]

Re: Any tips on making neck play faster / more comfortable

Depends on the condition of the frets, I have a jewelers loop and mononocular with a light that I check my frets with so it's easy to see the micro ruts that subtlely affect playing -if there are lots of little micro cuts/ruts from over-using a certain riff or key -I'll use a dab of the finest compound or a very gentle toothpaste (which is often better) -but generally speaker a dry hit will clean the burs that a scour pad, steel wool, and fret file won't. I try to do it once a year on my regular 4 guitars I gig or record with.

In my experience, a guitar with a perfectly optimized back of neck and ultra smooth frets (assuming the string tension and height nut and bridge are set up for the playing style) takes a guitar to another level. I first became aware of that playing a guitar handmade by Mike Pedulla -a crazy lightbulb went off that there was a whole 'nother level above the high end guitars I had played in stores and borrowed.

I don't want to scare players on here -the thread is about optimization and I'm just voicing how to may your guitar feel like a damn Buggati or Missle. None of this will be noticed by a beginner or intermediate player or probably an expert hack -but Mincer, knowing your playing style, interests, influences, and experience a bit, I suspect you will feel this type of hyper optimization. -Also, no regularly gigging player should be worried about missing out if they don't have the time -it's the last 1-3%.

I appreciate the advice. I had just never even considered it, but it can be part of a yearly thing for me (I go through all of my guitars every July).

[nexion218]

Re: Any tips on making neck play faster / more comfortable

Do you use any compound when you buff the frets, or just the bare pad?

I've also had great success with a car sratch remover/polish kit I found in a local store. I hadn't bought it for that purpose, but some time ago I figured I should give it a go and it worked. The kit had a 1000ish grit sandpaper, a piece of soft cloth and two tubes of paste: one is labelled the scratch remover, the other is a polisher. Worked great, but in my experience one should be cautious with these pastes as they can seep underneath the frets despite the most meticulous of tapings. So due to mess it makes I usually use once a year and after that I try to keep up the shine with some dry stuff, like a jewelry polish cloth.

[donaldr]

Re: Any tips on making neck play faster / more comfortable

1000 grain sandpaper 4-5 times on the back of your neck will make it really smooth without altering the finish too much. That's what I've done to my Squier VM Jazz 5 and it becomes a joy to play.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Any tips on making neck play faster / more comfortable

1000 grain sandpaper 4-5 times on the back of your neck will make it really smooth without altering the finish too much. That's what I've done to my Squier VM Jazz 5 and it becomes a joy to play.

definitely will work, and that is super super super fine grit -way more that the equivilent 4/0 steel wool and or very finest grit scotchbrite pad (but not white) that people love when making shredders -so don't be afraid to try go down to 800 or 600 grit -if 1000 isn't noticeable enough on feel.

4/0 steel wool = 400 grit sandpaper
3/0 steel wool = 280 grit
2/0 steel wool = 180 grit
2/0 steel wool = 120 grit

White Scotchbrite = 1200 grit (it has no abrasive)
Gray Scotchbrite = about 400 - 600
Maroon Scotchbrite = about 220-280
Green Scotchbrite = about 150 - 180

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Any tips on making neck play faster / more comfortable



Just rub it on & buff a bit with an old t-shirt...amazing on frets & fretboard.