To lacquer or not to lacquer?

Justin Read

Justin Read

New member
Hello fellow addicts.

I am after some guidance on whether I should lacquer or wax a neck I am getting made.

All the guitars I've owned/own have been lacquered and my luthier is influencing me to try a waxed neck.

The neck is for an Ibanez Jem inspired monster I am slowly piecing together.

The neck material is Wenge with an Ebony board.

What are your thoughts or experiences?
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

Lacquer can sometimes be sticky. If you take your luthier's influence I think you can later do a lacquer finish if you don't like wax. What do I know though? :)
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

Thanks, I was thinking that also as a worst case scenario. I would prefer to get I right from scratch and save the fuss, time and extra $$$ if waxing isn't worthy
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

The whole point about Wenge is that you need neither finish.
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

Yeah it will look similar to my current Avatar picture but have totally different woods, Seymour Duncan Blackouts (coloured) and a few other bits and pieces.

Exciting!!!

I was inspired when I saw the Ibanez 8 string custom Multiverse swirl on a forum about 6 months ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CZx8PMYkn4
 
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Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

Wenge? Tung oil or boiled linseed oil, if anything, oil and wax would be next in line, then nothing. Lacquer really isn't needed for wenge.
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

I have a wenge neck on one of my guitars. Gave it a quick wipe down with tung oil (the real stuff, not the wiping varnish falsely labeled as tung oil). The neck is super slick and super fast with just the bare wood.
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

Tung oil it is then.

What guitar do you have the wenge neck on and how does it sound?
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

As raw feeling as possible, imo. While I understand the rationale behind lacquered necks, I don't like the feel of them. Besides, if the wood is stiff enough and has been well seasoned, it shouldn't move much at all. The neck is perhaps the most important part in that your hand is in constant contact with it. Two of my guitars have oil finished neck, which have broken in nicely in the near 30 years the instruments have been around. There's a pleasing homey warmth to a neck given this treatment.

As has been said, wenge doesn't need extensive treatment: it's very hard and has its own natural oils. As you probably know, it's used more in basses; but I've seen it used for guitar fingerboards by some booteek makers like Kauer.

Also looking forward to seeing this guitar when it's done.
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

what about shellac? ancient finish that brushes (or sprays) on very thin, and has a very natural feel. it can also be tinted very easily if that's your thing.
 
Re: To lacquer or not to lacquer?

I'd go with wax to get a better feel of the neck when playing. For me, it the wood just feels better and sounds better with a "less is more" approach. But that's me :)
 
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