Kolera Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 I know, this topic's been in the forum a million times before, and I've searched and searched but I've found that it all adds up to two different opinions; wipe down WITH polish or wipe down WITHOUT polish. I've been wiping the neck down without any polish for the last two weeks (only had my LP for about 3 weeks now) and I've maybe put in 20-30 hours of total playing on the LP in that time. Still the neck is getting f*#@ing sticky everytime I play the thing. Before that I wiped the neck down WITH polish, and it didn't help anything either. Is it a matter of time? Is it a matter of polish vs. non-polish wipedowns? Basically, tell me what works. Polish or no-polish wipedowns? And for how long? Once and for all, just what to do and what not to do to get rid of the m%#@erf#&king sticky-icky goo-necks! This might be a long one. Getting out the popcorns... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 And fresh air ( Air picture here ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepblue Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 The neck needs to cure...itll smooth out in time. I used to hate that feeling as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kolera Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 AXE... I've read your answers in other posts. Which makes me wonder, are you serious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 I would never steer any one into damaging their guitar....EVER !!! Joking around is one thing. But maliciously or intentionally misguiding some one is fekked up ... And yes I'm serious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kolera Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 I would never steer any one into damaging their guitar....EVER !!! Joking around is one thing. But maliciously or intentionally misguiding some one is fekked up ... And yes I'm serious. Didn't wanna think so. Just had to be sure. So, just spray a little on a cloth and wipe it down? Is that the way to go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Also... When some has a legitimate question instead of the redundant retarded "which one or what color and occasional pick guard question. I have always tried to offer sound advice.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Squirt - Wipe - Follow up with clean dry cloth... Just like taking a Sh!t .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kolera Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 Squirt - Wipe - Follow up with clean dry cloth... Just like taking a Sh!t .... Thanx. Was hoping for a straight answer and I think I got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kolera Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 I can see that there's kinda of a lot af viewers on this thread, but no one reallly replies. Although I'm trying out the AXE/Zippo-method, I'd still like to hear from anyone else who might have another soloution that could be proven worthy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Just play the guitar....Dont even wipe the neck down... Just leave it and you will find it will go away!! Then when the sticky neck has gone use a cotton clean (Nothing on it) to wipe fingermarks off the neck... Its a pain in the ***... Had it with my custom for sometime... Flight959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_randy Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 I wouldn't resort to wiping chemicals onto th neck.just wipe it down with cotton or flannel cloth and in time it will improve on its own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGBENDS Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 AXE may seem like a joker to some of you, but he knows what he's talking about. Naphtha (lighter fluid) is an excellent cleaner for guitar finishes as well as the metal and plastic parts. Use it sparingly on a clean, soft cloth like flannel. Afterwards, use your guitar polish or just a clean, dry cloth to buff it shiny. Then, play the s*it out of that thing and break it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmngretsch14 Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Well first you need to understand why it's sticky, I know it's a thing of beauty, but practice self control man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninety1vee Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 holy sh!t axe, thats genius! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boston004681 Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 To AXE: Wow...... i believe you somehow.... To: Kolera: is it sticky like maple syrup or is your hand just not sliding on the neck very well? I always rub down the back of my SG's neck so it stays smooth, and, you know, friction-free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kolera Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 Well first you need to understand why it's sticky' date=' I know it's a thing of beauty, but practice self control man[/quote'] Selfcontrol ain't in my vocabulary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kolera Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 To: Kolera: is it sticky like maple syrup or is your hand just not sliding on the neck very well? I always rub down the back of my SG's neck so it stays smooth' date=' and, you know, friction-free. [/quote'] Well, imagine removing a very sticky sticker from a smooth surface and sliding your hand over the icky part of whats left. Thats what it feels like after maybe half an hour playing... Maybe my hand is just f#@ked up leaving all sorts of sh!t on the neck. Somethings wrong with me! Oh no! I'm a freak... I'm a weirdo! What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Ok that's a sticky neck from the lacquer not being quite cured. The heat from your hand is enough to soften the surface and you feel it. Theoretically the problem can go away in a few months if the finish is allowed to off-gas and cure - to do that it needs to be exposed to fresh air so leave it out of the case. Otherwise if you had a bad batch of lacquer and it just doesn't want to cure, there are more drastic things you can do to gently abrade the outer layer of soft stuff and hopefully get down to harder finish. The "survey says" that everything from brown paper bags to steel wool and Virtuoso polish have beeen used as a gentle polishing abrasive. I wouldn't do that yet unless you know that the guitar has had a few months to cure. Meanwhile try cleaning it with naptha (and yes, the smallest and most convenient quantity to buy is in a can of lighter fluid) - it's safe for nitrocellulose lacquer. Naptha is the same solvent used in paste furniture waxes and it will remove gunk and wax so nothing will interfere with the exchange of oxygen from the air with the finish so it can cure chemically and harden. I understand the confusion about pump polish - if the stickiness is from Buffalo wings and honey-mustard barbecue sauce then of course the pump polish will clean it off. However if the stickiness is soft lacquer than any polish is just going to keep it covered over so it never fully cures. All the hype about nitrocellulose laquer, and this is the thanks we get for it: sticky necks on Gibsons and sunbursts that flake off of the corners of Fenders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kolera Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 Thanx bobv, that made sense. I have no intention of polishing the neck with paper bags or steel wool or anything else of that kind, so I guess I'll just let time and some Zippofluids get the job done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rigormortis Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Yep, clean the neck and strings with naptha. But not too often or you will dry out the wood. Also, wash your hands and let them dry really well before you play. Some guitar players dry their hands with talcum powder before they go onstage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar slinger Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 OK. Since you guys are completely lost, I'll point the right direction for ya: Captain Beefheart's Ten Commandments For Guitarists: 1. LISTEN TO THE BIRDS That's where all the music comes from. Birds know everything about how it should sound and where that sound should come from. And watch hummingbirds. They fly really fast, but a lot of times they aren't going anywhere. 2. YOUR GUITAR IS NOT REALLY A GUITAR Your guitar is a divining rod. Use it to find spirits in the other world and bring them over. A guitar is also a fishing rod. If you're good, you'll land a big one. 3. PRACTICE IN FRONT OF A BUSH Wait until the moon is out, then go outside, eat a multi-grained bread and play your guitar to a bush. If the bush doesn't shake, eat another piece of bread. 4. WALK WITH THE DEVIL Old delta blues players referred to amplifiers as the "devil box." And they were right. You have to be an equal opportunity employer in terms of who you're bringing over from the other side. Electricity attracts demons and devils. Other instruments attract other spirits. An acoustic guitar attracts Casper. A mandolin attracts Wendy. But an electric guitar attracts Beelzebub. 5. IF YOU'RE GUILTY OF THINKING, YOU'RE OUT If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something that is fur bearing. 6. NEVER POINT YOUR GUITAR AT ANYONE Your instrument has more power than lightning. Just hit a big chord, then run outside to hear it. But make sure you are not standing in an open field. 7. ALWAYS CARRY YOUR CHURCH KEY You must carry your key and use it when called upon. That's your part of the bargain. Like One String Sam. He was a Detroit street musician in the fifties who played a homemade instrument. His song "I Need A Hundred Dollars" is warm pie. Another church key holder is Hubert Sumlin, Howlin' Wolf's guitar player. He just stands there like the Statue of Liberty making you want to look up her dress to see how he's doing it. 8. DON'T WIPE THE SWEAT OFF YOUR INSTRUMENT You need that stink on there. Then you have to get that stink onto your music. 9. KEEP YOUR GUITAR IN A DARK PLACE When you're not playing your guitar, cover it and keep it in a dark place. If you don't play your guitar for more than a day, be sure to put a saucer of water in with it. 10. YOU GOTTA HAVE A HOOD FOR YOUR ENGINE Wear a hat when you play and keep that hat on. A hat is a pressure cooker. If you have a roof on your house the hot air can't escape. Even a lima bean has to have a wet paper towel around it to make it grow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_randy Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Ok that's a sticky neck from the lacquer not being quite cured. The heat from your hand is enough to soften the surface and you feel it. Theoretically the problem can go away in a few months if the finish is allowed to off-gas and cure - to do that it needs to be exposed to fresh air so leave it out of the case. Otherwise if you had a bad batch of lacquer and it just doesn't want to cure' date=' there are more drastic things you can do to gently abrade the outer layer of soft stuff and hopefully get down to harder finish. The "survey says" that everything from brown paper bags to steel wool and Virtuoso polish have beeen used as a gentle polishing abrasive. I wouldn't do that yet unless you know that the guitar has had a few months to cure. Meanwhile try cleaning it with naptha (and yes, the smallest and most convenient quantity to buy is in a can of lighter fluid) - it's safe for nitrocellulose lacquer. Naptha is the same solvent used in paste furniture waxes and it will remove gunk and wax so nothing will interfere with the exchange of oxygen from the air with the finish so it can cure chemically and harden. I understand the confusion about pump polish - if the stickiness is from Buffalo wings and honey-mustard barbecue sauce then of course the pump polish will clean it off. However if the stickiness is soft lacquer than any polish is just going to keep it covered over so it never fully cures. Sounds good ,but I'd be afraid to do it to my guitar All the hype about nitrocellulose laquer, and this is the thanks we get for it: sticky necks on Gibsons and sunbursts that flake off of the corners of Fenders.[/quote'] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Ok that's a sticky neck from the lacquer not being quite cured. The heat from your hand is enough to soften the surface and you feel it. Theoretically the problem can go away in a few months if the finish is allowed to off-gas and cure - to do that it needs to be exposed to fresh air so leave it out of the case. Otherwise if you had a bad batch of lacquer and it just doesn't want to cure' date=' there are more drastic things you can do to gently abrade the outer layer of soft stuff and hopefully get down to harder finish. The "survey says" that everything from brown paper bags to steel wool and Virtuoso polish have beeen used as a gentle polishing abrasive. I wouldn't do that yet unless you know that the guitar has had a few months to cure. Meanwhile try cleaning it with naptha (and yes, the smallest and most convenient quantity to buy is in a can of lighter fluid) - it's safe for nitrocellulose lacquer. Naptha is the same solvent used in paste furniture waxes and it will remove gunk and wax so nothing will interfere with the exchange of oxygen from the air with the finish so it can cure chemically and harden. I understand the confusion about pump polish - if the stickiness is from Buffalo wings and honey-mustard barbecue sauce then of course the pump polish will clean it off. However if the stickiness is soft lacquer than any polish is just going to keep it covered over so it never fully cures. ?? I bought my Custom when it was 3 yrs old. I got that sticky neck problem about 3 weeks after having it.. I know the only reason why the neck went sticky on MY guitar is because I WAS POLISHING IT!... When I stopped polishing the neck and changed to just wiping it down the problem on MY guitar went away... Regards Guys Flight959 All the hype about nitrocellulose laquer, and this is the thanks we get for it: sticky necks on Gibsons and sunbursts that flake off of the corners of Fenders.[/quote'] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Ok that's a sticky neck from the lacquer not being quite cured. The heat from your hand is enough to soften the surface and you feel it. Theoretically the problem can go away in a few months if the finish is allowed to off-gas and cure - to do that it needs to be exposed to fresh air so leave it out of the case. Otherwise if you had a bad batch of lacquer and it just doesn't want to cure' date=' there are more drastic things you can do to gently abrade the outer layer of soft stuff and hopefully get down to harder finish. The "survey says" that everything from brown paper bags to steel wool and Virtuoso polish have beeen used as a gentle polishing abrasive. I wouldn't do that yet unless you know that the guitar has had a few months to cure. Meanwhile try cleaning it with naptha (and yes, the smallest and most convenient quantity to buy is in a can of lighter fluid) - it's safe for nitrocellulose lacquer. Naptha is the same solvent used in paste furniture waxes and it will remove gunk and wax so nothing will interfere with the exchange of oxygen from the air with the finish so it can cure chemically and harden. I understand the confusion about pump polish - if the stickiness is from Buffalo wings and honey-mustard barbecue sauce then of course the pump polish will clean it off. However if the stickiness is soft lacquer than any polish is just going to keep it covered over so it never fully cures. All the hype about nitrocellulose laquer, and this is the thanks we get for it: sticky necks on Gibsons and sunbursts that flake off of the corners of Fenders.[/quote'] ?? I bought my Custom when it was 3 yrs old. I got that sticky neck problem about 3 weeks after having it.. I know the only reason why the neck went sticky on MY guitar is because I WAS POLISHING IT!... When I stopped polishing the neck and changed to just wiping it down the problem on MY guitar went away... Regards Guys Flight959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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