Permanent cure for sticky neck

[tremolo arm]

My guitar unfortunately suffers from the sticky neck condition, i.e. the neck becomes sticky under the thumb after a few minutes of playing.

 

I have tried everything - leaving it out of the case, washing my hands before playing, cleaning the neck with water, cleaning with Zippo lighter fluid but all these seem to be temporary solutions. It takes just 10 minutes of playing and the heat / sweat of my hands reacts with the lacquer and that's it - it really feels horrible and detracts me from playing it.

In comparison, my satin finished Strat is a joy to play.

 

I have even tried 0000 steel wool, but that did not seem to solve the problem

 

I've heard that some people completely sand off the finish on their necks, thus reaching bear wood.

Are there any advocates for that procedure on this forum? Have people sanded off the neck of their LPs? Zakk Wylde's Custom LP seems to have a sanded neck. SO it must work.

 

I'm not concerned about the resell value of the guitar because i'll never sell it, I just want to play it and enjoy it.

 

Some people seem to think that the sticky neck issue will eventually go away after days and days of playing, but mine has not and frankly I am unwilling to wait.

 

Any advice?

[Taylor Player]

I have one guitar neck that does that and it is my 2005 Built Gibson Advanced Jumbo acoustic. I have always taken care of it with 0000 steel wool. Yes it does gloss back up over a short time, but I only seem to have to do it in the summer months, so I live with running my steel wool up and down the neck a couple times a summer and all is good.

 

I personally would not sand down the finish to bare wood....but that is just me.

[tremolo arm]

Thanks Paul

Anyone else?

[KL]

Like TP I would never sand down the finish. I see a lot of people complaining about sticky necks, but I can honestly say I've never been bothered about it with any of my guitars. I think some people have a type of sweat that must make it worse than others (no offence meant . . . we all sweat, just different sweat!)

[tbonesullivan]

make sure you wash your hands before touching your guitar. Also check to see what is in the soap. Soap residue can cause stickiness, and can also degrade the finish somewhat.

 

I have 4 nitro-finished guitars, and haven't noticed any stickyness, except in my SG standard, which was for a while, but it went away.

[bluesdj]

I've had the same sticky neck discomfort and found sanding off the finish near to bare wood then applying linseed oil (mixed with a very small amount of clear varnish) sealed the wood and gave the neck a smooth fast satin finish. I have also 000 steel-woolled the neck on my VOS about 4 times since I got it (3 years ago) and it's still slightly sticky!(but it is much better, and getting better all the time).

On the other hand, I've sold my Blues King and Costello acoustics as I couldn't wait the time required (days, months, years) to have a friction-free neck and didn't want to sand them down, possibly lowering re-sale value. I do have an '07 Faded Paul that has a wonderful non-stick satin factory finished neck, very fast.

[Dub-T-123]

I just played my SG a lot and it went away after a while.

[Eracer_Team]

hmm interesting.. neck sticky so sand the finish off... just doesn't sound right as a first choice to me.

 

I've read these threads for close to 4yrs now.. what's come up several times is acceptable choice is to use some naptha then polish it up.

 

Don't think I"d be sanding my neck unless I wanted that look.

 

maybe customer service will join in on the comments soon.