Odd Back of Neck Issue - Ideas re what to do?

**Rob Gerety** · Oct-07-2010, 6:48pm

I have a very nice fairly new but used high end guitar in my house on approval that I would like to purchase. I have to make a quick decision whether to keep it or return it. The price - assuming no significant repairs are needed - is fair.

I notice a couple of things - most of which are completely cosmetic and do not bother me. First, the edges of the headstock just behind the neck have small dings. No worries as far as I am concerned, I could care less frankly. But I mention it because I think I know how the dings happened and it might be a clue to solve the other puzzle. I think the dings were caused by a capo (maybe an elliot or a paige) that is the type people leave on the neck but move up behind the nut. That sort of capo can cause damage to the headstock if it is pushed up too far, maybe hung on a stand in a way the jams the capo up against the headstock. I have seen it before and I think that is what caused these little dings.

Second - and the part that is bothering me a bit - the back of neck has a very dull area at about the 2nd or third fret (the neck is a gloss finished neck) and it appears as though the finish is worn and maybe chipped off in tiny places a bit in that area. There may well be a tiny area or two that have no finish anymore. There is a bit of a gooey feel to the area, as if the finish is soft and slightly gummy. I can't seem to clean it by rubbing with a soft cloth. I'd like to use a solvent but I'm not sure if that is the right thing to do and I'm not sure what solvent to use. It is conceivable that there is just some sort of goo on there - but I don't think so, it looks like the finish has a problem in this small area.

In general, I suspect that a prior owner, probably not the seller, was careless with a capo and caused some damage but the gummy feeling is worrying me.

So my question for the luthiers is - do you know what I am describing? Is it repairable? If it came to it, would it be a major job and expense to refinish the back of the neck - could you repair the finish in just this small area? BTW - it is a bolt on neck - mahogany, and a very nice neck.

Can anyone provide some quick advice on this? I should probably mention that I prefer satin finish on the back of guitar necks anyway, so if I ended up eliminating the high gloss it would not bother me one bit.

**Jim Garber** · Oct-07-2010, 7:10pm

IMHO: take it to a reliable luthier and have it looked at all over, esp if you are not sure. It is very hard for anyone -- even the experts on this site -- to know (1) what finish is on the back of the neck on this guitar and (2) what other substances were applied to the guitar.

You say you rubbed it with a soft cloth. Have you also tried a small bit of water to see if the gooeyness comes off? Also is there any reason why you can't mention all this to the seller and see if he/she has any clues?

**sunburst** · Oct-07-2010, 8:31pm

Since you don't say what kind of guitar it is I don't know what the finish on the neck is. You say "high end", but is it a production guitar? (To me, high end is luthier made.)
If it is a lacquer finish on the neck, a possibility with a luthier built guitar or some production guitars, and it has been kept in an instrument stand, there's a possibility that the stand had rubber padding, and plasticizer from the rubber migrated into the finish causing it to be gummy. High gloss indicates that it could be lacquer, but it might not be.
If it is plasticizer migration, there's no repair short of removing the affected finish and touching it up with new lacquer... or you can go for the "speed neck" and remove the finish but not replace it.
If it is a waterborne, cross-link or catalyzed finish, disregard this post.

**Rob Gerety** · Oct-07-2010, 9:07pm

Its a **********. My idea of high end but I understand perspectives on this vary. Around 2006 or so. The seller knows nothing of the problem and professes, I think honestly, that he was not aware of it. He only owned the guitar for a short time. I am going to try to get down to see one of the better luthiers in our area tomorrow. I understand totally it is hard to diagnose without seeing it. I did use a little spittle on a cloth but it did not lift the slight gooey feeling. Most of the neck is fine - its just this one area, maybe the size of a half dollar right under the 2nd/3rd frets. If I run my fingernail along the neck it runs smoothly and makes no marks until I get to this area and then it feels slight rough and sticky and makes a mark, almost like a scrapper. John, I think you may have hit on something. I'm going to jump over to the ********* site and see what they use for finish.

I just discovered this at the ******* site:

"Can a guitar stand damage the finish on my guitar?

The nitrocellulose finish used on our necks may react when in contact with rubber, leather, plastics and other synthetic materials used to pad certain guitar stands and hanging hooks. It is usually safe to use stands and hooks to temporarily support your guitar. However if stands and hooks are used for more than temporary support it is best to drape a clean cotton cloth between the surface of the guitar and the contact points of stands, hooks or any other holding systems.

Certain household cleaners may also react with guitar finishes. Always use cleaners and polishes specifically developed for use on guitars. See Cleaning for more information. "

Man, I'm beginning to think this may be exactly what I am dealing with. If so, is that a big job? Do you do the entire neck or just the affected area?

**sunburst** · Oct-07-2010, 9:19pm

Depends on how good you want it to look. I've removed lacquer the consistency of chewing gum from areas of guitar necks and patched in new lacquer. With luck it is hard to see when finished, but I'd never guarantee an invisible repair done like that. Either refinishing or patching and overspraying the entire neck could make it look like new.

**Rob Gerety** · Oct-07-2010, 9:53pm

If you refi the entire neck - do you pull the neck? This is a bolt on neck.

**sunburst** · Oct-08-2010, 9:12am

Absolutely. The work involved in removing and replacing a bolt-on neck in nothing compared to the finish work itself and, once the neck is removed, the body is out of harms way (overspray) and out of the luthier's way. There are other reasons removing the neck is the best way to do it.

**Jim Garber** · Oct-08-2010, 11:27am

Is there a new forum rule that we can;t mention the name of the manufacturer? I see Rob deleted the name. it doesn;t sound like it would be a manufacturing defect or the fault of the maker. Why?

**Rob Gerety** · Oct-08-2010, 3:15pm

I deleted the manufacturer because I was concerned that the seller of this guitar might suffer some unfair bad publicity because it would be a fairly easy task to find listings on other forums and put 2 and 2 together. The seller is a good guy and totally honest and I don't want to cause him any harm.

I have attached a few pictures which are not all that clear but I think if you look very closely you can see the areas where the finish is missing in small spots (down to bare wood) and the area around those spots is gummy.

I am 99% sure I will end up buying this guitar and making some sort of repair. I have not found a local luthier who is set up to do this sort of nitro refinish work. I'm weighing the possibility of removing all the finish on the back of the neck and waxing it like some folks do - I think they call it a speed neck. But, I might also just find someone to refinish the entire neck. John, check your inbox.

Ooops - forgot the picture - here you go: