Spraying with the neck on.

The Achilles' Heel of Luthiery
Post Reply
Bob Gleason
Posts: 412
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 2:45 pm
Contact:

Spraying with the neck on.

Post by Bob Gleason »

I have posted this on several forums, so you may see it elsewhere. Like most builders these days, I finish my necks and bodies separately. I spray nitro. There are times though, when I need to do some spraying with the neck on. As anyone knows, doing the sanding and polishing around the fretboard extension and the neck heel is extremely difficult. Getting those areas as nice as you can when doing separate spraying of the neck and body seems next to impossible. I'm interested in hearing any techniques for that. How to you sand and buff that area without it looking different than the rest of the finish? I've seen some finishes from pros who have done a great finish , even with the neck on, so I know it's possible. Thanks, Bob
Stray Feathers
Posts: 677
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:39 pm
Location: Ladysmith, BC

Re: Spraying with the neck on.

Post by Stray Feathers »

I'm interested in this too. In my limited experience I have sprayed two guitars with necks on. I'm not aware that I have even seen a guitar where they have been finished separately, but maybe that's an indication of how good the results are. I find it fiddly around the heel, yes, but I also find it fiddly around volutes and doing slot heads too, and you can't avoid that. So I just sort of accepted the fiddly parts as part of the process. Any suggestions to make those spots easier would be good, and I am also interested to hear points pro and con. Bruce W.
Bob Gleason
Posts: 412
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 2:45 pm
Contact:

Re: Spraying with the neck on.

Post by Bob Gleason »

Almost all quality instruments that are bolt on necks have necks and bodies finished separately. I do dovetails, which is a little more difficult than bolts, but I also do the 2 parts separately. I've done finishes on over 700 of my own new instruments and hundreds of more refinishes when I was doing repairs. Doing the 2 parts separate allows you you completely sand and buff the body and neck and that's the easiest way to get a good finish around the neck joint. On repairs I generally had no choice but to do the assembled neck and body and I've just never figured out how to deal with the finish really well in that area. Hopefully we'll get some good hints from other builders.--Bob
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Spraying with the neck on.

Post by MaineGeezer »

I think a major reason for finishing them separately is to keep the finish from gluing the neck in place, making a future neck reset job more difficult than it needs to be.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
ruby@magpage.com
Posts: 1564
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Spraying with the neck on.

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

My daughter has her own repair shop (brooklynlutherie.com) and she says that Martin neck sets are pretty easy because the neck and body are finished separately, whereas Gibsons are more difficult because they are not. For us amateurs, separate finishing makes the most sense, in my opinion

Ed
Ed M
Stray Feathers
Posts: 677
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:39 pm
Location: Ladysmith, BC

Re: Spraying with the neck on.

Post by Stray Feathers »

I have finished only two guitars, and on one I had to do a reset (not a great average . . . ) I did not find it difficult to score the finish at the joint, but it was water-based, and fresh, so maybe those are factors? I am preparing to spray #3 with new (to me) equipment, and nitrocellulose lacquer, which I have not used before, so I was browsing the 'net last night. By chance, the only two videos I watched showed spraying with the neck on, and both were long-time luthiers - Robbie O'Brien and Gary Zimnicki. I can see pros and cons, but for the moment I am better set up to do them with necks on - but keeping an open mind. Bruce W.
phavriluk
Posts: 555
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:49 pm

Re: Spraying with the neck on.

Post by phavriluk »

We as amateurs see all kinds of demos and read all kinds of advice from highly skilled luthiers. I don't for a minute think I can get the results they show while applying my much-more-limited skills. If Mr. Expert can get a good finish after the guitar's assembled, good for him. I won't get those results. And I don't need to cut that corner, either. My time does not have a dollar value an production volume is not a worry.
peter havriluk
Post Reply