@Jazzbass19 a good pool cue is more satin/natural, wheras a bar pool cue is normally gloss. Once you feel a satin finish you wont go back. Even a light rub with a scouring pad will make it feel better. If you have a bass store close to you give one a try.
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After playing with both, glossy necks definitely feel sticky if youâre getting sweaty or if your hands are prone to sweating.
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I agree. I know this is an old thread, but once you try a satin neck â youâre ruined. You wonât want to play glossy neck again.
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I honestly donât get why Fender makes them like that.
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I have spent the last 2 hours trying to find a procedure to reduce a gloss neck down to a satin finish.
I see 0000 steel wool and Scotch Brite pads mentioned a lot but I prefer to use sandpaper and see no details in reducing gloss necks to a satin finish using sandpaper.
I have dry/wet sandpaper ranging up to 7000 grit.
Can somebody please give me a step by step procedure to reduce a glossy neck to a satin finish using sandpaper?
have you used 3M pads before and hate them? for something like this i think they are far, far superior to sandpaper:
- they do not leave behind any grit, which sandpaper can do and steel wool DEFINITELY will do (steel wool is a hard pass in my opinion for this reason).
- they contour much better to organic shapes like the neck of a bass, especially heading up towards the headstock and down towards the connection at the body.
- it is much easier to have a more even and gentle removal of gloss with pads - the way your hand pressure sort of spreads out a bit because of the thickness of the pad vs. essentially no thickness in sandpaper.
- personally i would start with a maroon 3M pad, give it a gentle but firm rub, then move to a gray pad, and finish with a white pad (which has almost no abrasive at all). note that you can also use these wet if you want (but i do not see a reason to here). note all these are available at any big box home store.
obviously you do you, if you are only interested in sandpaper go for it⌠but i think pads are much much better for this application. you are just trying to essentially make a bunch of scratches that break up the smoothness of a gloss finish - and those scratches should be fine enough to not see and feel good under your hand. you are much less likely to literally remove the finish entirely (which you do not want to do) with pads vs paper.
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Sorry canât help. I use green 3M pads and it takes 30 seconds
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Both are great. I love them both.
Nitro or poly neck provider better thumb grip which allows you to play with less grip pressure. Itâs best to use these for learning songs and licks that you have not mastered yet.
Satin is smooth but requires more grip pressure when you play unless of course you have already master the songs then it doesnât matter your grip pressure will be naturally relaxed.
If you like do dig in glossy all the way. If you have light touches then satin is for you.
If you are a slider then pick satin, a technician precision then glossy.
My 4 cents 2 for each, 
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I would if I could but the only thing I have found available in Canada is the green pads and they do seem a little coarse for this application and thatâs why I asked about sandpaper.
I do have some 0000 steel wool and may just give that a try.
This is for an acoustic instrument with no pickups.
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Many of the top acoustic luthiers swear by 0000 steel wool. Works beautifully.
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I really hate steel wool and this is one of many reasons.
If you do decide to use it, definitely tape your pickups first.
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Is it just used dry or is there a lubricant, like water or oil, also used?
There are no pickups to worry about in this instance.
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Itâs used dry.
Rub it down with a tack cloth afterwards and youâre all good.
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If youâre used to steel wool from other woodworking you know what to expect.
If not, I recommend wearing disposable gloves and be ready to vacuum your workspace.
The biggest reasons I avoid it now are the steel dust residue, and an unfortunate accidental discovery of how flammable steel wool is.
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Yep I hear you. I have used steel wool to polish frets in the past and with nobody mentioning using very fine grit sandpaper to get rid of the gloss Iâll probably give 0000 steel wool a try.
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Steel wool is easier on your hand than sandpaper but itâs a night mare working with it around the pickups. I just skipped it altogether when it comes to electric instruments. I just use sandpaper instead.
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What grit?
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I use 600 upwards.
This tells you all you need to know.
When I did sterling Joe Dart I started with 400 all the way to 5000. But pretty much 800 to 1500 is plenty. I checked it against all of my satin finished usa made necks. It feels identical.