Tru-Oil or Minwax Nitro - which makes maple "pop" more?

I have a can of Minwax Nitro (Satin) and a small bottle of Tru-Oil Gunstock finish in the basement and a nice maple Warmoth strat neck on the way.

Which is going to make any flame or grain "pop" more? There's a slight amount of flame in this neck that I'd like to bring out as much as possible while still keeping a satiny, worn-in comfy feeling finish.

Tru oil... No question

Tru-Oil before and after:

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb76/guitarzan_1/USACG2/IMG_6104.jpg
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb76/guitarzan_1/USACG2/IMG_6101.jpg
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb76/guitarzan_1/USACG2/IMG_5514.jpg
http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb76/guitarzan_1/USACG2/IMG_6227.jpg

Wow-- nice! How many coats of Tru-Oil for that one?

Thanks, its a USA CUSTOM GUITARS neck snared off the web specials page...
Just a couple coats, the back will be steel wooled down, but I'll leave the fretboard shiny and see how it holds up to the strings. Headstock will be polished.
Tru-Oil is very easy to work with and does indeed get a very nice satin finish with steel wool.

Only a couple coats? The last time I did Tru-Oil on a neck, it was over top of Deft Sanding Sealer, that I sprayed on the neck when I thought I wanted to go for a bare wood feel.

Works great for that, but definitely doesn't let the grain pop through like it should, because when I added the Tru-Oil, it didn't accentuate things like I was hoping. Plus it was an Allparts which has some sort of sealer on the fretboard that I don't think helped.

That's ok-- I've since sold that neck and the Warmoth neck that's on the way will get either a shellac treatment or Tru-Oil. No Deft SS this time and no sealer on the neck from the factory to deal with.

No sanding sealer or anything. Just two coats on the back since I'm going to steel wool it down anyway. The fretboard has three coats. I'm leaving it thick and shiny. It's "experimental" as I want to see how it holds up to the strings.
The head has four coats, but I'm wet sanding it down level and polishing it.
I wipe it on by hand. I tried the spray version, but it has too many solvents in it to make it sprayable, and as it dries it forms large honeycomb fish eyes.
The original wipe on product yellows nicely as it cures, sorta amber or honey I guess you could call it.

Tru-Oil does work well to pop the grain. AND, you can use nitro lacquer OVER it if you want, after it cures.

I did an entire mahogany body with Tru-Oil and it's killer.

Awesome! Let's see some pics!
This neck is going on an ash top, mahogany body Strat. With a walnut pickguard.

Awesome! Let's see some pics!
This neck is going on an ash top, mahogany body Strat. With a walnut pickguard.

Nice combo. Gives me a "woody"! :mrgreen:

This is a 1" Musikraft done in Tru-Oil (about 5 years ago) tinted slightly w/ Stew-Mac Amber dye (in the Tru-Oil)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/mellecaster/Business%201/DSCF3030.JPG.jpg

How do you apply the Tru oil? Can you do a "french" polish? What kinda cure time does the oil need before you can start playing on it?

That's really nice. I would not thought of using that on a neck.

Tru oil will pop the grain for you. Apply directly to the wood without any barriers. Here's a "How to" link: http://www.reranch.com/reranch/viewtopic.php?t=15094

Don't forget to whisker the neck before dyeing for best results. A tru oil finish is usually playable within a couple of hours of applying the last coat. I usually give it a day or 2 before installing the neck. A week is optimal.

7 coats of tru oil on this Baritone neck i have been working on

http://www.tonywatkinsmusic.com/gallery/albums/userpics/Picture-036.jpg

I always thought that tru-oil was much darker. I don't know why I thought that...:shock:

Hmmm... I like it! I think that is the finish for me. I understand it feels pretty organic and it's easy to touch up at a later date if needed.

Yes, it has that no finish kind of feel. When it wears down just wipe on a little more.

I took my time and never let my bare hands touch the neck.
I steel wooled betwen every coat, i put the 1st coat on just using a small piece of cloth
waited 2 hours the gave it another coat, i then didnt tru oil coat agin until i couldnt smell the oil on the neck at all and that was between 4 and 7 days. The neck was always hanging up after i put the coats on. After each buff with steel wool i ran a magnet over it to pick up the metal fibres.Quarter sawn maple doesnt have too much grain to pop but it still come up nice with the tru oil.

http://www.tonywatkinsmusic.com/gallery/albums/userpics/Picture-041.jpg

I know we are talking necks here, but here a bass I'm currently working on. Transtint honey amber dye and 2 coats of tru oil to pop the grain. It's starting to have that 3D look to it after 2 coats.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh156/ThaLowEndTheory/My%20Projects/DSCF3334.jpg

These are all cheap necks. Squiers and SX necks.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh156/ThaLowEndTheory/My%20Projects/DSCF2451.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh156/ThaLowEndTheory/My%20Projects/DSCF2089.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh156/ThaLowEndTheory/My%20Projects/DSCF0730.jpg

I know we are talking necks here, but here a bass I'm currently working on. Transtint honey amber dye and 2 coats of tru oil to pop the grain. It's starting to have that 3D look to it after 2 coats.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh156/ThaLowEndTheory/My%20Projects/DSCF3334.jpg


What's the guitar in the back of those three done in? That's sort of the look I've been trying to figure out. I'm working on some projects and plan to try a translucent finish like the good old blonde look, but with color. Imagine pastel colors like sonic blue with the ash grain popping through just enough.

Jordan