Tung vs Tru oil for a maple neck

[bassplayer82]

I have a Fender Mustang Road Worn bass with a maple neck I'm planning to refinish with polymerized tung oil or Tru oil. For those of you who have used either oil, did the wood darken much after multiple coats?

My headstock has an amber color and I'd like to try to match it. The tints/dyes I found online such as TransTint don't mix with oil. I could try mixing the dye with denatured alcohol and apply it directly to the wood, and then add coats of oil. Anyone have success with this? Any tips on products (oils and dyes) and approach?

I think I'd prefer the feel of tung oil but I read it requires you to apply more oil fairly often ie. every 6 months or less.

Here's a pic of my bass neck.

 

[Sea Devil]

That's a pretty hard line. You'd have to finesse the hell out of it to get it to match.

 

[WalthamMoosical]

I finished a maple neck with TruOil, no regrets, but I don't think it darkened it enough to match what I normally think of when someone says "amber."

 

[Sea Devil]

I think you should remove the tuners and hit the remaining finish with acetone, not sandpaper. Get it most of the way off or all the way off, then use whatever you want to finish it. You'd have a hell of a time hiding that line.

 

[bassplayer82]

That's a pretty hard line. You'd have to finesse the hell out of it to get it to match.

Yeah. I don't expect perfection but I'd like the neck to be darker than it currently is, that's for sure. If I applied oil alone, would it darken some?

I read if you apply a dye directly to the wood, you often get blotches, which I definitely don't want.

 

[bassplayer82]

I think you should remove the tuners and hit the remaining finish with acetone, not sandpaper. Get it most of the way off or all the way off, then use whatever you want to finish it. You'd have a hell of a time hiding that line.

I considered that. Why acetone instead of paper? Would you leave the original finish on the sides of the headstock cause then you'd still have a line where the sides meet the back of the neck.

 

[bassplayer82]

I finished a maple neck with TruOil, no regrets, but I don't think it darkened it enough to match what I normally think of when someone says "amber."

Have you had to reapply coats of oil over time or has the original finish lasted well? Any tips on how to get a satin look and feel? I'm not a fan of glossy necks. Is it just a matter of applying fewer coats?

 

[ahiddentableau]

IME Tru Oil lasts a long time. I've never noticed its consistency/build change much over time or ever needed to reapply it, even on a neck with a very thin application that gets a heck of a lot of use. Apparently it's more of a wipe-on varnish than a straight-up oil, so I wouldn't worry too much about that particular issue.

The colour match, on the other hand... I think that'd be brutally hard to pull off. I've read comments from others who report success using artist's paints to tint TruOil, so that'd be worth a search. If you try it I hope you post a pic, I'd be interested to see how it goes.

Good luck with it!

 

[stratisfied]

Do yourself a favor and continue sanding right up to the contour that forms the bottom edge of the flat headstock back and up into the cutaways on the sides.

Either finish is fine but you’ll have to stain to get a closer color match.

 

[bassplayer82]

Do yourself a favor and continue sanding right up to the contour that forms the bottom edge of the flat headstock back and up into the cutaways on the sides.

Either finish is fine but you’ll have to stain to get a closer color match.

Any chance you could point out the area on my pic or a pic of another neck? Having trouble following your comment, though it's probably my fault, not yours.

I found a thread on another guitar site in which they talk about applying a dye or stain directly onto the wood, and then add coats of oil. This is what I'll do. I read a dye will let the grain show through more than a stain. Any tips on a good dye product? Thinking TransTint honey amber. Do I mix the dye with water and then apply it to the wood?

 

[WalthamMoosical]

Have you had to reapply coats of oil over time or has the original finish lasted well? Any tips on how to get a satin look and feel? I'm not a fan of glossy necks. Is it just a matter of applying fewer coats?

I finished that neck only about 2 years ago and it has gotten very little use, no wear. I put a LOT of coats on and it is pretty glossy. A satin look and feel would be obtained by using very few coats ... and would lead to even less darkening, so not like amber at all IMHO.

 

[KrushingTone]

I use tru oil for a longtime. From my experience you may not get a perfect match with dye and tru oil, but you can get a pretty good aged look.If you wanna dye your neck, take care of every corners like corners between heel and neck. I don't know if you have sanded your finish off that parts, these parts will absorb more dye and cause a dark uneven look.

 

[Whitebeard]

I have a Fender Mustang Road Worn bass with a maple neck I'm planning to refinish with polymerized tung oil or Tru oil. For those of you who have used either oil, did the wood darken much after multiple coats?

My headstock has an amber color and I'd like to try to match it. The tints/dyes I found online such as TransTint don't mix with oil. I could try mixing the dye with denatured alcohol and apply it directly to the wood, and then add coats of oil. Anyone have success with this? Any tips on products (oils and dyes) and approach?

I think I'd prefer the feel of tung oil but I read it requires you to apply more oil fairly often ie. every 6 months or less.

Here's a pic of my bass neck.

Here's the only example I can provide. This strat type has a multi coat true oil finish that was hand applied with a cloth. I let it dry/cure for a couple days between every couple of coats and then sanded with micro-mesh before applying the next couple coats. Here's before and after. I will say that the finish on the neck has worn from use. The wear is on the first-string side of the neck caused by callus on the lower part of my left index finger. Good luck.

 

[rschiller]

I have a Fender Mustang Road Worn bass with a maple neck I'm planning to refinish with polymerized tung oil or Tru oil. For those of you who have used either oil, did the wood darken much after multiple coats?

My headstock has an amber color and I'd like to try to match it. The tints/dyes I found online such as TransTint don't mix with oil. I could try mixing the dye with denatured alcohol and apply it directly to the wood, and then add coats of oil. Anyone have success with this? Any tips on products (oils and dyes) and approach?

I think I'd prefer the feel of tung oil but I read it requires you to apply more oil fairly often ie. every 6 months or less.

Here's a pic of my bass neck.

As others suggested, you're best option is likely to completely strip the headstock and refinish the whole neck. Behlens Master Tung Oil is excellent though a lot of coats w/ overnight drying and v. light sanding is best between each coat.

 

[40flash]

For your consideration: You want something that isn't going to darken the nice color you've stained or dyed your maple. This is it. A friend who is a master woodworker made a burl maple pepper shaker and surprised me with it as a gift. I asked what the beautiful clear finish he used. I was shocked when he told me. He used super glue. It's durable, clear, easy to apply and easy to repair. I've finished several guitar necks with it now. Works great. I buy the small tubes at Harbor Freight. I drip it on and smear it around with my finger in a disposable latex glove. I do 3-4 coats, sand it smooth and hand polish with Microfiber polishing cloths. The cloths come with grits of 1500, 1800, 2400, 3600, 6,000, 8,000 and 12,000. Like you, I don't want the back of my necks to be high gloss because my fingers stick to it. If you want less than high gloss, it's easy. Just stop polishing way before you get to the 12,000 grit. 1800 grit or 2400 for a satin finish. I buy from these guys and use them to polish everything including metals. https://www.arizonasilhouette.com/c...arch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high= They're worth it.

Precautions: Apply the super glue in a well ventilated area. I put a fan right next to the project blowing the fumes away from me. You don't want it in your eyes or lungs. Attached are two of my neck builds. I did super glue on some fretboards and wouldn't recommend it but perfect for neck backs.

 

[bassplayer82]

I use tru oil for a longtime. From my experience you may not get a perfect match with dye and tru oil, but you can get a pretty good aged look.If you wanna dye your neck, take care of every corners like corners between heel and neck. I don't know if you have sanded your finish off that parts, these parts will absorb more dye and cause a dark uneven look.

Are you recommending I leave the original finish on the areas with corners?

 

[Tele Plucker]

I have a Fender Mustang Road Worn bass with a maple neck I'm planning to refinish with polymerized tung oil or Tru oil. For those of you who have used either oil, did the wood darken much after multiple coats?

My headstock has an amber color and I'd like to try to match it. The tints/dyes I found online such as TransTint don't mix with oil. I could try mixing the dye with denatured alcohol and apply it directly to the wood, and then add coats of oil. Anyone have success with this? Any tips on products (oils and dyes) and approach?

I think I'd prefer the feel of tung oil but I read it requires you to apply more oil fairly often ie. every 6 months or less.

Here's a pic of my bass neck.

Two things…I haven’t used tung oil but I have used TruOil on a USAG neck a few years ago and it really worked great. The maple has definitely darkened, and it plays so nice.

While I‘m not necessarily trying to be cute…I must ask….do you play with your back to your audience?

 

[WalATX]

Tru oil builds a finish on top of the wood.

If you want to seal the wood and keep a “wood” natural feel to it, my favorite is Antique Oil Finish from Minwax. Idiot proof application.

Neither will tint your neck very much.

 

[Dr Kensington]

I have a Fender Mustang Road Worn bass with a maple neck I'm planning to refinish with polymerized tung oil or Tru oil. For those of you who have used either oil, did the wood darken much after multiple coats?

My headstock has an amber color and I'd like to try to match it. The tints/dyes I found online such as TransTint don't mix with oil. I could try mixing the dye with denatured alcohol and apply it directly to the wood, and then add coats of oil. Anyone have success with this? Any tips on products (oils and dyes) and approach?

I think I'd prefer the feel of tung oil but I read it requires you to apply more oil fairly often ie. every 6 months or less.

Here's a pic of my bass neck.

I mixed Mixol dyes with Tru Oil in an attempt to get an amber color on an unfinished Guitar Fetish neck. For a first attempt I think it worked OK. Enough so that I will try it again on my next project. It was strictly trial and error. Adding one drop at a time of yellow and brown to about an ounce of Tru Oil. Sometimes one and not the other to get close to the color I was shooting for. I really like the Truoil finish. It feels great.

 

[Direwolf]

You can use tinted shellac to get the color you want, then put the Tru-oil over it.