McCarty rosewood neck maintenance

[Analogjoe79]

Hello all! First post here.

I own a great 2004 McCarty with a rosewood neck, and it got really pale over time. I guess I should have used some lemon or Fret Doctor oil way before. About a year ago I started using some to give back the darker and smoother look, but it don't stay. I even tried the Monty's Instrument Food wax, without better result. Is there another product that is stronger, or something to sealed the oil?

Thank you!

https://imgur.com/a/47stE33

 

[Prina]

PRS Tung oil. Fantastic on rosewood.

 

[JasonE]

If you used a wax on it, the oil may not actually be getting to the wood. You may need to strip that wax off to get the oil to get into the wood. Playing the guitar should help too. The oils from your hand will work their way in there.

 

[Greywolf]

I use https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-too...es/finishes-and-solvents/colortone-lemon-oil/

 

[deathworlder]

You sure it's rosewood?

 

[Going Modal]

Wow, never seen THAT before. And it appears that the side edges of the fretboard rosewood did not fade?

 

[JasonE]

You sure it's rosewood?

Wow, never seen THAT before. And it appears that the side edges of the fretboard rosewood did not fade?

Now that you guys stay that, I am also wondering if it is rosewood. It is pretty light and the back of the headstock is darker but looks the same after oiling. The fretboard is a true measure though. It looks dark like rosewood should.

I had a guitar that had a fairly light rosewood board when I bought it new. I oiled it one time with Fret Dr.. It darkened up over the years and looks like normal rosewood now.

 

[Analogjoe79]

Well, the tag says Rosewood neck...nothing more.

The fingerboard is indeed way darker, as rosewood should be. Here are some more pictures and the headstock too.
I bought the guitar used, about 12 years ago, and I know for sure that the rosewood was darker before, even the headstock.
It's darker under the truss rod cover. Could be the sun I guess. I didn't wanted to try the oil on it in fear that it could remove the
PRS logo...

https://imgur.com/a/CBu9kEC

 

[JasonE]

Well, the tag says Rosewood neck...nothing more.

The fingerboard is indeed way darker, as rosewood should be. Here are some more pictures and the headstock too.
I bought the guitar used, about 12 years ago, and I know for sure that the rosewood was darker before, even the headstock.
It's darker under the truss rod cover. Could be the sun I guess. I didn't wanted to try the oil on it in fear that it could remove the
PRS logo...

https://imgur.com/a/CBu9kEC

So that picture is interesting to me too. I don't think I have never seen a PRS with rosewood neck that hat the gold foil sticker on the headstock. They usually have an inlayed signature. I believe the reason they did that was because with rosewood being an oily wood the stickers would eventually come off. I could be wrong on this but that was the first thing that hit me when I saw that picture. The color and grain of the neck look more like mahogany to me.

 

[jak3af3r]

So that picture is interesting to me too. I don't think I have never seen a PRS with rosewood neck that hat the gold foil sticker on the headstock. They usually have an inlayed signature. I believe the reason they did that was because with rosewood being an oily wood the stickers would eventually come off. I could be wrong on this but that was the first thing that hit me when I saw that picture. The color and grain of the neck look more like mahogany to me.

https://imgur.com/LprxvEN

https://imgur.com/0Zfm42t

My custom 24 from 2010 has the gold logo. Although not as drastically light as above, my neck and fretboard are different colors.

 

[Analogjoe79]

https://imgur.com/0NmbCjg

 

[dkilpatrick]

Interesting, is your guitar cased when not in use or does it remain out all the time? Maybe a side effect from UV exposure.
I have a rosewood necked McCarty that remains in its case when I’m not playing.
I haven’t noticed any color change to note.

 

[Analogjoe79]

Interesting, is your guitar cased when not in use or does it remain out all the time? Maybe a side effect from UV exposure.
I have a rosewood necked McCarty that remains in its case when I’m not playing.
I haven’t noticed any color change to note.

It's always out of the case, but the back of the neck is never exposed directly to sunlight

 

[RC Mike]

It’s a rosewood neck. The SN is stamped on it, which PRS does with RW necks. It’s reasonable that the next and fretboard are different shades, as they’re different pieces of wood.

 

[JasonE]

https://imgur.com/LprxvEN

https://imgur.com/0Zfm42t

My custom 24 from 2010 has the gold logo. Although not as drastically light as above, my neck and fretboard are different colors.

https://imgur.com/0NmbCjg

Thanks for posting pictures for validation. I appreciate that.

It’s a rosewood neck. The SN is stamped on it, which PRS does with RW necks. It’s reasonable that the next and fretboard are different shades, as they’re different pieces of wood.

It could have been another variety of wood that they decided to stamp. That is what the question was. The hang tag and picture of another one above show it is a breed of rosewood.



I am guessing the guitar doesn't get played a lot. I think skin oils would keep it sealed. I have a Taylor that came with no finish on the mahogany neck It is nice and sealed with a little shine on it just from playing it. As I mentioned early in the thread. If you used any sort of wax on it, that could be keeping the oil from getting into the wood. I use Fret Dr. on rosewood, only when it needs it, and that lasts for a really long time.

 

[Analogjoe79]

I am guessing the guitar doesn't get played a lot. I think skin oils would keep it sealed. I have a Taylor that came with no finish on the mahogany neck It is nice and sealed with a little shine on it just from playing it. As I mentioned early in the thread. If you used any sort of wax on it, that could be keeping the oil from getting into the wood. I use Fret Dr. on rosewood, only when it needs it, and that lasts for a really long time.

I play with this guitar regularly. Last time I put oil on the neck was about 5 months ago, and got to this state in the first picture I’ve posted in that time frame.

 

[JMintzer]

So that picture is interesting to me too. I don't think I have never seen a PRS with rosewood neck that hat the gold foil sticker on the headstock. They usually have an inlayed signature. I believe the reason they did that was because with rosewood being an oily wood the stickers would eventually come off. I could be wrong on this but that was the first thing that hit me when I saw that picture. The color and grain of the neck look more like mahogany to me.

Yeah, no...

BRW neck w/a foil sticker signature...

 

[JMintzer]

Thanks for posting pictures for validation. I appreciate that.


It could have been another variety of wood that they decided to stamp. That is what the question was. The hang tag and picture of another one above show it is a breed of rosewood.



I am guessing the guitar doesn't get played a lot. I think skin oils would keep it sealed. I have a Taylor that came with no finish on the mahogany neck It is nice and sealed with a little shine on it just from playing it. As I mentioned early in the thread. If you used any sort of wax on it, that could be keeping the oil from getting into the wood. I use Fret Dr. on rosewood, only when it needs it, and that lasts for a really long time.

I've NEVER seen a Taylor with an unfinished neck...

They use a satin finish on the neck...

 

[JasonE]

Yeah, no...

BRW neck w/a foil sticker signature...

View attachment 12321

Yep, others posted pictures. I honestly don't remember seeing these.

I've NEVER seen a Taylor with an unfinished neck...

They use a satin finish on the neck...

It is an old Taylor 110. If there is or was a finish on it, it was barely there. The neck looks and feels completely different now than it did when I bought it new. I have had the guitar for a long time. I bought it to use it as a play around the campfire guitar. It is perfect for that. It has a spruce top and laminated back and sides. It has held up to being played outside at night a lot.

 

[Tedder]

Yep, others posted pictures. I honestly don't remember seeing these.


It is an old Taylor 110. If there is or was a finish on it, it was barely there. The neck looks and feels completely different now than it did when I bought it new. I have had the guitar for a long time. I bought it to use it as a play around the campfire guitar. It is perfect for that. It has a spruce top and laminated back and sides. It has held up to being played outside at night a lot.

It's probably a satin finish. My Taylor T5z and my core both have satin finishes. They don't feel like they are finished compared to a glossy finish, and they gloss up quickly with repeated hand contact. I've had my core for maybe 5 weeks and it already has a bit of a shine where my hand touches the top below the strings in between the pickups.