My PRS 35th Anniversary Custom 24

mikemcp

Dancer
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Mar 6, 2022
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6
Location
Texas
I am new to this forum, and I am looking for some help. I have been playing guitar for only a couple of years now and don’t really know much about guitars, still learning. I have a PRS CE 24 that a love, it’s a great guitar. Last year I bought a PRS 35th Anniversary Custom 24, also a great guitar.

The CE 24 has a satin nitro finish and is easy to slide my hand up and down the neck however, the 35th Anniversary Custom 24 has a high-gloss nitro over a cellulose finish and my hand doesn’t glide as smooth or as easily on the neck as it does on the CE 24, my hand drags on the finish. Has anyone else experienced this problem? If so, what did you do to smooth out the slide? I am afraid to put any oil or wax on it I don’t want to get anything on the strings or fretboard or damage the finish. Any suggestions? Thank you
 
Lots of folks run into issues with gloss necks feeling sticky, especially if you're used to playing on "unfinished" and "satin" necks.

Some people go as far as taking 0000 steel wool to the finish of the neck to knock off the top layer of gloss and smooth it out a bit.

I don't have much of a problem with gloss necks (regardless of what finish was used) on PRS guitars. Some "G" guitars out there I've played had incredibly sticky necks.

Don't be afraid of using regular guitar care products on the nitro-over-poly finish. Unless you're using something super abrasive, you shouldn't do any damage to the finish or fretboard. One product I like is the Music Nomad 2-in-1 cleaner / polisher. I've found this to really help smooth out the other-wise sticky feeling of a gloss finish. I use it on all my PRS guitars for cleaning (35th Anniversary, included) and have had not issues at all.
 
Lots of folks run into issues with gloss necks feeling sticky, especially if you're used to playing on "unfinished" and "satin" necks.

Some people go as far as taking 0000 steel wool to the finish of the neck to knock off the top layer of gloss and smooth it out a bit.

I don't have much of a problem with gloss necks (regardless of what finish was used) on PRS guitars. Some "G" guitars out there I've played had incredibly sticky necks.

Don't be afraid of using regular guitar care products on the nitro-over-poly finish. Unless you're using something super abrasive, you shouldn't do any damage to the finish or fretboard. One product I like is the Music Nomad 2-in-1 cleaner / polisher. I've found this to really help smooth out the other-wise sticky feeling of a gloss finish. I use it on all my PRS guitars for cleaning (35th Anniversary, included) and have had not issues at all.
Thank you
 
I am new to this forum, and I am looking for some help. I have been playing guitar for only a couple of years now and don’t really know much about guitars, still learning. I have a PRS CE 24 that a love, it’s a great guitar. Last year I bought a PRS 35th Anniversary Custom 24, also a great guitar.

The CE 24 has a satin nitro finish and is easy to slide my hand up and down the neck however, the 35th Anniversary Custom 24 has a high-gloss nitro over a cellulose finish and my hand doesn’t glide as smooth or as easily on the neck as it does on the CE 24, my hand drags on the finish. Has anyone else experienced this problem? If so, what did you do to smooth out the slide? I am afraid to put any oil or wax on it I don’t want to get anything on the strings or fretboard or damage the finish. Any suggestions? Thank you
I have this problem, too. I've used Scotch-Brite and a light touch to "satinize" the neck. Much better. Some people here use 3 or 4 coats of car wax (Meguiars, I believe) to correct the stickiness.
 
Nitro safe cleaner can help quite a bit. I find PRS HG Nitro to be much better than Gibson nitro, but satin finish will always feel faster.
 
I use the gray scotch brite and/or micro mesh, dependent on finish. Steel wool works too but makes a mess and takes more prep. I've done the wax thing as well, and still do.

I now have a system that uses most of these methods combined.

20201210_1239052ec930cc57f2e149.jpg
 
Lots of folks run into issues with gloss necks feeling sticky, especially if you're used to playing on "unfinished" and "satin" necks.

Some people go as far as taking 0000 steel wool to the finish of the neck to knock off the top layer of gloss and smooth it out a bit.

I don't have much of a problem with gloss necks (regardless of what finish was used) on PRS guitars. Some "G" guitars out there I've played had incredibly sticky necks.

Don't be afraid of using regular guitar care products on the nitro-over-poly finish. Unless you're using something super abrasive, you shouldn't do any damage to the finish or fretboard. One product I like is the Music Nomad 2-in-1 cleaner / polisher. I've found this to really help smooth out the other-wise sticky feeling of a gloss finish. I use it on all my PRS guitars for cleaning (35th Anniversary, included) and have had not issues at all.
Lots of folks run into issues with gloss necks feeling sticky, especially if you're used to playing on "unfinished" and "satin" necks.

Some people go as far as taking 0000 steel wool to the finish of the neck to knock off the top layer of gloss and smooth it out a bit.

I don't have much of a problem with gloss necks (regardless of what finish was used) on PRS guitars. Some "G" guitars out there I've played had incredibly sticky necks.

Don't be afraid of using regular guitar care products on the nitro-over-poly finish. Unless you're using something super abrasive, you shouldn't do any damage to the finish or fretboard. One product I like is the Music Nomad 2-in-1 cleaner / polisher. I've found this to really help smooth out the other-wise sticky feeling of a gloss finish. I use it on all my PRS guitars for cleaning (35th Anniversary, included) and have had not issues at all.
Thank you
 
I use the gray scotch brite and/or micro mesh, dependent on finish. Steel wool works too but makes a mess and takes more prep. I've done the wax thing as well, and still do.

I now have a system that uses most of these methods combined.

20201210_1239052ec930cc57f2e149.jpg
Thank you
 
Just beware if you ever use steel wool, you want to very carefully and completely cover your pickups first. Small metal shavings/flakes will fly around, and the magnets in the pickups will attract them and are a huge hassle to try to remove if not covered
 
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