Rosewood neck maintenance (feeling a little "grainy")

Jamland

New Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2015
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9
Location
Wilmington, Delaware
Hello, I'm new to the forum.
I have a beautiful 2012 408 Standard with a solid rosewood neck. The neck is feeling a little "grainy", particularly up the center. What would you recommend to smooth it out please?
 
I would, but you can't see any difference in the grain. It feels a little rougher than it does as you feel towards the edges. It didn't come that way, and I just bought a brand new 2014 HBII with a rosewood neck and it is consistently very smooth.
 
Contact ptc to see what they recommend for cleaning the neck
 
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I use 3000 grit sandpaper and fretboard oil to wet-sand the neck comes out super smooth !!!!!
or PTC has a treatment that is supposed to be sweet.
 
For that "furry" feel, use a micro-mesh with the finest wet-dry sanding grit. You can get it at Rockler and other woodworking stores. Go lightly.

Some folks have used steel wool, but that will be attracted to your pickups, and cause other messes on the guitar. Micro mesh is good stuff, the grit doesn't flake off easily as with sandpaper, and it lasts forever.

Use it very lightly, and follow up with - believe it or not - furniture polish sprayed onto a cloth, not directly onto the neck. This is what the Support page recommends, and it works. Go with the grain so you don't raise more fur.

They use Behold furniture polish at the factory. At one time they recommended Pledge. The Private Stock Department even uses Behold to seal fretboards I'm told.

I've used both on my rosewood necks in the past (I don't have a RW neck PRS currently), and they do the same thing. It'll seal the neck, and slow down future furry feel stuff caused by the moisture in your hands.

If the neck also needs cleaning, use the PRS fretboard conditioner, or any lemon oil, first. Rub a little bit on, and rub it off with a clean cloth. PRS recommends their own product, so you might want to stick with that to prevent any future warranty/support issues since their support page says to use their conditioner.
 
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I was actually considering creating a thread about this exact thing! My solid rosewood neck is the same way, the back of the neck, right up the center only, the grain can be felt. I also was curious if maybe some kind of grain filler is used, and had subsequently been worn away. Thanks for the thread and responses. I'm gonna take care of mine soon.
 
I was actually considering creating a thread about this exact thing! My solid rosewood neck is the same way, the back of the neck, right up the center only, the grain can be felt. I also was curious if maybe some kind of grain filler is used, and had subsequently been worn away. Thanks for the thread and responses. I'm gonna take care of mine soon.

No, they don't use a grain filler.

What happens is that the sweat moisture coming from your hand swells the grain of the wood, because it's mainly water. Rosewood is a very oily wood, but unlike a fretboard, your fingertips don't get it damp the way the palm of your hand does on the back of the neck.

If you use the micro-mesh - just wipe it over the neck a few times, you don't have to "sand" it hard - and then seal it with the furniture polish, it solves the problem.
 
I ended up using Micro Mesh sanding sheets that I got from Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H6HIK2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01
There were a few reviews by people that used them on guitars and they were all positive.
Having used them myself, I totally endorse them. The back of my neck is smooth and glossy. It feels and looks great. Highly recommended!

 
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