Roasted Maple Necks - any experiences?

guitarfishbay

To people who have played Roasted Maple Necks how does the feel compare to satin finished maple, or Music Man style oil + wax finished maple?

Does it feel very dry?  How does it react to sweaty hands?  Any long term considerations/observations?

Considering getting a Warmoth modern neck for my partscaster.  Deciding between an all maple neck I'll finish myself Music Man style - or all roasted maple.

dindude

Good question, I am too at this stage of deciding...

guitarfishbay

Yeah... my sister is visiting soon from the other side of the Atlantic and a neck would come in under customs limits.

I've got to say as far as feel goes the Music Man oil + wax finish is hands down the nicest thing I've felt from a playing perspective.  So I guess my preference would be for as little finish as possible, hence thinking about roasted maple.

hotpickups

guitarfishbay said:

Yeah... my sister is visiting soon from the other side of the Atlantic and a neck would come in under customs limits.

I've got to say as far as feel goes the Music Man oil + wax finish is hands down the nicest thing I've felt from a playing perspective.  So I guess my preference would be for as little finish as possible, hence thinking about roasted maple.

Having just bought a music man rosewood neck guitar I can whole heartedly agree. Lovely and tactile

Sassafras

Is it Warmoth that refuse to guarantee necks ordered without a finish?

guitarfishbay

Sassafras said:

Is it Warmoth that refuse to guarantee necks ordered without a finish?

That policy does not apply to Roasted Maple necks.

Edit here it is in more depth -

WARRANTY

Warmoth Guitar Products, Inc. warrants its necks and bodies to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for the periods listed below:

2 Year Warranty coverage:

• Necks hard finished by Warmoth
• Roasted Maple necks
• Exotic* wood necks
• Guitar & Bass Bodies

1 Year Warranty coverage:

• Necks that are hard finished competently by customers within 30 days of receiving product

* Exotic neck woods include, Ebony, Bocote, Bloodwood, Rosewood, Padouk, Wenge, Ziricote, Canary, Purpleheart, Bubinga, Goncalo Alves, Pau Ferro, and Imbuia.

Lebarque

I've got an unfinished roasted strat neck from USACG. I was seduced by the smoothness of playing it unfinished. It is indeed very smooth and fast, but I'm tempted to get some sort of light finish on it, now that the novelty has worn off. I've not sweat-tested it I'm afraid.

 If you can, play a heavy relic Fender custom shop neck. If you don't like the feeling of raw wood, you won't like unfinished roasted maple.

guitarfishbay

Hmm that's a fair point.

I guess if I get Roasted Maple and find it too raw then it should still be ok to finish it lightly with oil and wax similarly to Music Man necks?

guitars4you

The roasted maple neck's I've played like M/Man or Tom Anderson have that same smooth 'unfinished' feel that is similar to a M/Man wax/oil blend - certainly played in and no 'new sticky vibe' - I have some Fender Custom Shop versions on order for later in 2017 but not played one yet - Can't comment on a long term feel and sweat as I've only played in store for 5-10 mins

Whitecat

My Novo Serus has a "tempered" maple neck which I believe is essentially a proprietary name for the same process. It's awesome. It's a relic job so has some artificial play-in on it anyway but it feels great, not rough/raw at all.

Vaiai

I have roasted maple on my Suhr Tele and the Guthrie Charvel but they are both a bit different - neither are sticky tho - I loved my Axis neck too but they don't feel quite like that.
As you are buying the neck you do have that luxury of finishing it how you wish

WezV

guitarfishbay said:

Hmm that's a fair point.

I guess if I get Roasted Maple and find it too raw then it should still be ok to finish it lightly with oil and wax similarly to Music Man necks?

Raw rarely means totally unfinished, for good reason.  A light oil or wax is always better than nothing at all

damm73

I've got a roasted maple Jazzmaster neck from @GSPBASSES ;;. Graham recommended sealing it with a couple light coats of Eze oil, a small bottle of which he kindly included with the neck. 

It added a lovely sheen and enhanced the figuring without really changing the amazing feel (and smell!) of the raw wood. It does feel similar to a Musicman neck unsurprisingly, i.e. silky smooth. I don't think there's any benefit to leaving it totally raw. 

EDIT: gave up trying to embed this pic... https://goo.gl/photos/9jQQtaU6nfqdzn4R6

riscado

I always assumed the roasted maple necks were finished as well. Kind of surprised to find out some makers are actually going with no finish...

hubobulous

I have a few Suhr roasted necks and an EBMM EVH. Very similar feel, not tacky at all.

Sassafras

Where can you find Eze Oil?
Google points me to aromatherapy and essential oils for clearing up catarrh.

guitarfishbay

I've not used Eze Oil, but I have used Tru Oil and Wax before and I bought those from a seller on Amazon that was something to do with guns IIRC.

GSPBASSES

https://www.fintrim.co.uk/products/maintenance-products/morrells-flooring-easy-oil-280.html

Sassafras

GSPBASSES said:

https://www.fintrim.co.uk/products/maintenance-products/morrells-flooring-easy-oil-280.html

Excellent. Thank you.

GSPBASSES

There is a minor issue with Eze oil, it is only available in one litre cans and you can do an awful lot of guitars and necks from one can. Once you've opened the can it does start to go off, which is the same as most of the oils you use the finishing necks and bodies. When I buy one litre of Eze oil I decant it into 50ml plastic bottles, this does increase the lifespan to about a year. I Alternatively you could use Crimson guitar finishing oil, this is very similar to Eze oil, and is available in small quantities.

Sassafras

GSPBASSES said:

There is a minor issue with easy oil, it is only available in one litre cans and you can do an awful lot of guitars and necks from one can. Once you've opened the can it does start to go off, which is the same as most of the oils you use the finishing necks and bodies. When I buy one litre of easy oil I decant it into 50ml plastic bottles, this does increase the lifespan to about a year. I Alternatively you could use Crimson guitar finishing oil, this is very similar to easy oil, and is available in small quantities.

Thanks, that sounds like a more practical solution. I've only got the one guitar to do.