Total Newbie. Finishing an ash body with tru oil?

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Hi all. I am going to attempt this myself I think. I've seen various videos etc online on how to do it, but thought I'd ask the experts here as well. I have an unfinished ash bass body.

I'd like to finish it while keeping the natural look. I understand that tru oil is a good option here, and from the videos I have seen, it would seem to be manageable enough even for the likes of me. 

Take into account I can barely change a bridge or do intonation, that's how bad I am.

A few questions I had:

I would think it's stupid to e.g. finish the top, let it dry, do the sides, let them dry, do the back etc, as that would mean an uneven finish?
Would it be best to hang the body and apply all over to begin with?
Is it simply a case of applying evenly with (any) cloth, let it dry and reapply?
Sorry for the totally stupid questions, but I think it's something I should attempt finally! 
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Comments

  • davrosdavros Frets: 1324
    I finished an ash body with tru oil. The way I did it was to rub it in with coffee filters or fingers, leave for a couple of minutes then carefully wipe off as much as you can with folded kitchen towel. You want to use lots of thin coats, if you bung it on and let it dry without wiping off, it will take a lifetime to dry.

    After about 5 coats I knocked it back with 0000 wire wool and did anothe 5, finishing with wire wool.

    Left a really nice finish.
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  • davrosdavros Frets: 1324
    edited October 2021
    If you get some blocks to put in the pickup cavities, you can do the front and sides then flip it over onto the blocks and do the back. Might be difficult to wipe on/off with it hanging.
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  • Creed_ClicksCreed_Clicks Frets: 1385
    edited October 2021
    @davros thanks for the tips. It's a 51 p bass body, so basic enough in design etc. It's the 0000 wool part I might find tricky, but assume it is handy enough? How many coats?
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  • davrosdavros Frets: 1324
    edited October 2021
    It was a while ago, maybe 10 coats? Screwfix sell the wire wool
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  • BillDLBillDL Frets: 7040
    edited October 2021
    I have a 2" x 1.75" piece of wood about 18" long that I put into the neck pocket of bolt-on bodies and screw the body onto it using little washers on the back of the body where the mounting plate will later go, so the screw heads don't dig into the screw holes.  The last few inches of the stick is rounded to about the diameter of a broomstick and has a hole drilled through it for a hanging hook.  This is my handle to hold the body like a paddle.  You need strong arms, however I also have a much shorter length of tubular metal with a thick cap welded to one end and a small diameter hole drilled through the cap.  I drop a thin screw down into it from the other end so that the threads go through the hole, and I use a long-handled screwdriver to screw this into the body where the strap button will go afterwards.  I wouldn't hold the body weight on the metal tube alone, but in combination with the much stronger handle on the other side it won't tear out the screw.

    These temporary screw-ons allow me to suspend the body on high supports at either side to apply finish.  When supported on the flat part of the handle it will stay in that plane, but if I want to be able to spin it I just shift the support to the round end of the handle.  I can pick up the body using the handle and hang it to dry, or hang it to apply finish, whichever is the best way to achieve a good finish.
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    @WezV Time for your advice on the slurry method.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • ThePrettyDamnedThePrettyDamned Frets: 7472
    edited October 2021
    @WezV it's time for slurries!

    Edit: @Roland beat me to it, by ages, but I hadn't refreshed my phone apparently... 
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  • I’ll give it a shot !
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16543
    edited October 2021
    Thats for super smooth oil finishes with a nice soft sheen.

    You can just wipe on and wipe off, and buff as needed.  It still works fine and many are happy with the results from that

    The good news is its hard to go wrong as long as you are wiping oil, wiping it off  a few minutes later and putting in a lot of elbow grease.  Rinse and repeat till happy
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  • So you would suggest danish oil over tru oil?
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16543
    I've used both quite happily.  Tru oil will be more hard-wearing
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  • NPPNPP Frets: 236
    I can confirm that @WezV 's method works well, even if used by a total newbie. I put a wire through a neck bolt hole and hung the guitar from my clothes dryer between applying coats.

    Pics here: https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/25539/70s-strat-makeover-project-now-finished#latest if they still work.


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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16543
    For holding guitars I screw a handle into the neck pocket  and a hook into the lower strap button hole
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  • Going to resurrect my thread with a few more queries. I also have an alder body and a niangon body and a generic unfinished satin strat neck.

    If I were to finish the alder with a natural type finish, I assume it would be to take on board the advice above.

    What about the neck. If I wanted to put some type of protective or semi protective layer, not totally unfinished, but not a gloss finish, could I use tru oil as well, or would you suggest something else for a neck and headstock?
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  • FlipFlip Frets: 68
    Can't disagree with most of the wisdom here though my experience is to use Boiled Linseed Oil. I'll try and figure out how to post pictures if anyone's interested in the results.

    My strongest comment based on hard experience is that if you're worried about uneven application/runs when you hang it up then there's probably too much fluid. Lots and lots of thin coats.
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    I use a piece of wood in the neck pocket as a handle/hanger as said above, but I also put a strap button screw in the correct place on the bottom of the body, leave it sticking out and use it as a rest to prevent arm ache.
    Ive never done the slurry method, too tome consuming for me, I just wipe on, wipe off, let dry repeat, at some point go over it with wire wool, carry on wiping on and wiping off until happy, I like a thin, satin finish, so use very few coats
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • gavin_axecastergavin_axecaster Frets: 526
    tFB Trader
    Going to resurrect my thread with a few more queries. I also have an alder body and a niangon body and a generic unfinished satin strat neck.

    If I were to finish the alder with a natural type finish, I assume it would be to take on board the advice above.

    What about the neck. If I wanted to put some type of protective or semi protective layer, not totally unfinished, but not a gloss finish, could I use tru oil as well, or would you suggest something else for a neck and headstock?

    Tru Oil works great for necks, although any wipe on finish is a bit of a pain around frets if a male board.
    Osmo Polyx Oil is also very good for necks and probably a bit more hard wearing than Tru Oil, plus you can buy tinted sachets if you want to warm up a stark maple neck.

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  • Confused at the satin neck. Is it finished or not? If unfinished, it's just unfinished. If it's satin, it already has a finish applied and it's a satin one.

    I really, really like wudtone for necks. I think it's osmo. Great stuff, easy to apply, super slick and not ultra glossy. 
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  • @ThePrettyDamned I was just about to double check this. With an unfinished neck is it just a case of applying the product or should it be lightly sanded first…?
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