Sticky Neck

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 4:05 am

I thought I'd mention that I got the syntax wrong on that link above.. it should be

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kollwitz3 (ttwo backslashess)

The sound files on that site are amazing. They can soothe the savage breast or maybe make you remember the first time you ever ate a granola burger in a restaurant shaped like a geodesic dome with tie-dyed tablecloths and napkins to match.

oreca · Post by **oreca** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:06 am

I actually saw this guy play the Stick in a bar for a bluesey type band.

He had it plugged through some kind of pedal like the ToneLab, but not a ToneLab...
It was pretty funky with the wah-wah.
It was a good show. His name is Brian Bourne if that gives anyone anything...
Really cool guy too, we were a table from the very small stage and during their break he came talk to us, coincidentially he knew one of my dad's friend.
So I got to talk to all their band members that night and I was underage with my parents at a bar.

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:09 am

Now don't confuse The Stick with the Schtick lest you are a comedian. Mr. Chapman is a great and innovative fellow, met him several times in the late 70's at the Anaheim NAMM show. He puts on quite a demo, thanks for the link to the sound bytes.

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:04 am

Great samples Paul. Thanks!

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 2:10 pm

Hmmm.... Have to admit that I didn't notice Claude's playing hand and position.

Yes, I've tried playing a tune or two on the 'PVC pipeaphone' myself.

I'm impressed with your knowledge of Aussie music also!

Rock on Mandawuy Yunupingu - TREATY YEAH!!!

jaybic · Post by **jaybic** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:06 am

I have a question about Sticky Necks - great stuff about the Stick though - this might have been covered before but what about using a product such as Pledge for the neck? Would that cause too much build up or eat away at the finish? Don't worry, I haven't done it to my 4003 - just running some thoughts up the flag pole

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:28 am

Pledge is problematic. The reason nobody recommends this cheap, easily available stuff is that it has polymers and silicones in it. It makes a guitar difficult to impossible to refinish or touch-up--paint just creeps away from the stuff and develops fish-eyes and adhesion problems.

Avoid stuff like WD-40 and Armor-All around your guitar's paint for the same reasons.

Just think...the guy who invented WD-39...where is he now?

He only missed fame and fortune by one.

jaybic · Post by **jaybic** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:28 pm

Thank you Paul for that insight. My bass is an '04 and has an extremely sticky neck. Part of the problem is the oil in my hands, but I am loathe to take ScotchBrite to the neck. I'll look into the Goo Gone Ted used or the Dr. Stringfellow you recommended. Again, thanks to everyone for their knowledge and willingness to share it. I've learned so much

jaybic · Post by **jaybic** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 1:50 pm

So I went into my local music store and they had both Dr. Stingfellows lemon oil for fretboards and guitar polish. Is there one that would be better at removing the stickiness than the other?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 2:01 pm

I have always assumed that the sticky feeling you guys are referring to is not softness or tackiness of the varnish for some reason, but a too-shiny surface that your hands catch on when they're slightly damp.

I went on record as saying that Dr. Stringfellows was terrific for this sort of thing, and John Hall suggested 1500 grit sandpaper to cut the gloss a bit, and expressed the opinion that the jury was out on whether the lemon oil in Dr. Stringfellows was, in fact, detrimental to the guitar's finish in the long run.

I still believe in Stringfellow's (the lemon stuff, not the club), as it cleans the neck and leaves a nice non-sticky, fast feel to the neck, fretboard, and strings. And John is right--the jury is out, as this whole lemon/orange oil thing is less than a decade old.

So I'll still recommend it. I use it on both my new Ricks, and all my other guitars (Gretsches, Fenders, Gibsons) too. Hasn't hurt anything yet, not even the white one.

A little goes a long way here.

One more suggestion: have you tried powdering your hands with talcum or baby powder? Yeah, I know, the smell gets me, too, but you can get unscented at bigger drug stores (chemists). And Caswell-Massey has some nicely scented ones that don't smell like a baby's tush, too.

jaybic · Post by **jaybic** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 2:41 pm

That is a great idea paul - kind of like the chaulk used for pool players and the like? I will have to try that. I feel kind of silly now for not even thinking of that. My wife probably has some powder laying around the house.

adam_swapp · Post by **adam_swapp** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 2:52 pm

Jason, If you're worried about the effects of lemon/orange oil, use straight naphtha. Naphtha is the active ingredient in Goo Gone. Goo Gone also contains lemon (orange?) oil as a perfume (and an excuse to double the price

).

BTW, when you use 1500 grit on a glossy finish, it doesn't turn dull or rough; it's just not *as* shiny.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 3:16 pm

Jason:

Chalk is good, but remember that it's a bit abrasive. It's calcium carbonate (known in other forms as marble). So it's a fairly abrasive stone powder. Baby powder or talcum powder is made from talc, a very soft and waxy-feeling stone.It has less potential to scratch finishes, especially JG or other dark solid colors.

Adam's right about the 1500 grit. And, as a matter of fact, should you decide to go this route, the neck can be polished back again to a mirror gloss with a couple hours' work should you decide to sell it or trade it in.

Conversion varnish does have some thickness and 1500 would take a lot of work to cut all the way through it. BUT stay away from the fretboard edges--sanding them with even something as fine as 1500, will cut through to wood or celluloid in a short time!

Now onto the naphtha debate...naphtha is a petroleum solvent and should be used sparingly. It will clean the neck of any gunk that might be on it, but as I recall it was a case of "sticky neck" on a NEW guitar that started this thread...so, no gunk to clean.

The whole point of the lemon oil/orange oil thing is not to soak the finish and leave it on, but to wipe on a bit and buff it off. This leaves a DRY film in the finish. I firmly believe in using the materials in moderation. This applies to naphtha and lemon oil.

Try it yourself. Get some lighter fluid (naphtha). Wipe the neck with a bit of it. Now wipe it off and buff it a bit. Now try the same thing with Goo-Gone or Dr. Stringfellows: wipe on a small amount, wipe off and buff dry. Which feels better to you?

No matter which you choose, remember: moderation.

jaybic · Post by **jaybic** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 3:32 pm

Again, thank you Adam and Paul. I do have a new guitar. I didn't really mean chaulk, but that is what came to mind. Thank you for the clarification though. I am starting to think that the stickiness may have more to do with my skin type and oil as opposed to the bass itself. I'm going to try the talc option first and see where it goes. I'm also intrigued by the 1500 grit sandpaper since it won't do permanent damage that couldn't be buffed out in the future. All interesting stuff to ponder and try. Again, thanks to all. I am really enjoying hanging around here!