What's wrong with my neck?

[Dick Seacup]

So, my hands are clean and dry. I start playing, just wailing away on the 160V. After about 20 minutes, though, the back of the neck starts to feel nasty. Like grungy nasty. Almost sticky dirty in a way. My hand starts dragging as I change position and it isn't a good thing. I've noticed this, from time to time, on my other guitars as well. None of them are dirty, or don't appear so, and I do wipe them down after I play. Is this just a nitro thing? Like, it's heating up and getting tacky or something? Anyone else experience this?

[tulk1]

Sounds like the proto-typical Nitro reaction to me. Had that with my EJ Strat. (Or maybe you're just playing so fast you're heating up and burning thru the finish. ) Thing is, I've never experienced that with my Heritages. I thought they did something different (or correct, most likely) in the application where Fender probably wasn't straight Nitro. Is it humid there, today? I have days and gigs where Fret Ease is the savior of the moment.

[Dick Seacup]

Not particularly humid here, Kenny. I wouldn't say I was playing fast, either. It's the weirdest thing, it just gets....tacky. I almost want to scotchbrite the back of it, for pete's sake!

[yoslate]

Not particularly humid here, Kenny. I wouldn't say I was playing fast, either. It's the weirdest thing, it just gets....tacky. I almost want to scotchbrite the back of it, for pete's sake!

 

 

Maybe not the guitar at all, John. Body chemistry is a strange and mysterious thing (Just ask my pre-menopausal wife.... Uh...on second thought....). What you're eating, stress, many things can affect your body chemistry and manifest itself in the chemical composition of perspiration, which, in turn, could affect your skin's sense of touch to the nitro finished neck. I sometimes have that problem, but never with my Fender necks, all of which have no finish at all on them.

 

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the HOC....

[tbonesullivan]

is the back of hte neck clean? some good polish usually helps keep nitro necks from getting sticky. changing your hand position so only the thumb touches the back of the neck can also help. Also make sure that you've washed your hands recently and that the soap doesn't contain any lotions, moisturizers, etc, as those can sometimes react with the finish.

 

This is one of the reasons I wish more companies offered a tung oil finish on the neck, though that kind of finish is not exactly conducive to having a bound fingerboard.

[wingnut1]

My Gibson LP was like that and I took some steel wool and went over the back of the neck a little. I also leave it out of the case and I've never had the problem again.

[Kuz]

My Gibson LP was like that and I took some steel wool and went over the back of the neck a little. I also leave it out of the case and I've never had the problem again.

 

I never have that problem with Gibson guitars.... because I don't play/buy those damn guitars (LOL j/k).

 

On a serious note, I asked Terry Mcinturff about sticky nitro and he said that while it is some what inherit to nitro finishes, he did say that there are huge differences in the chemical make up of nitro used by different companies. He said companies that use cheaper nitro will be stickier, and that the more expensive nitro (while still some what sticky) will not be as bad.

 

Also it will wear off with regular play (then clean the neck)... rinse and repeat....

 

I personally have had little problem with my Heritages & McInturff. More sticky with Fenders and my nitro PRS DGT.

[Steiner]

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the HOC....

 

 

What's up Doc?

 

Can you help? Seems like every time I drink tea, I get a sharp pain in my eye.

[brentrocks]

the guitar is possessed by SATIN

 

[tulk1]

My first thought was the problem with the neck was whats sitting on top of it. But then decided not to post that.

[Dick Seacup]

Maybe not the guitar at all, John. Body chemistry is a strange and mysterious thing (Just ask my pre-menopausal wife.... Uh...on second thought....). What you're eating, stress, many things can affect your body chemistry and manifest itself in the chemical composition of perspiration, which, in turn, could affect your skin's sense of touch to the nitro finished neck. I sometimes have that problem, but never with my Fender necks, all of which have no finish at all on them.

 

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the HOC....

 

Hrmm, I haven't had a drop of alcohol in over a week, maybe that's it. Taking your advice to heart, I threw three ice cubes and two fingers of Jefferson's in a glass. I'll see if it helps.

 

is the back of hte neck clean? some good polish usually helps keep nitro necks from getting sticky. changing your hand position so only the thumb touches the back of the neck can also help. Also make sure that you've washed your hands recently and that the soap doesn't contain any lotions, moisturizers, etc, as those can sometimes react with the finish.

 

This is one of the reasons I wish more companies offered a tung oil finish on the neck, though that kind of finish is not exactly conducive to having a bound fingerboard.

 

I sometimes play with just my thumb anchored. Oddly, it depends more on which song and whether I am fingerpicking or not than on anything else. Weird, huh? Interesting about the soap...I do wash regularly (go work in a hospital for five or six years, it'll be second nature to you, too!) so maybe that stuff Mrs. Seacup bought recently with the little beads of whatever-it-is in it is the culprit!

 

 

What's up Doc?

 

Can you help? Seems like every time I drink tea, I get a sharp pain in my eye.

 

I have this one! Stop holding the cup with your index finger and thumb, with the other three digits flying free. Grip the whole cup with your hand and you'll be fine.

 

 

the guitar is possessed by SATIN

 

Satin? Oh, yeah! The slightly effeminate brother of Satan!

[Dick Seacup]

My first thought was the problem with the neck was whats sitting on top of it. But then decided not to post that.

 

You are now on my list, too. Right under the Admin.

[brentrocks]

oops...need spell check

[tulk1]

What's up Doc?

 

Can you help? Seems like every time I drink tea, I get a sharp pain in my eye.

 

Lance .... take the spoon out, dude!

[Dick Seacup]

Lance .... take the spoon out, dude!

 

 

Ffffuuu...I totally missed that.

 

Kenny 1, John 0

 

[big bob]

Lance .... take the spoon out, dude!

Um that was not me.. I don't put tea in my tea cups, only scotch.

 

Now Greg on the other hand is quite the totaler

 

 

as for Dicks shaft, try some baby powder on that sucker and lay off the vasoline.

[tulk1]

Um that was not me.. I don't put tea in my tea cups, only scotch.

 

Now Greg on the other hand is quite the totaler

 

Ooops. Guess that's minus one (-1) for me, then. Slip of the age..

[Steiner]

take the spoon out, dude!

 

Well... I'll be hornswaggled! It works!!!

 

Spank you Tulk; I depreciate it!

 

Rotund Robert - it appears I should replace the Lipton with Macallan. Bet that would stop the pain too.

 

Dixie - I've not been PC enough to let a finger slide off the handle. As for as your dilemma, It appears that you suffer from cowhand: An occupational disability common among dairy farmers...

I rinse the hands thoroughly with clear, warm water before playing. Now I remember why; I used to suffer from palm-brakes too.

 

Finally; I just purchased an authentic reproduction of a live recording from a highly depressed, uninvited guest!

[yoslate]

Um that was not me.. I don't put tea in my tea cups, only scotch.

 

Now Greg on the other hand is quite the totaler

 

 

as for Dicks shaft, try some baby powder on that sucker and lay off the vasoline.

 

There's a redundancy in this post which I find particularly disturbing!

[smurph1]

Maybe not the guitar at all, John. Body chemistry is a strange and mysterious thing (Just ask my pre-menopausal wife.... Uh...on second thought....). What you're eating, stress, many things can affect your body chemistry and manifest itself in the chemical composition of perspiration, which, in turn, could affect your skin's sense of touch to the nitro finished neck. I sometimes have that problem, but never with my Fender necks, all of which have no finish at all on them.

 

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the HOC....

Ihave that problem sometimes after I eat fried green tomatoes..

[blueox]

While I would not generally recommend this, I was put off enough with my Gibson Futura neck's rough spots to use 220 sandpaper from the head to the body. Now after sanding off the finish, but not the color, it plays like a dream.

[big bob]

While I would not generally recommend this, I was put off enough with my Gibson Futura neck's rough spots to use 220 sandpaper from the head to the body. Now after sanding off the finish, but not the color, it plays like a dream.

 

 

don't you dare...

 

sell the 160 to me, I can like with the neck.

[wingnut1]

While I would not generally recommend this, I was put off enough with my Gibson Futura neck's rough spots to use 220 sandpaper from the head to the body. Now after sanding off the finish, but not the color, it plays like a dream.

 

I didn't go that deep when I used steel wool on mine I just took a little off the top.

[DCA]

So, my hands are clean and dry. I start playing, just wailing away on the 160V. After about 20 minutes, though, the back of the neck starts to feel nasty. Like grungy nasty. Almost sticky dirty in a way. My hand starts dragging as I change position and it isn't a good thing. I've noticed this, from time to time, on my other guitars as well. None of them are dirty, or don't appear so, and I do wipe them down after I play. Is this just a nitro thing? Like, it's heating up and getting tacky or something? Anyone else experience this?

 

I have the exact same problem. No matter how dilligently I clean it it's never, ever clean.

 

I thought this was a nitro issue that would fade away with time. But ten years later, after at least an hour of playing each day, my neck is just as sticky and grabby as it ever was. I keep a micro fiber rag with the guitar at all times and I always vigorously wipe down the neck between songs.

 

I've often wondered if my vigorous wiping isn't just polishing the neck and thereby perpetuating the problem. But there *is* the gunk on the neck that needs to be cleaned off! There's no doubt about it, it's certainly there.

 

To this point, I've resisted the urge to take steel wool to the neck. I'm a pretty tough guy, but not *that* tough.

 

When I play live, I take a box of corn starch with me. Your drummer dusts up his hands, ask him to put a small dollop of corn starch on the palm of your left hand, then smear it on your pant leg. It helps, from song to song, but it does not eliminate the problem.

[TalismanRich]

I don't seem to have the problem on any of my necks, but I have noticed on the two Heritages, there is a buildup of crud on the pickguard where my right hand pinky tends to drag. It also happens on my Dean acoustic which doesn't have a pickguard. I can't recall having it on my G&Ls or Guilds.