Stripping Laquer off the neck

[mandowood]

Just saw a mandolin with the varnish/laquer stripped off the neck. I had never seen that before, but it was much easier to play than other ones I've seen. How is that done? Can a mandolin be custom ordered that way? DO you buy it normal and then strip it? Any help would be appreciated...thanks

[Michael H Geimer]

Mandowood,
I've seen it done both before and after, and I think having done at the time looks much better. I guess the way it's done is that the finish is wiped off the back of the neck before it dries. The result is a smooth vignette from finish to bare wood like you see on fiddle necks.

Mine was stripped after the fact, and my only dislike of it is the roughness of the edgework. I didn't do the stripping myself, but was told by the guy who did that he used 0000 steel wool, and a lot of patience. I've also heard that the edge work might be done better by taping them off first, but I've wondered what sort of tape would stand up to the abrasive steel wool, and not just wear away, gum up. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

- Benignus

[mandowood]

So I could call up the luthier and ask them to do it that way? Is that just a custom option for most folks? Thanks

[JiminRussia]

It is easily done "after the fact" by masking off (painters masking tape works pretty well on most non varnish finishes, butr special care must be used on varnish finishes) the areas near where you want the finish removed and then taking off the areas that you want bare with some steel wool and/or sandpaper. By using progressively finer steel wool grades you can get a very smooth bare wood finish. After that you have to make a decision about what to do with he bare wood. If you leave it bare, it will eventually become discolored by the oils and dirt from your hand. If you re-finish it you may defeat the purpose o removing the finish in the first place. Most use "French polish" on the bare area. There are several formulae and some of them are more alchemy and black magic than known science, but if you go to the Luthiers and Building Instrumnts discussion page at this site, I'm sure that you can get some good advice on both the removal and potection afterwards processes.