No mandolin content: Question about finish on Martin Guitar Neck

[Mandobart]

I posted this on a guitar forum, but got absolutely no response. So I'm trying here as there are a few guitar players on the cafe.

I bought a mint condition HD-28 right before everything shut down for Corona. I love this guitar and consider it a keeper.

There are multiple posts around the 'net about matte/satin vs gloss vs speed neck treatment. I am one who likes a satin finish, and I've used 0000 steel wool for years on over a dozen instruments to de-gloss the neck without removing any stain or color.

Many have noted that a matte/satin neck will tend to pick up a gloss due to normal playing. This has never been a real issue for me until I got my Martin. The neck and headstock came originally satin. However the neck did start to build up a gloss very soon (well I do play this new-to-me guitar a lot). I used 0000 steel wool to remove the gloss as I've done multiple times on other instruments.

I've noticed, however, that unlike every other guitar/mandolin/banjo I've used steel wool on before, the steel wool is actually removing the stain/color from the Martin neck. So....I still don't want a glossy neck, but I don't want to remove all the color. I plan to get some naphtha as I've seen suggested. Has anyone else used naphtha on a satin Martin neck? Has anyone else used 0000 steel wool on one and had it remove the color? Thanks!

[rcc56]

Cease and desist.

I do not work for Martin, nor am I privy to the various materials they use in their finishing processes; but I know that although a modern HD-28 will have a nitrocellulose finish on the body, the neck is finished differently from the body. I suspect that the neck finish is some type of modern water-based lacquer, and is not as durable as nitro.

What is happening is that your steel wool is removing this neck finish quickly. The finish is thin and has color in it. You are cutting through this finish, and the color with it. If you keep using steel wool, you will end up with a poorly sealed surface with an uneven color, and you will have to strip whatever is left of the finish down to bare wood, re-stain it, and seal it with something more durable to make it look decent.

Naphtha will dull most finishes without dissolving them, but the gloss will return as your hand polishes the dull surface, and you will have to keep repeating the process.

[doc holiday]

MBart, as rcc56 said, you're removing finish. The satin finish on the necks is thinner than gloss finish to begin with, & I suspect much of your neck finish has been removed.

[Buck]

Most modern Martin necks (at least on Nazareth production) use C.A.B. (cellulose acetate butyrate) on the necks. It is lacquer, but not the same as the more traditional finish on the bodies. Among other things, it doesn't tend to get as tacky from handling so it works better for most players. All the stain is in the wood though, so if you're removing color, your through the finish and down to the wood. At that point, I'd remove the rest of the finish and make a speed neck. It'll feel just like an old guitar from there on.