Neck is sticky on some Charvel Pro mods???

[johnny00]

Hi. I am new here and have a quick question. Sorry if this has been covered.

Why is the neck on my new Production Model San Dimas sticky and the neck on my used Production Model SoCal smooth as silk? The SoCal maple looks a little darker too.
By “sticky” I mean, if you take your thumb, and run it across the back of the neck from low E to high E and back, you feel the friction, and it makes squeaking noise…The Socal, darker maple neck does not do this and has a more natural feel to it.

Thanks!
I love my CHARVELS!!!!
-johnny

[vondran]

Try rubbing it down with 0000 steal wool (you can find it at home depot in the paint and sand paper section). It's likely just some exess oil finish that gets a little gummy if not fully wiped off when made. Also, the yellowing will occur over time and make the neck a little darker.

[powermacho]

post some pics of the neck to see it

[RR05xx]

Well, I am going out on a limb here (ok, I will concede sarcasm) and going to suggest that the socal has been broken in a little, while the newer guitar has not. This is why some of us prize an old charvel above all else. YMMV.

[sully]

Don't steel wool it unless you tape your pickups off first.

Sully

[johnny00]

Thanks guys...I tried steel wool...hmmm...it seems the same...maybe I didn't do it enough?
The Socal definitely feels broken in and the fingerboard is a little dirty.
Does anyone know if Charvel used the same finishing process on all the pro mod necks, or did they change some years?
Thanks!

-johnny

[vondran]

Thanks guys...I tried steel wool...hmmm...it seems the same...maybe I didn't do it enough?
The Socal definitely feels broken in and the fingerboard is a little dirty.
Does anyone know if Charvel used the same finishing process on all the pro mod necks, or did they change some years?
Thanks!

-johnny

Hmmm, usually works. Try rubbing it down pritty well. Rub up-and-down the neck, not side to side. As Sully pointed out it's best to cover the pickups or what I do is place the body in a pillow case (or t-shirt) and close it up around the neck. Then I lay the guitar face down across my knees and rub up and down the neck. You can press hard, put I believe its better to press firmly and rub quickly. Start with the low E side rubbing up and down with a firm downward force, and then work through the middle, and then onto the high E side - rubbing down the entire backside of the neck. The steel wood will take off the finest roughness and any gunck, and leaves a nice broken in feeling neck. I've done it on many guitars and you should feel a difference on a new Pro-Mod.

[Rich#6]

On 2 of mine I sanded the back down with 320(usually I go up to 400) sandpaper and applied new coats of tungoil(not the pure stuff) and they are great. This is my biggest gripe on the promods the necks feel to raw.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Couple of swipes with a green Scotch Brite pad on mine, followed by a couple of swipes with a grey Scotch Brite pad... Don't have to worry about getting crap in the pickups, either.

Also, you might consider wiping it down with some naphtha and a paper towel - sometimes if you play with dirty hands you'll get gummy stuff all over the neck, which will come right off with a little lighter fluid. I don't recommend doing this while smoking.

[vondran]

I'd caution using 320 or 400 sandpaper unless you want to remove wood. I've used those grades to remove some lacquer finish on a PRS and reshape a neck on another guitar. On those I then progressed to use 1000 and 2000 grade to smooth out the roughness left by the 320, and then used steel wool get the final smooth finish. If you just want to get the fast broken in feel, then you should be using very fine wool or scotch pads only.

On 2 of mine I sanded the back down with 320(usually I go up to 400) sandpaper and applied new coats of tungoil(not the pure stuff) and they are great. This is my biggest gripe on the promods the necks feel to raw.

[Grandturk]

Both of mine were great right out of the box.