Q: I've read that some players - most notably Stevie Ray Vaughan - rough up their guitar's neck with sandpaper to achieve a more natural, organic feel. What specifics should I look for when selecting the appropriate sandpaper for the job?

A: First off, there's a big difference between actually sanding the finish on your guitar's neck and simply making the finish less glossy. That said, we definitely recommend you stay away from sandpaper altogether, as it's too easy to remove too much of the finish and thus make the neck susceptible to damage from moisture (from the sweat and oils in your hands or high humidity). Many guitar companies now offer matte-finished necks as an option or in some cases (such as the Fender Highway 1 Strat), as a standard feature. If your guitar's neck has a glossy finish, you can use something like the Mirlon ultra-fine finishing cloth (manufactured by a company called Mirka) to dull it down to something more closely resembling a satin or matte finish.

WARNING: MODIFYING OR REMOVING THE FINISH ON YOUR GUITAR'S NECK WILL VOID THE WARRANTY AND MAY LEAD TO PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

If you do decide to dull your neck's finish, go slow and be gentle! You can always do another pass, but if you remove too much of the finish, you can't put it back on!