Interesting, Spot.

I happen to have taken fine steel wool to the neck of my Martin just the other night. I had been smoothing out the areas where the finish had worn through, cleaning off the schmutz that accumulated where the finish remained; the slight raised edge was grimier than the smooth bare wood. I took a look, thought of all those fiddles that are out there thriving, and decided to clean up the entire neck.

The look and feel of the emerging mahogany was a great encouragement. I began at the base of the headstock, and stopped just above the ninth fret. The removed area extends an inch or so farther on the center of the back of the neck than near the fretboard binding at both ends of the job, in a symetric, irregular shape.

I showed it to a banjo-playing friend, and he called a "speed neck"; apparently it's done to banjos for an upcharge. I realise I'll get some dubious reactions, especially from collector-types, but that doesn't concern me. It feels great, and looks good to me.

I look at the instrument forums as well, and am firmly in the camp of playing and modifying the instrument to suit my needs. Twenty-five years ago it didn't have a scratch on it. Of course, neither did I. We both sound better now.