Ibanez panga panga neck finish

[DjentlemanJoe]

Just ordered the Axion label 7 multi-scale I love the tonality of the Fluence pickups but I did have a question on the panga panga neck. Are the grains that seem untouched/unfinished/unstained on the neck common for all panga panga necks? Has anyone seen this with their 7? If yes why does this wood finish this way? I am wondering if this was just poor quality control or if this is the look of their finished necks? I thought it was a nice porous wood and an implied that it would soak up the finish? [some grains are completely stained (blue circle in pic) and others aren't (red circle in pic) as seen in the pictures] https://imgur.com/a/qgSRMvQ I know I am particular about what I have spent my money on and a little ocd on the neck looking incomplete; I am just not sure if all the necks on this model look like this or if this was just not properly done? Is it worth sending back for another? Any guidance and info on this newer wood would be appreciated.

\m/ - Joe

 

[gunch]

Someone else has asked a similar question with their Wenge neck and yeah that's just how Ibanez has been finishing their necks made of those exotic hardwoods. I don't think a toothbrush or toothpick would easily get that stuff out of the pores

 

[Metropolis]

I've got RG950 which has panga panga neck, there is just one little spot where stain has not reached the pores, other than that it's well finished. It seems to have variance how necks like this are finished... maybe you could try to return it.

 

[gunch]

Here's that thread

https://www.sevenstring.org/threads/ibanez-rg-1027-wenge-white-pores.340175/

But it's got me thinking since this was also a problem with Schecter KM IIIs: Who was the first to be like, "actually, Wenge is dope" because I've only seen people bitching about how hard it is to work with, it's splinters and dust being toxic and and stuff like this

 

[DjentlemanJoe]

Thank you both for your replies and the attached thread. I know I am not buying a custom, but I felt the amount of unfinished pores or open grain was still unacceptable and was thinking of returning for a replacement model? I just don't want to get another to have the same issue. So I am trying to see how many people have ran into this. It's good to know that @Metropolis has a panga panga with very few imperfections. I am hoping more will reply to some of the threads I posted about this to get a pulse on the error margins of Ibanez's mass production.

 

[DjentlemanJoe]

I've got RG950 which has panga panga neck, there is just one little spot where stain has not reached the pores, other than that it's well finished. It seems to have variance how necks like this are finished... maybe you could try to return it.

When you get a chance will you post a few pics of the neck on your RG? I would like to see to compare.

 

[diagrammatiks]

wenge does that. it's very porous.

 

[Metropolis]

When you get a chance will you post a few pics of the neck on your RG? I would like to see to compare.

Yes, sorry for the phone pics with bad lighting, it got dark in here...

Couple of very minor spots between 15-17th fret.

Between 1st and 2nd fret.

This one I forgot, reverse side of the headstock has pretty bad finish. Must be due to pourousness and grain doesn't want to absorb finish evenly enough.

But this is a Premium model and any of these don't affect to playability or general looks at all.

 

[DjentlemanJoe]

UPDATE: I did some online research and called around to shops and luthiers and they all said this was very normal for these heartwood that are so closely related (panga panga and wenge). More specifically, panga panga has some 'yellow' flecks within its light and dark bands. This is normal and within the specks of guitar manufactures. Some necks will have more and some will have less of this look based on cut and finish. I hope this helps all of those with the same question in the future as we see more of these 'exotic woods' on our guitars. Thanks again for all the feedback.

@Metropolis thanks for the pics it helps normalize what I was seeing with the neck.
Not sure if I will keep this one or another, but it helps to know the neck is normal.

 

[Nuno83]

Yes, sorry for the phone pics with bad lighting, it got dark in here...

Couple of very minor spots between 15-17th fret.

Between 1st and 2nd fret.

This one I forgot, reverse side of the headstock has pretty bad finish. Must be due to pourousness and grain doesn't want to absorb finish evenly enough.

But this is a Premium model and any of these don't affect to playability or general looks at all.

which model do you own?

 

[Metropolis]

which model do you own?

This one
https://www.ibanez.com/asia/products/detail/rg950fmz_01.html

 

[Lukhas]

When I tried a Wenge neck, I thought that the feel of the open pores under your hand was the appeal of this type of wood. As such, I never quite understood why people seem surprised by the finish. I know it's a departure from the usually uniform maple necks with a very tight grain, but the open pores are part of the charm and appeal of wenge and other similar woods, aren't they?

Maybe I'm partial to it because I actually enjoyed how it felt when I played such necks.

 

[AndiKravljaca]

I thought so as well, that this is the whole appeal of wenge necks as opposed to maple, the open pore feel. I don't care for it personally, but I can see how people would.

 

[USMarine75]

Love me some wenge!

 

[Benzene]

This is the type of work that can detract from sales. I'm still surprised their doing this type of work. Ibanez makes great guitars, but this to me is wild. It looks so good in factory photos but the opposite in any other photo/person.