So I've got a D2H...plain jane. Other than my questionable issue with the sitka top, I'd also really like if the guitar had a satin-finished neck.

While I understand Collings does this as a special order, I'd really like to stay in this guitar financially at this point (trying to finance a new mando).

I recently read in a back issue of Flatpicking Guitar about Snuffy Smith and the next treatment he'd put on Tony Rice's Santa Cruz--essentially making it feel like a satin neck...or better yet a played-in, 50 year old neck.

So...question is...has anyone seen this or heard of similar treatments? Snuffy recently had a motorcycle accident so the idea's about a month away but I'd love to hear your thoughts.
-sk

Steve,

A 'treatment' I have used in the past with great results is to lightly and uniformly rub the back of the neck with OOOO steel wool lubricated with a bit of lemon oil. It gives the neck a very played-in feel, to use your terminology. A very fine ScotchBrite pad would probably accomplish the same results, but my experience has only been with steel wool (again OOOO, extra-fine). Use long, light strokes along the entire length of the neck to ensure uniformity - you're trying essentially to lightly dull (not remove!) the finish. Hope this helps.