I recommend brushed lacquer or rattle can lacquer. Both can be purchased at Lowes. I use Deft and although some people say it is not suitable for guitars for some reason, I have had no problems with 8 guitars and a ukulele. If you brush, the sanding takes longer since it does not go on as flat, but you can achieve an excellent finish with either brushed or rattle can lacquer. Here is a guitar I built and finished with Deft rattle cans:
And here is one I finished with Deft brushing lacquer:
I had zero experience finishing anything with lacquer prior to completing my first guitar. I learned it all from the internet and by myself. It was not hard at all. Lacquer is really forgiving, so if you mess up, just add more coats. You won't have to worry about witness lines with real nitrocellulose lacquer regardless of how long you wait between coats. Give lacquer a try. Just buy a good mask to protect yourself from the fumes. I bought my mask at Lowes as well. It is a 3M mask with VOC filters and it cost about $20. Good luck and post pics!
