Official Luthiers Forum!

I know this topic is very old but it seems like the landscape of finishing options changes very rapidly and I'm curious as what builders are using today, or on your next guitar?

My last 4 were (mostly) finished with Sutherland Welles U500 which is really good product IMO but I also used some Epifanes on 2 tops and it's also a great product.

I've used the Poly Whey water borne, KTM 9 and 10 (10 will most likely not see the light of day I learned the other day) Sutherland Welles, Min Wax Oil based Polyurethane, and a couple I think I'm leaving out. Oh yeah tried Crystal-Lac at one point. I've never used Nitro or shellac/French Polish.

My next build I'm considering using the SW on the top as a wipe on to keep the film very very thin and then maybe going back to the Poly Whey water base or even trying the KTM-9 again as they are so easy to apply and finish.

What are you using these days?

_________________
Thank You and Best To All

I've used Tru Oil, EM6000, PolyWhey, and nitro. At the moment I'm still with the nitro although I may go back to the EM6000 just cause the nitro stinks up my shop so much.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

EM600 over the PolyWhey? I think you introduce the board to the Poly Whey. Never used the EM6000, but might try it. Thanks Steve.

_________________
Thank You and Best To All

ICA PF5051 polyester. Going on three years with it now.

_________________
jw ( o)===:::

French Polish unless otherwise requested. Ive tried a few different water based solutions and gave up on them since I could not be consistent. Lacquer I can only spray when the weather permits since I will only do that outside.

I'll probably stick with nitro on steel string guitars, but I will get someone else to spray it for me. That stuff is deadly. I've tried French polish on my zouks and it looked very nice but a bit soft for an instrument that gets bashed around so much (strummed heavy in Irish sessions). I like oil wiping varnish such as Liberon Finishing oil for zouks, for if Im going for the natural in-the-wood look. It's easy to apply, thin (almost no build), no pore filling, brings out the depth of the wood and leaves a nice semi-gloss sheen. It provides the best tone I think since there is no build. There is immediate volume and clarity with no break in period. Not as durable as nitro though.

EnduroVar

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I did jump on the PolyWhey to try it but Colin N (I think) introduced the board to it. I prefer the EM6000 to the PolyWhey.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Thanks Steve

_________________
Thank You and Best To All

I brushed PolyWhey on my first two except for the tops which were French polished. I've French polished the last five. I've only built classicals so far and somehow gravitated to French polishing, although I'm not as good as I'd like. Got the turbine for HVLP spraying and will be trying it in the future when the weather gets more cooperative, since I would have to spray outside.

A slight aside....

Where did you hear the KTM 10 won't see the light of day? I've been waiting on it!

I've been using KTM vs for gloss.

I spray catalyzed oil varnish. Up till now, I've used Ace interior varnish. I'm looking for something else, as it seems to stay soft for a few months. It does harden up, but not like nitro.

I'm going to either switch to another varnish, or try some japan drier in the mix.

When I forst tried this, I was adding about 10% acetone to the mix for spraying ease and lay down. I've cut this back to about 5%, and it seems to have cause the varnish to dry harder. Not sure why, as you'd think the acetone would flash of instantly...but...

I'm not too keen on the Epiphanies stuff, being Spar varnish. It seems people add a bunch of additives to this brand to get it to dry hard.

Epifanes spar varnish http://www.epifanes.com/home.htm

_________________
http://www.bobmatthewsguitars.co.uk

There's only one way to get oil varnish to dry harder and that's to increase the resin to oil ratio. I can't think for one moment why adding a drier or solvent would make the varnish film harder. It will dry the varnish faster though, which is probably what people are experiencing. Oil varnish (and Shellac) takes a long time to reach full hardness.

How long is long?

EM6000 over Zpoxy.

Behlen rockhard thinned with turpentine an 10 percent acetone

Sent from my SGH-T999L using Tapatalk

EM6000 over Zpoxy, same as Corky...

_________________
Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

That probably depends on the individual varnish. You might have to start thinking in terms of a year and longer. We know that shellac undergoes changes over decades, which is why some types become insoluble in alcohol.

I talked to the rep the other day because I was waiting for it as well. I'm paraphrasing but he said they actually had enough negative feedback, about 20%, to cause them to reconsider the formula and whether or not to market it. Short version, some adhesion problems, and even those who thought it got too hard.

I loved it but its future didn't sound too promising after our converstaion. Maybe give them a call and request it, might change things.

_________________
Thank You and Best To All

Thanks Michael. That's what I was afraid you might say.

I used EM6000 over epoxy on my first two and plan to give Sutherland Welles U500 a try on my current build.

I use Behlen Stringed Instrument Lacquer on top of their Vinyl Sealer...

Nothing else.

Thinking about doing some French Polishing on my first build. Many moons ago I worked at a furniture factory as their final inspector/ repair guy where I learned how to do French Polishing from a real old timer and got pretty good at it... but that was many moons ago so I would like to have a go at it again.

Cheers,
Bob

I just finished a nylon crossover (SJ body with cutaway, fan braced) with Wipe-On-Poly as an experiment. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to use, how thin it is (sound remains basically unaffected from in-the-white) and how good it looks (not mirror finish, but pretty shiny). It took 12 thinly wiped on coats (with fine sanding between every two) to get there though. The reason for trying this? It's too cold to spray successfully in my 'shop this time of year. I'll be using it again, for sure.

Cheers,
Dave F.

_________________
Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

Nitro, FP. After hearing no difference between nitro and FP, dont think I'll do FP any more though.

Just curious....

Does anyone use Tung Oil as a finish on the box? I have done a number of necks with it and they feel silky smooth. I have also used it on a couple of furniture projects in the past and given enough coats it is difficult to tell from nitro. I have never heard of anyone finishing a guitar body and was wondering if there is a reason.

Cheers,
Bob