Top of guitar stripped bare, what to finish with

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newmenco

Posts: 8
Joined: Nov. 3 2009

Top of guitar stripped bare, what to...

Hello. Newbie here with a few questions.
I'm learning how to do some basics of guitar repair.
I have an old solid cedar top guitar that was finished in polyurethane. It's a cheap guitar, and the top had taken some pretty good abuse. It's got a great rosewood body, though, so I thought I would refinish the top.
I've got the old finish stripped off, and now it's time to refinish.
This is the first time I've done this, so I'm thinking shellacking and french polishing are probably not best for first attempts.
Anybody ever use spray lacquer, such as sold from StewMac? I don't have a shop, or compressor or gun.
Also, does sealer need to be applied? Or just hit the bare wood with lacquer?
And, to make things more difficult, I would really like to stain the top first with some sort of black stain. I have a bottle of black stain for fretboards...wondering what would happen if I used that...
Ideally, I want a black, satin finish when I'm through. I bought some high tech finishing sanding sheets, the type that goes to to 12,000 grit. As I understand it, I can sand the new finish and stop at around 8,000 grit to achieve a satin effect.
Thanks.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 3 2009 15:07:23

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to newmenco)

Liberon do an 'Easy french Polish' which might be worth a try or you could use a brushing laquer, (acrylic and waterbased) also available from Stewmac and elsewhere
On the other hand you could just go for the traditional FP. The advantages are that its not expensive, its nice stuff to use. no nasty smells etc and you don't need any special kit.

And its easily repaired if you mess up.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 4 2009 2:24:01

stormserge

Posts: 13
Joined: Oct. 4 2009

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to newmenco)

It depends if you have bridge on or not. If bridge is on FP is difficult.
You do not want St.Mac spray - it is very thin. Yes, you need a primer
and for best results it has to be colorless.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 4 2009 5:48:45

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to newmenco)

There is also that oil they use for finishing shotgun stocks applied after that hi-tech micro-weave sanding, for a nice finish, no?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 4 2009 11:49:41

Pgh_flamenco

Posts: 1506
Joined: Dec. 5 2007
From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to Escribano)

quote:

There is also that oil they use for finishing shotgun stocks applied after that hi-tech micro-weave sanding, for a nice finish, no?

Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil Gun Stock Finish is popular for electric guitars. It's linseed oil with hardeners added. You can use linseed oil if you like--it's pretty much the same thing as this gunstock oil. I don't like permeable finishes that much. If your hands are dirty the grime can eventually make its way into the wood.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 4 2009 14:45:37

keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to newmenco)

newmenco: with all due respect and i am not trying to be negative here, after reading your post i get the idea you have little if any experience applying a finish and as most of us who have tried to finish furniture with something other than polyurethane have found out--it is an art to do so correctly. i would recommend, if it do-able for you, to either find someone to guide you, or a class, in finishing. there are so many difficult techniques in finishing that having someone working with you hands on would be an invaluable asset. good luck.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 5 2009 4:41:12

Stephen Eden

Posts: 914
Joined: Apr. 12 2008
From: UK

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to newmenco)

there are quite a few guides on youtube to french polishing. I would suppose there will be guides to other finishes if that tickles your fancy! There are numerous amounts of finishing products and know quite a few people who have tried lots of different polishes and then end up going back to french polish.

Saying that there is an easy wipe on finish i have tried before that worked quite well. It didnt gloss up very well though but had a great matt finish master gel i think it was called

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 5 2009 6:09:37

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to krichards)

quote:

Liberon do an 'Easy french Polish' which might be worth a try

what's easy french polish?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 7 2009 9:28:47

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to at_leo_87)

Good question!

If I remember correctly , you brush it on and it takes a few hours between coats. Its 'easy' because you don't need any special techniques. And the finish was ok, but not as good as the real thing.
I used it only once.....enough said?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 7 2009 23:54:12

stormserge

Posts: 13
Joined: Oct. 4 2009

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to newmenco)

I would avise against oil primers, lenceed oil or otherwise.
It makes wood looks good but kills the sound- violin makers tried it, id doesn't work.

I used egg white for years and also some resins like bees glue( propolis).
Then brush on first few coats of shellack and try French Polish, it is fun!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 8 2009 4:53:39

Peter Tsiorba

Posts: 130
Joined: Oct. 27 2009
From: Portland, Oregon Pacific Northwest

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to newmenco)

My vote is to french-polish it. Okay-quality french polish job is actually not all that hard. Plus, there is no possibility of making the guitar worse. Penetrating oil finishes for the top would be THE LAST THING I'd consider doing for my guitars. I always french polish with the bridge on. While it is more challenging, I would not be too dissuaded by that fact that the bridge is on.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 8 2009 18:41:56

newmenco

Posts: 8
Joined: Nov. 3 2009

RE: Top of guitar stripped bare, wha... (in reply to keith)

No offense taken. This string has provided a wealth of information. I'm not new at finishing wood, per se.
When I was a child, my mother finished interior trim of new homes, and I started learning with her, using various stains and polyurethanes.
Later, as an adult, I bought unfinished furniture and finished it myself.
I have done small repairs with lacquer. But, I've never tackled a full instrument. That's why I'm starting small with a cheap guitar, and just doing the top.
I did look up Liberon Easy French Polish, and I think I'm going to try that.
I started with Google, but I could find very little with regards finishing a cedar top guitar. I wanted to get direct feedback on successes and not-so successes, and this string has provided that.
Thanks.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 8 2009 20:46:11