Please help me complete this guitar

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Ahmed Flamenco

Posts: 163
Joined: Feb. 22 2014
From: Egypt

Please help me complete this guitar

Hi, that is all what I came to in this guitar and I need advice
at first will wenge bridge be good or it will degrade the sound quality
second thing I want to make french polish after completion but I found many methods
-first one is rubbing the whole guitar with naphtha then applying fresh polish
-second one is using sealer before and after applying french polish
-third one is using french polish (shellac) only.
so which is better in your opinion?!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 30 2015 13:07:56

estebanana

Posts: 9355
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Please help me complete this guitar (in reply to Ahmed Flamenco)

The wenge bridge should be fine. The only trouble is that until you glue the bridge down the wenge is fragile and the edges and corners can break if you don't file and chisel them carefully. So just take your time.

For finish work, try to do some test work in scraps for a week or so before you begin on you guitar. Get some smooth inexpensive wood and just start working with the shellac and see how it feels. Don't rush into using your new guitar as the test subject.

Ask questions while you work on your test pieces of wood and you will get help here.

_____________________________

https://www.stephenfaulkguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2015 12:55:36

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Please help me complete this guitar (in reply to Ahmed Flamenco)

It looks good so far. A few things:

-You should probably reinforce the soundhole on the inside.
-Are you planning on inlaying a rosette? It's usually done before the soundhole is cut out.
-Wiping with a solvent is done to raise the grain for a final sanding, it's not really part of the finish.
-Practice on scrap as Stephen says but you don't need a sealer, you can do the whole thing with just shellac.
-Inside work looks good.

_____________________________

Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2015 14:34:24

Ahmed Flamenco

Posts: 163
Joined: Feb. 22 2014
From: Egypt

RE: Please help me complete this guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I already reinforced the sound hole with two thin strips (one on each side) , glued the back.
I'm not gonna inlay a rosette , I'll just glue a veneer around the sound hole (it is good enough that I was able to build the guitar it is my first one and it is homemade)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2015 19:06:00

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Please help me complete this guitar (in reply to Ahmed Flamenco)

quote:

I'm not gonna inlay a rosette , I'll just glue a veneer around the sound hole (it is good enough that I was able to build the guitar it is my first one and it is homemade)

No shame in that. Can't wait to hear it.

_____________________________

Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2015 20:59:16

Jeff Highland

Posts: 401
Joined: Mar. 5 2010
From: Caves Beach Australia

RE: Please help me complete this guitar (in reply to Ahmed Flamenco)

quote:

second thing I want to make french polish after completion but I found many methods -first one is rubbing the whole guitar with naphtha then applying fresh polish -second one is using sealer before and after applying french polish -third one is using french polish (shellac) only. so which is better in your opinion?!

Naptha is just a solvent, unless you have very oily wood you don't need it before the shellac
Shellac is the best sealant in most cases, no need to use anything under or above it
Just use shellac unless you need to fill deep pores and don't want to use the pumice fill method.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 31 2015 23:16:45