Guitar finishing with water-based lacquer: instructional guitar building video

[dpapaioannow]

couldnt you just use a vacuum cleaner for the dust?...iam just asking here

[Tomsjamb]

Hi there I have a Martin DX1AE acoustic electric. It seems there is no finish on the blond wood front. How can I put something on it so it doesn't pick up sweat or dirt from playing. Is it proper to put a glossy finish on this guitar ? the back and sides of the body seems like Formica. The top is Solid Sitka Spruce

[sirgerry]

Do you think I could spray Poly (oil or water) over acrylic enamel? Thanks

[samyboy25niner]

could you use lacquer on a newly painted pickguard? if not what else? thanks.

[gibsonlespaul915]

how would i get an aged cherry color as seen on slash's goldtop les paul models?????

[ccm21r32]

still very awesome to think about. Shellac, originally comes from the Shellac beetle shell. Basically your playing an instrument made from beetle shells, oil, trees, and nickel.

[LLuE88]

at about 01:38 you use the word shellac, the title of the video uses the word lacquer, so which is it ? there is a signifigant differance in how it's made and ultimatly how it's used for best results.

regards,

[macdige]

@LLuE88

Both...

Shellac is used as a "wash coat" to seal the pours and provide color. The lacquer goes on after the pore filler and sanding sealer. The purpose of the clips on youtube is too provide potential customers with a sample of the full video, which is over three hours long.

[bassistofclosson]

Very helpful for an upcoming project...thanks for uploading!

[MrROTD]

Can anyone help me? I took my Stratocaster clone apart to get at the wiring. Inside the cavity is full of some white powder (almost a quarter full). Is this from the finishing process? My first impression was that someone was smuggling drugs in my guitar before I bought it lol. Its a nitro finish what do you think it is?

[mindstormsabrewin]

It's probably dry polishing compound. It starts as a mildly abrasive paste. They use it on big buffing wheels to polish the lacquer and it tends to work itself into every cavity. And if the guys at the factory are careless, they just leave it there! Imagine dried up toothpaste. When you clean it out remember to wear a dust mask. And make sure to blow it out of your volume and tone pots. Any grit in those will eventually lead to a scratchy sound when you turn them. Contact cleaner helps.

[taylor8492]

@MrROTD When lacquer is sanded back between coats it comes off as a white powder.

That should have been cleaned out before sending out the guitar.

[macdige]

Alcohol is used to wipe down the bare wood prior to applying anything. The reason for this is it pulls out the saw dust from the pores and helps to visually see any scratches or sandpaper marks. Without this step you could very easily lacquer the entire guitar and find sanding marks all over the place.

Shellac is used as the first coat to seal the wood pores and bring out a nice color before applying colorless water-based lacquer. Stain is applied before the shellac.

[hauserkaspar]

I'm still trying to find a way to finish a guitar without expensive spray equipment.Till now shellack is the only method but that takes days if not weeks. Not good for cheap instruments.

In the last part of this vid your guitar looks amazing though. Very smooth. I already know your answer. Buy the DVD set.

[goodyear2602]

So it's either shellac or grain/pore filler? The more I watch the more I get confused.