Natural shellac is the only way to go if you want exceptional tone and responsiveness, plus it is easy to repair and reapply as needed. A fine guitar is not an automobile or piece of furniture, and if you take care of it properly by wiping it and the strings down after you play the finish lasts a long time. I only do minor touch ups to my guitars about once a year.
@hkostal the protection the shellac provides, on a guitar soundboard at least, is adequate enough to protect the wood from oil & dirt. If a soundboard got enough oil & dirt embedded in the softwood soundboard it might dampen the response. Water & sweat can cloud the shellac but it would take a lot of sweat to penetrate several layers of shellac, and the oil remaining in the finish from the French polishing probably adds some degree of protection from sweat & water since oil displaces water.
Stick to making doors & furniture. The cost of french polish is not the point. It is a light finish and allows the wood to resonate - which is what you want in a guitar not a chair.
French polish definitely does not mean to flood a surface with laque.
For me it means:
First close the holes in the wooden structure with pumice and sand it to a ver perfect level.
Than put a few drops - not more - to the insite of the polish dapper. Add one or two drops of polishing oil to the outside of the dabber and start to apply a very thin layer of laque to the surface. Let it dry and repeat the procedure 200 times...
why only kind of? as far as i knew the process consisted of the shellac alcohol mixture being rubbed on gradually by hand followed by sanding with fine grain sandpaper and these two repeated over and over to ensure a thin even polish
The part that is "kind of new" is the pore filling (if you can call it on a cypress), I am talking about the resin you place first, which is by itself a finish. I use pumice, the old way. I have been in Granada and know the work of the maestro. It is very good.
1st: he uses some kind of varnish to fill natural pores of the wood ("Grain Filler" on stewmac!). Then he polishes with the power tool We see.
2: He explains proportions: 1/4 liter alcohol + 20 grams of natural shellac. He recomends aplication in moving circles (yes, Daniel San)and a multi-layered finish. Every 2/3 layers you apply, use sandpaper (1500 it's ok -on water!) very softly and kindly. Later apply more layers at your own judgement. He want's to reech more
Is there anyone out there that is bilingual English/Spanish that can provide a translation? Sorry - I'm just another ignorant American who only speaks one language. : ) I've Frensh polished before, but am curious about the details of his personal application process.
1st: he uses some kind of varnish to fill natural pores of the wood ("Grain Filler" on stewmac!). Then he polishes with the power tool We see.
2: He explains proportions: 1/4 liter alcohol + 20 grams of natural shellac. He recomends aplication in moving circles (yes, Daniel San)and a multi-layered finish. Every 2/3 layers you apply, use sandpaper (1500 it's ok -on water!) very softly and kindly. Later apply more layers at your own judgement. He want's to reech more
That's it. If you have been french polishing before, here you won't find great secrets. But I'm shure, this luthier KNOWS what he's talking about. Remember the concept of "multi laying french polishing", and it will be fine
At the end, he recomends the use of alcohol when the shellac starts to dry, and gets sticky. He proposes a clean alcohol aplication. I'd propose the use of natural Lino's oil at the begining of the process. It works like a "lub", but rebember, just a FEW DROPS (lino oil really helps with powder grain fillers).
And always, use your hands kindly, don't put pression on the wood.
Natural shellac is the only way to go if you want exceptional tone and responsiveness, plus it is easy to repair and reapply as needed. A fine guitar is not an automobile or piece of furniture, and if you take care of it properly by wiping it and the strings down after you play the finish lasts a long time. I only do minor touch ups to my guitars about once a year.
estudiorudolpho 2 weeks ago
ole maestro!!!!
gracias por su sabiduria.
littlegreenman75 11 months ago
.what did he say?
glenmann62 1 year ago
There are hundreds of techniques for French Polishing, everyone seems to have their own method, this is just one of those techniques.
Henders100 1 year ago
Yes, but honestly it is not very durable especially if the guitarplayer is sweating.
The protection is poor.
hkostal 2 years ago
@hkostal so is nitro finishing. It cracks and rubs away from repeated use of the area. But, doesn't natural relic look nice? haha
brundontfreeze000 1 year ago
@brundontfreeze000
Have you ever heard from 2K polyurethane?
hkostal 1 year ago
I like the idea of a less toxic product .
pkillor 1 year ago
@hkostal the protection the shellac provides, on a guitar soundboard at least, is adequate enough to protect the wood from oil & dirt. If a soundboard got enough oil & dirt embedded in the softwood soundboard it might dampen the response. Water & sweat can cloud the shellac but it would take a lot of sweat to penetrate several layers of shellac, and the oil remaining in the finish from the French polishing probably adds some degree of protection from sweat & water since oil displaces water.
StrixNoctis 1 year ago
Stick to making doors & furniture. The cost of french polish is not the point. It is a light finish and allows the wood to resonate - which is what you want in a guitar not a chair.
SamuraiAssain 2 years ago
we use that for furniture or doors. the cheapest polish in here
erictjie 2 years ago
french polish?
zulkiflimnoer 2 years ago
i don't speak spanish,so subs would be awesome.THX
SamBrown1900 2 years ago
uh... yeah. It IS french polish.
jazzpsalti 3 years ago
Yeah - very informative.
But if this was filmed in Poland, would they call it Polish Polish?
HamechiKoloft 3 years ago
lmfao XD
R3m0 3 years ago
hahaha Polish polish, clever
gooch036 2 years ago
Please tell us, how you do it? Thank you
pkillor 3 years ago
@pkillor picklehead7 seems to be right.
French polish definitely does not mean to flood a surface with laque.
For me it means:
First close the holes in the wooden structure with pumice and sand it to a ver perfect level.
Than put a few drops - not more - to the insite of the polish dapper. Add one or two drops of polishing oil to the outside of the dabber and start to apply a very thin layer of laque to the surface. Let it dry and repeat the procedure 200 times...
orangmakan 1 year ago
It is like a "kind of" French polish.
cienanosdesoledad 3 years ago
why only kind of? as far as i knew the process consisted of the shellac alcohol mixture being rubbed on gradually by hand followed by sanding with fine grain sandpaper and these two repeated over and over to ensure a thin even polish
R3m0 3 years ago
The part that is "kind of new" is the pore filling (if you can call it on a cypress), I am talking about the resin you place first, which is by itself a finish. I use pumice, the old way. I have been in Granada and know the work of the maestro. It is very good.
cienanosdesoledad 3 years ago
very impresive iwish you the best maestro gracias
hichem1000 3 years ago
Muchas Gracias,Maestro por la informacion!
Un Abrazo!
CarlosMacMartin 3 years ago
Thank you Diego. (And yes, Obama is my first choice!)
dickey335 4 years ago
1st: he uses some kind of varnish to fill natural pores of the wood ("Grain Filler" on stewmac!). Then he polishes with the power tool We see.
2: He explains proportions: 1/4 liter alcohol + 20 grams of natural shellac. He recomends aplication in moving circles (yes, Daniel San)and a multi-layered finish. Every 2/3 layers you apply, use sandpaper (1500 it's ok -on water!) very softly and kindly. Later apply more layers at your own judgement. He want's to reech more
thickness with this process.
diegohernan82 4 years ago
Is there anyone out there that is bilingual English/Spanish that can provide a translation? Sorry - I'm just another ignorant American who only speaks one language. : ) I've Frensh polished before, but am curious about the details of his personal application process.
Thank you.
dickey335 4 years ago
1st: he uses some kind of varnish to fill natural pores of the wood ("Grain Filler" on stewmac!). Then he polishes with the power tool We see.
2: He explains proportions: 1/4 liter alcohol + 20 grams of natural shellac. He recomends aplication in moving circles (yes, Daniel San)and a multi-layered finish. Every 2/3 layers you apply, use sandpaper (1500 it's ok -on water!) very softly and kindly. Later apply more layers at your own judgement. He want's to reech more
thickness with this process.
diegohernan82 4 years ago
That's it. If you have been french polishing before, here you won't find great secrets. But I'm shure, this luthier KNOWS what he's talking about. Remember the concept of "multi laying french polishing", and it will be fine
diegohernan82 4 years ago
Finally:
At the end, he recomends the use of alcohol when the shellac starts to dry, and gets sticky. He proposes a clean alcohol aplication. I'd propose the use of natural Lino's oil at the begining of the process. It works like a "lub", but rebember, just a FEW DROPS (lino oil really helps with powder grain fillers).
And always, use your hands kindly, don't put pression on the wood.
Hope it helps you!
diegohernan82 4 years ago
Feel free to write me. I'm studyng for my 1st project with a hand carved archtop...maybe you can help!
Greetings from Buenos Aires.
By the way: Vote! Do it for the entire World. Support Obama!
Peace :)
diegohernan82 4 years ago
lastima q no esta desde el comienzo el proceso. Pero muy bueno!!
maxiluthier 4 years ago
muy bueno !!!!
ibizalibre 4 years ago