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Topic: Best polyurethane finish for six-string? |
David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 19 Apr 2006 1:02 pm |
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| I am going to be assembling a Warmoth guitar this summer with a maple neck and alder body. I already know what stain I'll be using, but I would like to hear of any experience you have with wipe-on, satin polyurethane finishes. Minwax or other?, fast-drying, water vs. oil-based, etc. |
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Mark Herrick
From:
Bakersfield, CA
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Posted 19 Apr 2006 2:08 pm
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I've sprayed a guitar body a couple of times, but I used nitrocellulose lacquer. If you're doing a transparent color the stain is usually mixed with the lacquer. With multiple coats this can give a really nice, deep color. I've heard that sunburst can go either way; stain sprayed on the wood or used in the lacquer.
Don't know much about polyurethane and tinting, etc.
Because of the convoluted shape of a guitar body it can be tricky to spray evenly without runs and without fogging previously sprayed areas.
You might find more info on sites like this:
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Applying_oilbased_polyurethane.html
Ooops, sorry, I see you were looking specifically for wipe-on finishes. You can still find a lot of info on that site...
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[This message was edited by Mark Herrick on 19 April 2006 at 03:15 PM.] |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 19 Apr 2006 2:34 pm
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| I understand that water-based products won't yellow with time as do oil-based ones. |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 19 Apr 2006 4:35 pm
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David, do you want info on finishing:
a) the body,
b) the back of the neck,
c) the fingerboard, or
d) all of the above?
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Artie McEwan
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2006 12:23 am
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A) the body;
B) the back of the maple neck. I'm getting a pau ferro fingerboard, so that's not an issue. I'll first be using a light amber stain for the neck, and a dilute water-based brown stain for the alder body, but I'm not sure if the same poly wiping compound is ideal for alder and maple? There are both water and oil based polyurethane, it sure sounds like the water-based ones are easier and less stinky, but there are several different brands. |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 20 Apr 2006 4:15 am
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Anything from Stewart-Macdonald or Luthiers Mercantile will do a splendid job. I've used Stew-Macs waterbased laquer in my HVLP spray gun for two guitars with very good results. It does not stink at all, it's not dangerous to inhale, the gun can be cleaned with just water, the environment is happy and there's no fire hazard - definitely the way to go.
I strongly recommend Dan Erlewine's book on guitar finishing; there's a revised edition with more pictures out now. It contains EVERYTHING you need to know, and then some.
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ยด75 Emmons p/p D10 8+4, '96 Emmons Legrande II D10 8+5, ca '72 AWH Custom D10 8+3, Peavey Nashville 1000
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Graham Lathrop
From:
Dallas TX
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Posted 20 Apr 2006 8:19 am
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| Mike Rowan at Rowan Guitars www.rowanguitars.com knows more about finish than just about anyone...he loves to talk guitars so call him up! |
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