Official Luthiers Forum!

I recently visited our fellow member and super nice guy Joe White at his finish shop in rural Indiana. I needed to pick up 2 guitars that Joe had finished for me and also drop off 2 more for him to do. After spraying and buffing over 50 Nitro finishes, I decided to relegate this part of the build process to an expert and I have never regretted my decision.

Joe's shop is as clean and well lit as an operating room and his finish work is second to none.

Although Joe is not a member of the NRA, he can be frequently found with a gun in his hand:

Here are a couple of the recent finishes that he has done for me:

Mike Franks
http://www.mjfranksguitar.com

Oh my Mike you have some beautiful guitars there!!!!

It's great to see smiling Joe too!!

Where's the rest of the pics showing us Smiling Joe's shop? I'd really like to see his opperation. I'm in the planning stages for turning my attached shed into a finishing room and would like to see how a real pro like Joe is set up for some ideas.

Nice work, Mike. Really gorgeous.
Here are some pics from my recent visit!!!

Don't drop by unexpectedly after dark, I'm likely sporting a slightly different gun, varmits and critters you know?

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jw ( o)===:::

Looks to me like the entire soundboard is masked off whilst spraying the sides. If I had to guess, I'd say it's getting a FP soundboard. That, or the sides are getting a tinted finish which has to be kept off the top.

VARMIT!! HEY! That's ME!

Nice looking work there! Nice digs too!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Joe's work is stunning!
Can someone tell me how to make contact with him?
Where in Indiana is his shop?
Do you do your own pore filling and have Joe do the finishing,
or does he do the filling and sanding for you, as well?

Give or take a few $, what would it cost for custom finishing a 00 guitar?
I've got four in the shop now,
and I'm absolutely sure I can't make them look that good!!!

Ken Grunst

You can email Joe and get all the details directly from him. His email is GETGOMUSIC@aol.com

Mike Franks
www.mjfranksguitar.com

Filippo, Do you mean the third from the right? The one farthest from me? Ebony with a light top? Soundhole in the upper bout? If so, That is a Batson. Cory and brother Grant are pushing the envelope a bit with their guitars. Check 'em out.

http://www.batsonguitars.com/

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jw ( o)===:::

I visited Joe's shop last night. I think he is there 24 hours a day - and he is still smiling. Joe's finishes are flawless, unfortunately, I had to return one of my guitars that he finished because it took a nose dive off of a table, and I am counting on Joe's magic touch to fix it!

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John Ressler

Thanks, Mike. Done!