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I am in the final stages of a new build. Due to health, I decided not to spray lacquer so on search for a finish material. This is the first guitar in years I haven't sprayed and never with wipe on poly.

My first finish on the guitar was tru-oil which is OK and done before, but for some reason struggled with it this time and used it in the end as slurry grain filler

I debated between shellac and poly and since the guitar is a personal build, I went with poly.

Wasn't happy with just a wipe on and took that back and used the French polish method to rub it in, not sure it is any different than just wiping it on and off in thin coats, but seems to look like a polish.

Here is question can I spirit it off with Everclear like shellac or buff it in some manner for final I plan on letting it cure a couple of weeks before set up and stringing it. I have researched this some, but not much on instruments I could find. But then I am pretty much a computer dunce.

Spiriting off won't have any affect on it. You can polish it out though. I'd start with 1000 grit paper all the way through polishing compounds.

Hey Stan,
I sometimes use wipe on satin poly on electric guitars and did a successful wipe on poly gloss finish on an acoustic about eight or nine years ago. It's holding up quite well.
I use regular pore fill and sealing methods but will add 2 more coats of shellac on rosewoods as the antioxidants in the oils of those woods will not allow the polyurethane to cure correctly. I wipe on 3 medium coats a day and block out with 400 grit the next morning and apply 3 more coats. For a satin finish I do a total of 8 coats with the last two being real thin. On the gloss I think I used 12 coats and blocked out the final coats with 800 grit and hit the buffer. I buffed through the finish on the heel cap and it left a witness line, but only where I went all the way through to the shellac.

Steve

Stan,
I found the wipe-on poly to be too thick for the last few coats.
Try thinning it with mineral spirits.
Dan

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Thanks guys. My using it has been at best OK. Still working on it. My main problem seems to be if there is a blemish somewhere it is hard to repair.

Think on the next one I am going to do shellac