Official Luthiers Forum!

I know most decent steel string guitar are either lacquered or UV/2K cleared, but does any professional luthier (who gets paid commissions) do french polish on a steel string guitar?

It just occurred to me that while lacquering looks nice and all, it kinda requires a bit of a setup other than a good gun and compressor. You also need a booth or area with lots of ventilation, not to mention the stuff isn't good for the environment and your health. Then again I would think if someone is paying over 3000 dollars on a guitar they're more likely to properly care for the instrument anyways.

Shellac is a natural finish, and the only possibly harmful substance you might use would be the alcohol, which in terms of the environmental impact it's pretty harmless. In addition it requires no equipment other than some cotton rags and shellac.

While I'm at it, would anyone go for a french polished electric guitar...?

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

In answer to your first question, yes.
In answer to your statement, not quite.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I believe David Wren, who posts here occasionally, french polishes his guitars.

Nothing wrong per se. There are some very hard shellacs out there that may rival nitro for hardness (after all if it's durable enough for hardwood floors, it's probably durable enough for a guitar.) Button lac comes to mind. It is extremely easy to fix if damaged and it will get damaged if it gets heavy use.
It just isn't traditional.


There are some builders who will do an FP on the top and nitro everywhere else.

That said, if you're building an instrument to be hung on a wall, it is just great. But if the instrument is going to be used regularly, I don't think I'd do it (again.) The one fp steel string I've done, is now my absolute favorite stage instrument, BUT the finish is so beat up I'm embarrassed to tell anyone I built it. Everything about the set up, tone, etc... rocks. But the shellac didn't hold up to the rigors of my playing.

That's just my experience with it.

Dave

My personal guitars are French Polished. So far, I've had only one customer who specified FP...an SJ. The more people know of the pros and cons the more informed their choices can be.

I'd hesitate to FP an electric because of the abuse the finish takes from those frenetic rockers.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I french polish alot of my steel string guitars. The rest get nitro.They both are easy to fix if they need it in the future. I also do both on the same guitar(top FP and nitro B&S) for better tone. I don't see any reason to French polish an electric guitar as the difference in tone wouldn't be that great , so they get the nitro because of the durability factor.

Varnish is nice.
You could brush it on.
I wonder if brushing/polishing varnish would take as long as french polishing.........
Anybody know?

I was just thinking a lot of luthiers french polish nylon string guitars, because most classical players demand it from a high quality instrument, but what is the difference between a nylon string and a steel string in terms of the amount of abuse they are expected to receive?

I would think that anyone spending a good deal of money on guitars would take care of them anyways.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I only build steel string guitars, and I only french polish shellac, so I guess "yes".
I choose FPS for several reasons, personal health being one, and I don't send my guitars out for finish.
I'm sure I've lost sales to tire kickers who mark down "french polish - no" but my own guitar is FP, I sure don't baby it, it is scratched up, and it plays and sounds great.
I have yet to have a person who bought a guitar complain later about the finish, and I haven't had any back for a refinish, though I would welcome it.
Also, I do a very "thick" FP build up, but I don't know how to measure the thickness.

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I sure wish I felt more comfortable with the durability issue. FP was my first choice on my first mandolin and it turned out to be the most enjoyable process of all that I've tried since. Although spraying water-borne right in my house without fear of explosion is pretty satisfying also. Finishing

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I varnished one guitar once and I swear it took like 3 months before the finish was ready for a polish. I'm sure their are faster drying varnishes out there but my advice would be to find one that states it's drying time clearly on the label.