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I really like the ease of application of the Zinsser Spray Shellac, not to mention how quickly it dries. I've read that some of you put down a coat as a sealer and then put down about 4 coats of varnish to get a build and then cut it back to level. What I want to know is can you just keep going with the Spray Shellac to get a build and then cut it back to level then apply your varnish?

I know some of you use the more expensive stuff like Pratt and Lambert and it seems wasteful to put that stuff on only to knock it back down to level. And the wait in between coats...YIKES! Also, if you accidentally sanded down to bare wood and had to start all over again, wouldn't you rather be sanding off of the cheap Spray Shellac rather than the varni$h?

I don't see why not.... but you should run a sample out on something to be sure before trying it on anything worthwhile.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Varnish builds faster than shellac in my experience.

Ahhhhh, I knew there had to be a reason no one else was doing it! Thanks.

I've found that lacquer doesn't stick all that well to shellac for some reason... it might stick to glass but things don't seem to stick to it as well...

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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

A spray shellac finish that has about the same build as a normal Lacquer finish LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time to finally dry out enough to level sand.....

I did the soundboard of my #1 guitar this way... It took about 3 months to dry out enough where I could "wet" sand it without it still being gooey under the surface....

It took an additional 9-months for it to finally dry out all the way hard.... It was real shiny, but has a real nice corrugated appearance from the grain lines.....

2nd is that "Wet Sanding" Shellac requires paint thinner - so it's not exactly an indoor proposition unless you like the smell of Paint thinner in your living room carpet....

On the up side... It is a very nice, hard finish... More durable than most folks give credit....... That guitar doesn't get to stay in a case... Not even on a car ride.... I just pitch it in the trunk and off I go..... It is holding up much better than I would have ever imagined it would....

Next thing... It's been my experience that Varnish really does stick better to bare wood than it does to shellac.... Personally, I won't use shellac under varnish unless it's a wood that will bleed into the varnish and discolor it..... So... my "Spit coat" is just a very thinned out mix of the same varnish I brush on normally.....

Thanks

Where have you found this? People have used shellac as a sealer under lacquer for a long time. I've done it on all of my gutiars to date and haven't had any issues...

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From experience. I had lacquer peel off of dewaxed shellac.

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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

Same as Rod. Never a problem

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee