Official Luthiers Forum!

The few guitars I've built in the past had sitka spruce tops and when I sprayed them with lacquer they turned really blond. Im starting a new guitar and want my top to be as white as possible. I had a Taylor in the past with a sitka top and it was nice and white. Is there a method to prevent that or is it just color differences in the wood. I've read that engelmanns is whiter but sound is a lot different? I've never played or heard one topped with engelmanns so I'm scrred to use it.

Lacquer has a natural amber tint to it. Taylor uses a UV cured polyester which is for all purposes actually clear. To keep the sitka, or any spruce, nice and white you will want to use a poly type coating that is listed as 'water white".

_________________
Brian

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

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

ok where do i find that at and is it easy to work with like lacquer. i dont like working with poly as far as cabinetry goes.

can you buff poly?

Remember also that Sitka oxidizes to the orangey/brown color over time. Euro, Engleman and Red tend to stay whiter over time.

But - A Poly finish is more likely to stay whiter longer than lacquer... Just understand that Sitka turns brown/orange...

Engelmann is my favorite top wood. I use Target Coatings EM 6000, a waterbased lacquer, over a seal coat of blond shellac. Although the top looks pretty white when the guitar is new, even under the finish it yellows pretty well as it gets a couple of years on it. I don't think you can make it stay white forever.

i decided im going to try 2k urethane. does anyone have a good one to use and if i should use a sealer underneath it. all i can find is automotive 2k urethane.

I would recommend using a finish that's already vetted as a Guitar finish. Many auto finishes are pretty hard and too brittle for acoustic guitar duty. They may not handle the wood under them expanding and contracting with humidity and temperature changes.... Metal body panels don't do this...

You might try using a white stain.


I've used and like Saman "Whitewash" not for acoustics but electrics. I dont see why it wouldn't work.
Its water based easy to use and with repeated applications and sanding it comes up very smooth-
you can also control the amount of color

_________________
You just pick up a chord, go twang, and you're got music. -Sid Vicious

Since I only cut sitka, LOTS OF IT, as opposed to building fine instruments with it, I can only comment on it's properties. Regarding color, There is quite a range of color variations, but over-all sitka will look like sitka with it's somewhat pinkish cream-tan hue. And it will have it's "sitka hardness" that varies from tree to tree and even log to log. And it will have the Sitka elasticity which is another attribute that makes it such a GREAT soundboard.
I do know from seeing, that ultra-violet light does darken the wood. And as it darkens, it becomes a bit more homogeneous in color. That is, any contrast in color is greatly diminished. I'm thinking even florescent lighting does some also.
Does anyone know if a finish will protect the wood from ultra-violet light caused color change?