French polish?

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Jouni

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...sounds like an adult movie...but

I've got a peavey ntb-5, and I hate it, the sound is dull.

So, I'm gonna search for emg single-coils to replace humbuckers, change the bridge to a Schaller roller, and the nut to something else than plastic.
..and..

It's unpainted wood. So I figured I'd like it to shine.
I'm thinking about french polishing it, but is it so fragile finish that I've read??

..that you can scratch it with a fingernail??

...I could polish the neck too, but will sweat dissolve it??
 
French polish is more of a stain than a polish really. It can create a nice finish though if you apply a layer with a rag, sand it back, and repeat. 32-20 Blues has a mahogany T-style body he finished with French polish, but he's not around.
 
As I understand it, French Polish is a way of building up successive coats of shellac. It's a beautiful finish but you do have all the drawbacks of shellac, primary among them not being tolerant of water.
 
http://www.milburnguitars.com/fpbannerframes.html

Check out the link. I'm going to do a french polish on my current project (It's a maple bodied DC Jr) I'm new to this, but this article seems to have some good info. I've already bought my finishing supplies. I was suprised at how inexpensive the materials were.
 
Not the best finish choice if its going to be a working instrument. Not very tough and will be marked by water.

French polish can create an amazing mirror-like finish if done by a professional but is tricky for an amateur to perfect. You'll have to read and practice alot or go on a course.
 
French Polishing is a technique that takes a bit of time to master, but it's not impossible. Use good quality shellac(not the stuff you buy pre-made in the hardware store), and do some practice runs first. The key is not to stop on the instrument at any point and leave marks, and to know when you are adding new finish and not just dragging around what's already there. You also don't want to use too much lubricant, or the finish will remain soft for quite a while.

You can get a pretty glossy finish, but it doesn't look like lacquer. While it is easy to damage and is very sensitive to water and alcohol, it is also easy to add another coat or two over the years as needed. I believe this is fairly standard practice for French polished classical guitars to cover wear and tear.

I'm no master, but I do have some experience. Check out www.frets.com for a more in-depth analysis of the procedure.
 
Personally I would go with some high-gloss tung oil. Rub in a light coat, let dry. Buff with some super fine steel wool # 0000 and repeat until desired gloss is reached.
 
Jouni said:
...sounds like an adult movie...but

I've got a peavey ntb-5, and I hate it, the sound is dull.
Click to expand...

Best bet, buy a new guitar. If you don't like it, it's unlikely you will be able to turn it into what you are after.


Jouni said:
So, I'm gonna search for emg single-coils to replace humbuckers, change the bridge to a Schaller roller, and the nut to something else than plastic.
..and..
Click to expand...

Do NOT go with the Schaller roller bridge, they sound awful. They are a really bad design, in my opinion (and I had one on a guitar for years...changing that guitar to a standard hard tail strat bridge was one of the best tonal changes I've ever made to a guitar). Changing to a bone nut is a good idea, but it will make little to no difference in the sound of the guitar. As for pickups, well, lots of choices there, but it sounds like you know what you want.

Jouni said:
It's unpainted wood. So I figured I'd like it to shine.
I'm thinking about french polishing it, but is it so fragile finish that I've read??

..that you can scratch it with a fingernail??

...I could polish the neck too, but will sweat dissolve it??
Click to expand...

French Polish is much more robust than some people would have you believe, but I'd still avoid it. Shellac doesn't usually have much problem with water, but sweat can sometime cause problems, and it is easily ruined by alcohol, so it is probably a bad idea if you ever play in bars. French polish is more than just shellac though, it is the process by which it is applied, and I have never seen a single guitar where it was well done, even by guys who are supposedly the best in the business. Well, at least I haven't seen it on a guitar which was less than 80 years old at this point. It is extremely skilled work, and I promise that you can not do a job which will make you happy. If you want a good gloss finish, your best bet is either LMI's KTM-9 or Stewart-MacDonald's ColorTone Waterbase Lacquer. Before you do any finish work, buy a copy of Dan Erlewine's Guitar Finishing Step-By-Step. It will make your life much easier. Both finishes are easy to apply, look very good, and are quite safe to use.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
French polish as light says is a tougher finish than many would think. I have used it on instruments on request but only on flat top acoustics. The benefits of it above those that Light mentioned are doubtfull. Go with a waterbourne high gloss.

French polish is alcohol soluble so that is your biggest problem. The hardness is governed by the length of drying time, amount of additives in the shellac, the amount of oil used when "rubbing" and the temperature of the instrument. Its not an easy finish to get right and a decent french polisher spends years perfecting his art. I only know one who can get a good finish on a guitar and it isn't me, but I'm fussy.
 
Light said:
Best bet, buy a new guitar. If you don't like it, it's unlikely you will be able to turn it into what you are after.
Click to expand...

That's just about the best general advice I've ever read as it applies to finishes and basic construction.
 
Ever wonder why there are so few french polishers working these days - bloody hard work & easy to stuff up. Professionals charge a fortune to even touch up furniture because it's a real artisan's task.
Go & look at a piece of french polished furniture or piano. Look at the wear, damage, spoiling and absolute beauty of the finish. It really warrants very good wood too. Crush your own beetles - really!
I put a hand crafted brass nut on a semi & the sound change was a) radical & b) fabulous.
 
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