Ruminations on Finishing Options

The rest of the parts arrived yesterday for my SG jr build.  Unfortunately, so did one of my all too frequent hemiplegic migraines: my mobility went from Gunsmoke's Festus, to The Hunchback of Notre Dame's Quasimodo, to Stephen Hawkings in the space of a few hours. Not a lot of guitar building going on, but a lot of mental planning and weighing of options for finishes.

Nothing inspires gear lust more than a gorgeous figured guitar top brought to life by a seductive sunburst under a perfectly polished clear coat.  Some of the finishes showcased by guitar builders are simply breathtaking.  As a woodworker of many years, I truly appreciate the work and skill that goes into these finishes.  On the other hand, as a guitar player, I have played some gorgeously finished guitars that played poorly and sounded flat.  As a builder, I appreciate and think about aesthetics, but at the end of the day it is all about playability and tone.  Does the way the guitar feels and sounds inspire me to play better?  How a guitar looks may inspire me to initially pick it up, but if it doesn't deliver on feel and tone, it is going back on the rack.  Guitar finishes inspire as much debate as any aspect of guitar building: Nitrocellulose or polyurethane, water-based or oil-based, stain or dye.  The debates rage on. Here's my two cents on the subject:

There is no one right way to finish a guitar. All finishing materials & methods have their benefits & shortcomings.  Experience & equipment often tip the scales.

Regardless of finishing method chosen, thinner is always better.  Don't deaden a guitar with a thick coat of anything!  Multiple thin-thin-thin coats are also better than than trying to put it all on in one pass.

Regardless of finishing method chosen, surface preparation is fundamental to getting good results. You've got to take the time contour sanding, leveling, grain filling, sealing, and sanding some more with progressively finer grits to produce a surface that is smooth and uniform before any finish is applied.

The wood and the guitar really make most of the finishing decisions.  I'm not going to put a busy or opaque finish over a beautiful Canary wood top.  Maple accepts dye differently than Mahogany, or Ash.

Many finishing products are highly toxic and have high VOC levels. Not good for anyone or the environment, and something that my neurological issues no longer allow.  I've done spray nitro lacquer, and it is beautiful, but no longer an option health-wise.

So how will I finish the SGjr?  Honestly, I haven't come to a final decision.  We're not talking a flamed top '59 LP here-- we're talking stripped down, straight ahead Rock & Roll for the working man. All the bevels and contours of an SG body factor in as well. Can't ignore that the mahogany, especially the neck, reveals some nice grain and a great warm, honey amber color when I dampened it to plump the grain for sanding.  Maybe a simple shellac?  (If you can call French polishing simple!) I've been experimenting with pickling wood lately (the old vinegar & steel wood alchemy trick): maybe for the headstock? Nothing too fancy, nothing too complicated, nothing that will cause a seizure!  Stay tuned.