And.........We're Off!

Well, I've learned the basic process of finishing so it's down to gathering the right materials and supplies to start the whole thing. I've got a list of stuff to get and I got some great tips and advice from the finishing forum on Guitar Reranch. A most helpful group of guys who've done this many times themselves and are filled with tons of helpful and useful ideas to keep me from making too many rookie mistakes.

One little hassle is that most of the finishing products are aerosol and can't be done inside due to noxious and potentially hazardous fumes. So I've got that to worry about and I can't do it outside because the temperatures here are too inconsistent. The other problem is that there's entirely too much moisture in the air to make spraying outside feasible right now.

The basic list of materials needed to start is as follows:

Sanding sealer, 2 cans of aerosol
rubber gloves
assorted sand paper in 150, 220 & 480 grits
sanding block
naphtha
masking tape

I can find all the stuff at most any hardware store but the sanding sealer, color/stain and clear coat I have to buy online because they're especially designed for finishing guitars. These are a nitrocellulose product and not available locally. Again, Reranch to the rescue here. They have the complete line of finishing products and even offer classic Fender and Gibson colors to produce a fairly faithful replica. I've settled on a honey/gold finish for the body and a slightly lighter version for the necks.

The first step involves cleaning the wood with naphtha to remove any oils that may have transferred to the wood from handling. After that it's rubber gloves for the entire process to avoid any imperfections in the finish. Then a light sanding with fine grit to ensure a nice, smooth wood surface. Then it's on to applying sanding sealer to "close" the wood to make it ready for staining/painting. There will be 2-4 coats of sealer with sanding between each pass to remove any shiny spots or uneven surfaces.

I haven't found the right color yet for the body so I'm going to take my time before I get to that step. The color I'm looking for is sort of the color you get when you hold a bottle of honey up to the light and then turn it slightly in different directions. When you do, you'll see a slightly darker color emerge as the honey moves. THAT'S the color I want. How abstract is that right? That's what I want and I'm going to keep searching until I find it or learn some trick to make it happen.

The guys on the forum tell me that this hobby is about as addictive as it gets. Even with success you begin to look for new ways to get a better color or a smoother clear coat etc. The overriding assertion is not to rush through the process. The clear coat needs at least 30 days to cure properly before I can actually use the guitar.

Maybe next time I'll try using decals or something unique to finish with. That should be fun!