Finishing ideas - Tele build

menamestom

So after a few too many beers on Sunday, prompted by a Guitar Build sale I ordered the following:-

https://imgur.com/a/iQ9WfcW

3 piece alder body and Hosco rosewood neck.   So I'm thinking about finishing options.  I already have a blackguard Tele so want something early 60's ish to compliment it.

I'm thinking an aged white will look good.   I'm thinking nitro, but it's a fairly lengthy process and also probably £50 in materials.

My other tele is true oil finished, which suits the swamp ash and it's got a nice amber tint to it now after several years.
I could do this one in true oil, for resonance and ease, but I think the 3 piece alder might look a bit naff (that said, it's an excellent body from GB).

So just wondering if there are any other easy finishing options, or should I just go for nitro?  I've heard wipe on poly mentioned in the past.  I've nothing against poly as long as it is not too thick.  Then there's always Wudtone, but am put off by several reports of issues.  Are there any wood stains that I could oil over?

Here's my other nitro finished guitar, a refinished 90's Strat.  It's starting to look nicely aged now, it come out well but not amazing, but as a refin it was quite hard to get the body prepared well enough - it had a veneer and many pieces of wood.  The fresh Tele body would at least be easier.

https://imgur.com/a/pqD6nhD

 

Roland

The first thing you could look at is Osmo. There are several products in the range, gloss, satin etc. I’ve used it on guitars with both plain and stained tops. You can build up a finish using multiple thin layers. It dries lighter, and a little harder, than Tru-Oil, but not hard enough to prevent pick marks.

Something I’m currently trialing is Monocoat. It comes in a range of colours. The blurb clams that it can also be mixed with stain pigment, or applied over dyed wood. It’s supposed to be much harder than Osmo. 

menamestom

Roland said:

The first thing you could look at is Osmo. There are several products in the range, gloss, satin etc. I’ve used it on guitars with both plain and stained tops. You can build up a finish using multiple thin layers. It dries lighter, and a little harder, than Tru-Oil, but not hard enough to prevent pick marks.

Something I’m currently trialing is Monocoat. It comes in a range of colours. The blurb clams that it can also be mixed with stain pigment, or applied over dyed wood. It’s supposed to be much harder than Osmo. 

Thanks, I will check these out!

Jackss565

Equally as good, if not slightly better than osmo is Fiddes hard wax oil. Comes in a range of colours/finishes and is pretty hard wearing. Comes in little 5ml sachets for trialling colours as well