Best way to achieve a Natural Finish.

olafgarten · December 2015

Hi, I am planning a Jazzmaster Build and wanted to know the best way to finish a guitar. I want to achieve a natural finish and have heard Tru Oil is good. I am applying this at my house and I don't have a garage to work in so anything that has a very strong smell or is poisonous can be ruled out.

I wanted to know what other options are available for finishing and the pros and cons.

Thanks,

Olafgarten

NPP · December 2015

I did an oil finish in the house and WezV's video explaining how to do it properly looks like it's been filmed in the lounge. As long as you can hang the guitar in a bathroom or so to dry rather than in your main living space it will be fine.

However, do your sanding outside!

WezV · December 2015

Dining room. My wife does moan about the smell but its not harmful like lacquer.

olafgarten · December 2015

WezV;888539" said:
Dining room. My wife does moan about the smell but its not harmful like lacquer.

How much is needed for a body and neck?

WezV · December 2015

A small bottle will be plenty if you are following my method.

One generous coat followed by small amounts for wetsanding

andypwudtone · December 2015

Wudtone is a good option for a natural look as well as a range of colours. Lots of lovely natural finished guitars shown here http://www.wudtone.com/feedback/ and Wudtone has a colourless option here http://www.wudtone.com/product/finishing-kit-colourless/ and also Amber http://www.wudtone.com/product/finishing-kit-amber/ is a popular choice for natural looks .

re pros and cons

Tru Oil isn't anything like Wudtone. I suppose you could use Tru-oil in place of Wudtone X Gloss Top Coat but that is it and I wouldn't because

Tru Oil contains polymerised linseed oil otherwise known as stand oil. Google either and you find out about their properties. This is realtively soft and plasticky and not something I would put on a musical instrument if I cared about its resonance / dynamics. @Wez has relayed his own experience of the dulling effect on acoustic guitars.

WezV · December 2015

andypwudtone said:

Tru Oil contains polymerised linseed oil otherwise known as stand oil. Google either and you find out about their properties. This is realtively soft and plasticky and not something I would put on a musical instrument if I cared about its resonance / dynamics. @Wez has relayed his own experience of the dulling effect on acoustic guitars.

actually you are misquoting me

I have used danish oil on an acoustic top and wouldn't again - it dulled it for a long time. This tells us a lot about Danish oil on spruce but very little about oil finishes in general (spruce is a resinous wood and as such is less suited to an oil finish).

Tru-oil works differently to danish oil. It sits on the surface more. Because of this some people try to use it as a lacquer and build up to a gloss finish. This can work - but i don't like this - it is more likely to stay plasticy when used in that sort of thickness

My oil finish method, whether using tru or danish, is much much thinner and I do not believe it has any noticeable effect on tone.

I have experimented with lots of different types of finishes on lots of different type of woods applied in many different ways.

I don't think there is one finish and one method which works for all woods. Its certainly not rubbed on wudtone or wetsanded tru-oil anymore than its a french polish done by virgins under a waterfall on midsummers day. Me saying oil finishes are not suitable for acoustic tops is about that particular combination on woods and oils and not an acknowledgement that oil finishes dull tone on all instruments

I have stayed out of commenting about wudtone for a while now out of respect for your trying to bring something new and interesting to the market. Please don't use my name in the promotion of your products or I will be forced to repeat my negative experiences of your finishing products

NPP · December 2015

olafgarten said:

WezV;888539" said:
Dining room. My wife does moan about the smell but its not harmful like lacquer.
How much is needed for a body and neck?

The bottle of Homebase Danish Oil I used would probably last for 2-3 bodies and necks. Have a look at the the link in my signature for a total novice's experience with an oil finish - there's a summary at the end. It comes with beer recommendations as well.

I have since used the same method to finish my desk and it worked well, too, even though I rushed it a bit in places (I have two guitars but only one desk and needed to get back to work).

andypwudtone · December 2015

No I don't think I'm misquoting you @WezV because Danish oil is a wood finishing oil, made of either tung oil or polymerized linseed oil as referred to. The brand names are irrelevant and often misleading. It is what is inside them you need to know.

kind regards

WezV · December 2015

andypwudtone said:

No I don't think I'm misquoting you @WezV because Danish oil is a wood finishing oil, made of either tung oil or polymerized linseed oil as referred to. The brand names are irrelevant and often misleading. It is what is inside them you need to know.

kind regards

if the use of my name in the promotion of your products I object to. Its out of order, and you chose to do it after criticising a technique you know I recommend

I oiled the top of an acoustic with danish oil. Danish oil and tru -oil are as different as wudtone and nitro lacquer. If you think they are the same thing it really shows you know very little about the oil finishes you are criticising.

You may as well say olive Oil is the same as crude oil - make sure you put the words in bold to prove the truth of it

The acoustic I oiled with Danish oil sounds amazing now, but I have fully admitted it took longer to get there because of the oil. The oil stayed tacky for a long time. The oils I use (danish or tru) do not stay tacky on most woods, but will on some depending on resin or oil content. It reacted differently to the spruce than it did the mahogany, rosewood, walnut, maple, wenge.... (I could go on for a long time here) ....I have applied it to before.

You see I am here to share experience even when its not positive, I am not here to sell a product. I have advised people against oils when I don't think it will suit the project at hand.

Wood matters

Type of oil matters

The way its applied matters

Any criticism needs to consider all 3 of these things

olafgarten · December 2015

Thanks for all the help guys but it looks like my little project has come to a halt before it started. Had to book a trip to Pakistan to attend a Family Wedding so there is no money left.

andypwudtone · December 2015

Hi @WezV ,

well some Danish Oils and Tru-Oil contain polymerised linseed oil, otherwise known as stand oil. I think that is clear and that is not something we would put into a product that was to be used with musical instruments. We would not recommend it and in that respect we disagree.

The most probable cause, the oils you use ( quote Danish or Tru), have different drying times on different woods and so will take longer to stop being tacky, is because of different level of anti oxidants in different woods. However once it stops feeling tacky you still have polymerised linseed oil or stand oil which is a relatively soft and plasticky coating on an instrument. As you have experienced yourself it has a negative effect on a guitars resonance.

Whatever @olafgarten chooses at least he is better informed with regard to what other options are available for finishing and the pros and cons.

kind regards

WezV · December 2015

Dude please. I would have been quite happy for you to come and recommend wudtone and state the pros of it. Certainly relevant to the topic at hand.

You decided to bring my name, and criticize my techniques, in your marketing BS instead

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Best way to achieve a Natural Finish.

Comments