New acoustic guitar build...questions/help please

[MaineGeezer]

I finish the neck and body separately, then assemble. Doing so means you don't have difficult-to-finish internal corners where the neck joins the body, and 50 years from now when some hapless repair guy has do a neck reset on the guitar, he won't curse you for gluing the neck and body together with the finish.

I've used both shellac and Tru-Oil to finish necks. While shellac is nice because it's easy to touch up when it wears, most people aren't going to do that and Tru-Oil is probably a better choice if a guitar is destined for a member of the general population.

[beginner]

thank you for your input....makes a lot of sense. i'm pleased to hear that using shellac for the neck is not discouraged or that it would compromise the final result and playability. This is all so new to me and i didn't know if shellac would be a mistake.

I hope to keep and learn on this guitar.

Surprisingly i'm kind of enjoying the french polish technique...

...i know it might sound like an absurd or perhaps bizarre questions but i am curious....is there a limit to the number of layers of shellac one could or should apply with the French Polish technique?

right now it looks very pretty and shiny and not oily...truthfully I don't mind doing more coats but is there a point where it becomes disadvantageous or negatively impact the final result?

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Technically you can stop applying shellac once you have level smooth surface, flat with no pores showing. You can keep going if you want a thicker finish but at that point it's not necessary. Some believe the thinner finish the better for sound production. That can be debated.
Keep in mind that as the shellac cures/dries it gases off the alcohol and can shrink slightly.

[beginner]

thank you, that information helps

great forum by the way

[JLT]

I finish the neck and body separately, then assemble. Doing so means you don't have difficult-to-finish internal corners where the neck joins the body, and 50 years from now when some hapless repair guy has do a neck reset on the guitar, he won't curse you for gluing the neck and body together with the finish.

I've used both shellac and Tru-Oil to finish necks. While shellac is nice because it's easy to touch up when it wears, most people aren't going to do that and Tru-Oil is probably a better choice if a guitar is destined for a member of the general population.

That's my logic, as well. If the join is perfect before you start the finishing process, it will almost always be perfect afterwards. (The only exception I've encountered was with the Hofner "Beatle Bass" I built from a kit, as described on another part of this forum. And it was an easy fix.)

[beginner]

thank you....appreciate the information/experience. that's what i'll do as well.

i'll search out your post...would be interesting to see how you managed the challenge