Classical Guitar

[DaveH]

I have just completed the build of a Classical Guitar. For the most part it has been a scratch build, including the five five piece laminated neck. Some of the specifics include:

- Black Walnut S&B (KMG)
- Fine grained Englemann Spruce Top (KMG)
- Five piece neck - African Mahogany, Black Walnut, & Maple (DaveH)
- Curly Maple Binding & Back Seam, BWB Purfling F&B
- Finish on Sides, Back, & Neck: Behlen's instrument Lacquer
- Finish on Top: Behlens Qualasole (Padding/FP Finish)

I made the bending mold and construction mold based upon the 1937 Hauser Design. Because I chose to use a bolt in neck I opted for non-radiused Neck and Tail Blocks. Accordingly, both the top and bottom have a slightly different profile when compared to the original design. Ken @ KMG has the bending mold and templates so he can readily provide bent sides or a kit.

Building a Classical vs a Steel String was an interesting project. While there are many similarities, there are many differences. Ken (KMG) let me borrow his Sloane and Overholtzer books, which were both very informative. Attempting to be true to form I also choose to apply a "padded" finish to the top. This proved to be much more challenging and does'nt look near as good as my usual lacquer finish. I'll have to let someone with "trained ears" tell me if the sound quality is indeed more impressive when compared to a top finished with many coats of film-type finishes.

Thanks again to Ken @ KMG for the nice tonewoods and advice.

[johnnparchem]

The guitar looks great including the top. I really liked the neck details. I am curious why you used the qualasole over mixing you own shellac. I am about ready to start FPing my second build and am interested in your experience with the product. On my first I was happy with my own mix of shellac. I used some flakes from LMI, to make a 2 lb cut. It did take some work to get a good buildup and it took a few sessions with just alcohol to get it to clean it up. After a few weeks, the finish was hard enough to hand polish.

[kencierp]

Very nice Dave --- looking forward to seeing and hearing it in person!

John -- I've done the do it yourself French polish and the pre-mixed Behlens (padding Lacquer) -- stuff has been around for many, many years I refinished my brother's Gibson classical -- (after I replaced the ladder braced top) with the Behlens -- no chips or checks after 30 years! I'd ask why would you not use the Behlens. As I told Dave my compaint was with the plastic bottle which eventually "melted"

[johnnparchem]

Very nice Dave --- looking forward to seeing and hearing it in person!

John -- I've done the do it yourself French polish and the pre-mixed Behlens (padding Lacquer) -- stuff has been around for many, many years I refinished my brother's Gibson classical -- (after I replaced the ladder braced top) with the Behlens -- no chips or checks after 30 years! I'd ask why would you not use the Behlens. As I told Dave my compaint was with the plastic bottle which eventually "melted"

I am interested is using premixed products, and have been slowly researching them before finishing my steel string. Your having recommended it and having used it over a long period means a lot.

thanks

[DaveH]

This was my first attempt at using a "Padding Finish". I did some research on both traditional materials (i.e. Shellac Flakes) and pre-mixed products. Knowing that I had enough of a challenge ahead with development of my padding technique, I chose to simplify the overall process and use a pre-mixed finish. Having not applied shellac with a padding technique I can't really compare or contrast the two approaches. I will probably get a small quantity of Shellac Flakes and give this appoach a try. I am very curious to see the impact of using oils after a sufficient film is built. I did not use any oils with the Qualasole (as recommended by the mfg.).

With that said...... I will stick with sprayed finishes on my Steel String Acoustic builds. For a variety of reasons I still prefer nitro-lacquer. As a meet-in-the-middle approach, I would'nt shy from spraying shellac (probably confined to the Soundboard). With shellac, I would still keep my film build to a minimum, and frequently sand with very fine abrasives (micro-mesh). I have finished a number of furniture projects with shellac and been very happy with the results.

[johnnparchem]

I like FP and shellac as it is very forgiving to the finisher. Mixing my own was no trouble and I did not have to worry about old shellac as I mix it for each project. At any point in the process, one can fix mistakes, either a little more sanding or a bit more shellac. If things get really bad during a session, you go away for the night and the problem areas cleanly sand away in the morning. You can fix areas that were not grain filled well almost any time, a little pumice and a bit more padding. In addition, shellac dries so fast that I have little issue with dust in my garage bay finishing location (like when the garage door opens and my wife drives in.) I will try qualasole during the bodying sessions for the guitar I am working on as they advertise that it builds up faster. In addition, I believe qualasole has a bit of oil so one can pad without additional oil. I will post with the results.
I am encouraged when I look at your guitar.

[kencierp]

You guys may know this already --- seems that many of the high end classical builders are combining the new with the old. Sprayed or brushed lacquer or "VARNISH" back/sides with a French polished sound-board. I guess the concert players won't even consider a guitar with anything other than FP on the top.

[johnnparchem]

I like the idea of brushed on lacquer for the back, sides amd neck with a french polished top. It seems like if I finish the back and sides first the FP on the top will naturally blend in as there is no problem with a bit of shellac on lacquer where the top and rim meet.

Now I am excited.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Dave,
That is an exquisite guitar, great job. Walnut would not be a common wood for a classical, what do you think it did for the tone? Anything? I have a set waiting to become an OM, but it would work for the classical I have planned too.

Kevin

[kencierp]

Kevin,
Use of Walnut is not that uncommon --- as a matter of fact some award winning classical instruments are made of Walnut. Check out Overhotlzer's publication. To my ear it is very similar to Honduran Mahogany more mellow than EIR -- You can find high end classicals made of Cypress and Spanish Cedar as well. BTW my "lab guitar" is about forty years old made of Black Walnut --- it gets better sounding and louder as time goes by...