Acoustic Guitar Finish...are UV Cured finishes appropriate or even optimal for acoustic guitars?

[beginner]

hello,
I'm starting an acoustic 6 string guitar build. I'm very novice at wood working and finishing. I generally prefer a natural wood look, glossy is fine as is a more muted finish.

I've read about quite a few different finishes.

My only experience to date was using a hard wax oil for an electric guitar which worked out well, albeit not the most durable of finishes. To my eyes and hands It turned out aesthetically pleasing and feels nice to the touch.

I've strongly considered using Shellac for this new build. It is certainly a well described option, albeit labor intensive. While I'm not averse to this option, I must admit I'm curious about the UV cured products such as Solarez.

I wonder however if these UV cured finishes are optimal or even appropriate for acoustic guitars.... as ultimately lovely sound quality is a priority.

Hoping perhaps others might have experience using this type of finish....positive or negative.

Really appreciate the help.

[tippie53]

sadly these finishes are not repairable that is why lacquers are the first choice Shellac 2nd
there is also water lacquers

[rcnewcomb]

I thought Martin had switch to UV cured pre-catalyzed nitrocellulose. Am I mistaken?

[tippie53]

you are mistaken martin uses nitro lacquer and a product that is chem sheen a catalized lacquer

[beginner]

thank you all
just not sure if i'm capable of effecting a good job spray painting.
appreciate the information

[rcnewcomb]

Thanks for clarifying!

[phavriluk]

I'd come by the notion that UV cured finishes aren't home-shop friendly, they're a factory finsh and I needn't think about them being applied in a amateur shop. And on to the next question...

[CherryLine]

Hey! I’ve mostly stuck to more traditional finishes for my acoustics, like shellac and Tru-Oil, especially since I lean toward natural aesthetics too. UV-cured stuff like Solarez is super convenient and can look great, but it’s usually a bit on the heavier side and might slightly dampen the top’s responsiveness. Not a dealbreaker for everyone, but something to keep in mind if tone’s your top concern.

I’ve seen a few folks go that route with good results, though. One of my recent acoustics got the shellac love, but I’ve been eyeing a few modern finishes from a shop I trust that’s got cool options tailored for lighter builds.

Cheers and happy building

[beginner]

would love to hear more of your experience with some of the new possibilities.
thank you for responding

[Dean Derby]

Hi
Have you considered using a product called Royal Lac? I recently finished a guitar with Royal Lac original and I’m quite happy with the results. The process is quite similar to French Polish so you don’t need any special equipment to get a very good result. You should be able to find some online tutorials outlining the applications of the Seal Lac (first step) and Royal Lac.
My experience with this is quite limited but I found the application improved once I thinned the product 50% with grain alcohol.

Good luck