unclej Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 i've stated here many times that my preferred finish on my electric projects is a homemade oil finish consisting of equal parts linseed oil, varnish and turpentine. i plan on using it onthe little tenor uke that i'm building and was wondering if any of you have an opinion on the use of an oil finish on an acoustic instrument. i'm not overly concerned..simply curious as to whether or not a finish that actually penetrates the wood will have any significant effect on the overall tone of the instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 On acoustics, oil finishes definitely do have the potential for soaking into the wood and dampening vibrations, which isn't a good thing, IMO. What you could do - as several acoustic builders I know who use Tru-Oil do - is seal with a few thin coats of wiped-on shellac, and apply over the top of that. That would prevent the oil from soaking into the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted May 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 On acoustics, oil finishes definitely do have the potential for soaking into the wood and dampening vibrations, which isn't a good thing, IMO. What you could do - as several acoustic builders I know who use Tru-Oil do - is seal with a few thin coats of wiped-on shellac, and apply over the top of that. That would prevent the oil from soaking into the wood. thanks..that's a great idea. you hit the nail on the head with what i was worried about. this uke is all pecan which, despite being a fairly hard wood, does tend to soak up a lot of the finish and i was concerned that it might dampen the vibration some..it may sound like hell anyway but this is my first try at an acoustic instrument so it's kind of an experiment anyway..and i've got lots of pecan. i appreciate the idea. john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 7, 2006 Report Share Posted May 7, 2006 What about using oil on a thinline type (that is, a hollowed out solid-body with a cap)? I was thinking of using oil to try it out, seems like it would be fun to work with --but is it going to have an negative effect on the sound of the guitar? I'm guessing no, since the pickups do most of the work...and I'm not really expecting a thinline to have great acoustic tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to use straight oil on a thinline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to use straight oil on a thinline. I've been doing some tests with the wood I want to use...the oil really looks nice on it. I just feel like getting away from noxious spray cans for a while... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted May 8, 2006 Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 You could always French Polish, y'know ;-) But yes, Oil can look really, really nice. The finish choice is as much a design element as anything else, though; a 'trad' strat in oil just doesn't look quite right to me, and some guitars just cry out for high gloss. Others...not s'much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted May 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2006 i used my oil finish on my last build..a teleish chambered semi hollow and it's beyond a doubt one of the greatest sounding guitars that i've ever built. i don't think the oil would be near as likely to change the tone of a thicker top plate like a chambered electric as it would a much thinner acoustic top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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