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Started this build a couple weeks ago and had a good day today. Finished body today and bindings. Still needs some additional scraping and sanding but thought I would share my joy.

Figure on top doesnt show well in pic, nice bearclaw.

Wondering what to do with the finish. Any ideas on how to pop the figure on the maple and also on the bear claw?? Was half thinking of trying a burst but really like the natural wood look. Pretty white though. Have an ebony bridge, fingerboard, headstock veneer and black bindings.

Thats some perrdy maple...Lookin' Good! Nice rosette too.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Rich, good for you using maple.
I LOVE maple. I think it gets short shrift among the guitar crowd, and has gotten a bad rap for no fault of its own. I'd pop those curls with a combo of Danish oil and amber shellac. But no one seems to like that approach, so forget I said that. Do keep us apprised of the finishing.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I'd suggest amber and/or garnet shellac. Just remember to seal it first with a few passes of blond shellac, so the darker colors won't blotch. If you don't want to do a complete French Polish job, you can use the shellac for color, then something else for a clearcoat on top of it.

Rich, great job so far It gives me new perspective now to see other people's progress pics! love that maple and beautiful rosette my friend, what's the wood you used for it?

keep it up!! great work..

I'd go for a clear finish, a slight amber stain does really well bringing out the figure in maple but I'd leave the top natural... just my 2 cents!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

I've had sucess both with amber shellac, and with analine dye under lacquer. If you go to Taylor's website and look at the dark amber on maple that is waterbase analine dye.

Al

Looks good Rich!

I just finished my first one, also maple, and I gotta say, I'm pretty amazed at the tone - not at all what I expected.

Nice work! Looking forward to seeing the finish on it.

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

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Todd:

Comparing it to my rosewood Collings, I'd say that's fairly accurate. The maple seems more "crystaline", not as "woody" as the Collings, but, I guess at this point it is hard to compare the two as the Collings is over a year old and has been played many hours. I will say the maple one gets more complex every day tho'.

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

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[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird] Rich, good for you using maple.
I LOVE maple. I think it gets short shrift among the guitar crowd, and has gotten a bad rap for no fault of its own. I'd pop those curls with a combo of Danish oil and amber shellac. But no one seems to like that approach, so forget I said that. Do keep us apprised of the finishing.

Steve[/QUOTE]

Steve, I assume the danish oil is rubbed into the wood and then the amber shellac simply brushed on with light sanding between coats? Like the sound of this approach. I have always used lacquer and experimented with KTM for a while so this would be a new approach. Also have been considering a run at French polish. Have you ever simply brushed shellac on soundboard and sand between coats and then rub out with paste wax and steel wool???? Thought I saw that somewhere but not sure.

How about it guys - any advise on technique for shellac?

Oh yes, the question regarding the rosette. To tell you the truth I am not sure what the heck it is. I had this piece of scrap laying around and liked the grain and color. It is a very dark brown with black highlights. When I get back home from business travel this week I will post a shot of the board and see if you guys can tell me. I think I got it from the Zootman some time ago when he was gracious to send me a bunch of cutt offs from his resaw process for playing around.

Thanks again guys

On the last guitar I built, I sprayed shellac as the sealer, all the binding was flamed maple and the shellac popped the figure nicely.

This is the shellac as per Frank's suggestion. 2 lb cut, thinned about 10%, sprays realy nice.



Top coats are nitro.

Take a look

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Thanks Rod. I think I will experiement a little this week with some scrap. Might give french polish a try with a slightly tinted amber