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I didn't realize KTM-9 doesn't cope well with sweaty hands. One fix might be to spray the body and use a satin wipe on product for the neck.

Those of you who've tried Target USL, where did you buy it?
Target lists StewMac as a distributor, but I couldn't find it on the S-M site.

Thanks,

Phil

Thanks for posting that Gerald! I really appreciate it and plan to try it. I tried USL a year or two ago. I thought it was okay, but I felt like it had the potential to be better. I think the sealer I used hurt me. I didn't use the epoxy method everyone is using now.
Here is the site for anyone that needs it. It is very informative.Target Coatings

Phil,

The Color Tone waterbase spray lacquer from stew mac is USL.

LMI says that some people have had problems with KTM-9 and Titebond,
and recommend using LMI glue. Have any of you USL users had trouble
with Titebond?

Mike

_________________
Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Gerald, I had a chance to look briefly at your guitars at Newport...they were gorgeous! I Didn't get a chance to say hi, you were pretty busy.
I thought you were using lacquer too...or something similar to Mike Doolin's. It looked really good to my eye.

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Phil, Wood Essence sells the Target Products, they were fine to deal with.

www.woodessence.com

_________________
David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

Target also sells direct.

I've been pretty happy with USL (ie, StewMac's ColorTone, current line), although on my first acoustic it didn't stand up to the 'Sweat Test' where my forearm meets the box. Might be a sealer issue (not using epoxy yet..), but otherwise it's nice to work with, and looks fine to me.

You might want to look into CrystaLac available from www.mcfeelys.com They claim that the Super Premium grade is made for musical instruments. I have used the satin on 2 instruments with very good results. I have not used the gloss yet.

_________________
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Mike,
I didn't have any trouble at all with Titebond under the KTM-9, but I also didn't have any direct contact with it. I used system3 epoxy over the entire guitar first, thus eliminating the problem. I think those issues were for people not using a filler like epoxy where the KTM-9 would be coming into direct contact with the Titebond.
-j.

_________________
“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

[QUOTE=SniderMike] LMI says that some people have had problems with KTM-9 and Titebond,
and recommend using LMI glue. Have any of you USL users had trouble
with Titebond?

Mike[/QUOTE]

I have to say I agree with J. here. You should seal your wood with some sort of sealer. Therfore no glue would never be in contact with the finish. I use shellac. I do know that some builders have had issues with KTM9 directly over epoxy. I use Zpoxy almost exclusively to fill pores but then seal with shellac. I do not recommend epoxy on spruce, cedar or redwood tops as they don't need pore filling and the epoxy at normal viscosity will dampen the sound board. So if you seal your wood i do not see how KTM9 could have any issue with titebond or anyother wood glue.

J and Michael, thanks. I haven't tried KTM-9, but the Target stuff sounds
like it's getting better reviews, and I'd certainly like to try something less
toxic than polyurethane.

Mike

_________________
Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Here's an update on a guitar I built last summer and sprayed with Ultima. The player who bought it is an avid songwriter and player.

In general the finish still looks brand new all over the guitar, including the top. I have to give some credit to the owner in that he takes very good care of his guitars.

The owner plays every day. He recently made some dings on the top of the guitar, and as a result asked me to respray the top. I first sanded the finish down nearly to the epoxy sealer.

When I sanded the top I found the hardness in the "under-arm" area to be the same as on the treble side of the lower bout. I take this to be a very good sign considering the use the guitar has had.