It could be just down to a slight difference in the guitar's angle toward the microphone or the distance from it, but the difference I hear is that poly demo had more bass and brighter highs, and the new finish seemed to have more midrange.
9:28 for the gloss finished sound and jump to 12:56 for the flat finish sound for a direct comparison. I think the sound is a clearer and cleaner with the flat finish. Thanks for posting the video! Apparently the Beatles sanded off the finishes on ALL their guitars (including electric guitars and electric bass) because they said it improves the sound. Hopefully someone will do a comparison with electric guitars. Again, thanks!
reginaldperiwinkle thank you so much for watching and your input! I made this video to show people that the heavy thick finishes do mute the sound. I also find that without the thick finishes the strings ring out a lot more and there is more clarity between the notes. I'm doing another guitar same maker and I'll be posting that video shortly.
Well ill add my story maybe it will help some one . Im a big fan of Cordoba classical guitars .i own 4 of them .last year a baught a C7 for a gig and knock around guitar its about $600 the dam thing had no color no resonance and sound extremely high pitched ( the neck sucked too but thats a whole other story) at my wits end o was going to destroy it ! And get a C10 for $1200 . As a last resort i sanded ( never strip) it down to raw wood then i mixed fresh shellac flakes with 90% alcohol ( not house hold type but from a paint store) and i began a two day process of French Polishing rubbing it in by hand after day one a sanded it smooth with 1000 grit paper gettin a hard white dust and began another day of french polish. I then sanded it down with l500 , 2500 and 3000 matador paper i also sanded the urithaine neck with # 600 paper as to loose the shine . The sound improved by 60% im so happy i did this !
I bought a 10 euro more than 40 years old classical guitar and it sounds great but I don’t like it looks old with natural varnish cracks all over, that I painted flowers and a layer of acrylic varnish (those varnish I use for protection for my paintings) on it , and I am curious to know how it will sound like after 😬 anyway, it got the look I like and I am happy with it... so far.
My cordoba C9 just had a dent and I feel sad. Bought it not enough 4 months! I searched hundred of poly finish fixing post like a crazy. Now I look back I think I was a fool after seeing your story.
I have a C7, and I'm very happy with the sound. I've owner it for over ten years know. It's just an awesome sounding guitar. I'm thinking of having it sanded down to a mate finish. 80 % aesthetic 20 % sound. I must have been fortunate to get a good player. I tried several classical guitars, and this was the best for your dollar . Any thoughts on this project?
I never understood why people thought polyurethane finishes looked good. It looks like plastic. I think it's one of those marketing things, like smoking cigarettes.
@DEEJMASTER 333 I guess there's people who love plastic too. I'n my eye's polyurethane, when new, can look appealing. I have yet to see a polyurethane guitar that is getting more beautiful with wear. They never do. Nitro, shellack, oil finish or even oil based paint can wear and get old and beautiful while a poly guitar gets old and scratched. They just don't age well.
@DEEJMASTER 333 Your mind ve loved that u can't see the difference its sounds, not clear, fat (more medium low frequencies) but murky, gloomy, not seperate sounds...
I think the poly finish makes the instrument more durable and less sensitive to humidity, temp changes, and damage in general. He did a great job of refinishing it. Did he remove the bridge? Some are glued on top of the finish. Don't know if that was done on this one. Big sound improvement.
SGNT He did OK, he used to methylene chloride which removes the finish but it also melted the binding a little bit. I took the finish off my other guitar by sanding . It took forever. Yes he did remove the bridge and the neck. Yes you are correct about the poly finish making the guitar more durable. That’s why all the overseas builders use it. Because when they ship the guitarist to America they need them to be in good condition when they get here. But it still chokes out the sound. I’m thinking about selling that guitar I’m just not sure what I could get for it. It’s a killer sound a guitar if you like real clear guitar. That guitar has incredible note separation. Thanks!
@@TheJoshSchneider Oh yeah; to be honest I disagree that he did a good job at all. Not only did he damage the binding and leave a pretty nasty scratch underneath the strings; but there's a spot at the top of the rosette where you can obviously see he got frustrated with his sanding work and left an obvious gouge/damage to the rosette himself. As someone who's Father is a master of refinishing furniture I can see a mistake like that a mile away even with my less-than-stellar personal ability. Sadly, as many people will come to eventually realize (even Guitarologist admits it freely in his videos) that the only industry worse for snake-oil sales tactics than guitars/fretted instruments is audiophile equipment.
@@IcabodCrane I agree, it could have been done much better. I'm also going to disagree with the comment above in that the bridge was removed. When he first shows the refinished guitar you can see deep scratch marks around the bridge where he sanded across the grain which would indicate he went around the bridge and did not remove it... and if he didn't remove the bridge I seriously doubt he took the time to remove the neck
What would think would happen if I just sanded down my poly finish a little bit? I've done it on an electric bass and it absolutely changed the tone imo for the better. That's why les Paul's have hard maple caps, they have a bright top snap note whatever. There's a different tone from a LP with a maple cap or a special or maby A sg.
@@IcabodCrane i agree... looks like amateur hour. looks like the final sanding was like 240 at best, should sand until you see no scratches, then up to 320, then to 400 then apply a finish. if you went through all that trouble, should have french polished it.
Less chimney more like a Martin now basier more tone without poly . I did mine with 400 grit then 800 grit then 2000 grit buffed it with compound . I’m using Lemmon oil to give it some protection and like satin look but later will buy some French polish I think. Can’t wait to play.
I have been finishing guitars for 30 years I use polyester at 4 mills sides at 3mills and top at 2 mills it sound amazing and it will lost over 200 years or more I have seen French polish and it don’t last long. You have to keep putting on. Sounded better before the French polish. Anyway thanks for the video. It’s everyone’s choice what they like.
Might end up doing a lacquer finish on mine then ordered the thing for like 50 bucks brand new, and surprisingly it didn't come finished!! So hopefully I can get some better tone out of it, as well as getting it cleaner looking lol great vid! Definitely hearing a difference from the guitars before and after.
I think yeah it sounds kinda "better" brighter but the work at the front top is terrible, you can see sand paper scratches, i don't think that's good for a decent luthier, just my thoughts... Thanks for share, this is a good comparison video.
See my other video “French Polishing an acoustic guitar “ that guitar I did myself and it came out much better. 🙂 czcams.com/video/iaYQxB-99vk/video.html
Around 4:05 you mention that you'll put on some kind of "Varathane" coat, but varathane is polyurethane. Your luthier says he will do a ground coat of "french polish" which means he would (if he's doing a real french polish) use shellac.
I don’t really know what the hell he did except ruin that guitar. Check out my French polish guitar video . I did a real French polish guitar and it came out great.
I use a scraper (hope i using is the accurate word för this) to remove old paint on instruments. It is much faster than sanding and give you good control and it is easy to scrape near the bridge. I just sand a little when all that old paint is almost gone. It fact, you can also use some kind of tool-knife to get the job done. Easy and fast I think.
I'm making a Saxon lyre. First project, so been considering wood finishes. This video has helped. Your instrument has a muffled sound before stripping the poly down, like the sound is being held back. I'll definitely avoid putting this on my instrument.
ONE shot poly is usually too thick and does have some sound inhibiting qualities especially on the top of the guitar. i have used poly by applying it in thin layers with gauze cheesecloth with no lint successfully especially when done with light fine sanding between coats. that requires a lot of patience and some skill. The dry time is really fast with thin coats so application requires dust proof environment and manual dexterity. Choice of sand papers is very important as well. The end product can be quite rewarding. Manufacturers of cheap guitars often use a thick one shot poly coat because it saves on man hours and looks nice and shiny and new. The end result of course is a finish that is way too thick. as for no finish at all, that may improve the sound for a few days but the wood needs to be protected from change of humidity and use and abuse. good quality Polyurethane or varathane is on the other hand almost child proof. using heat to remove the old finish i think is a bad idea because it can compromise the structure of the guitar. using the right sandpaper and scrappers is i think the way to go. Time consuming ?yes Labour intensive ? most definitely..
I agree. I did two other guitars. Sanded off finish, did try heat gun but burned the wood 😞 on the back. Used Home Depot lacquer on my first try. Bad idea. It’s difficult to build up I sanded and went through the finish. Started over a year later with stew Mac blond shellac. Made a cut with everclear. I like French Polishing because it’s the easiest way for novices to refinish. Excellent color and chatoyant color. Great sound improvement as well. Delicate fishing though, scratches easily. I do like how each shellac layer melds into the one beneath it.
Here is my first attempt at French Polishing with shellac flakes. Why don’t builders finish the inside wood of a guitar? You say humidity would effect an unfinished guitar but almost ever acoustic I’ve played only has the outside soundbox finished. czcams.com/video/iaYQxB-99vk/video.htmlsi=lnuSBESHqtLyU2qw
i didn't say 'make the guitar water proof' like a boat although i thought about it. ln some environments its probably not a bad idea. a good guitar case should extend the life of the guitar considerably .i think not finishing on the inside allows the wood to adjust to different humidity levels slowly .as well i would not like to repair an unglued or broken brace if the guitar were finished on the inside. solid wood guitar usually sound better when they are quite dry. but they are also more fragile. laminates not so much. i have treated insides of guitars with a light coat of boiled linseed oil just to check things like mold or a foul smell. thanks for your thought.
Thanks for posting this - I have a couple of poly-coated guitars I want to strip, but I've only seen heatguns used on solid bodies. I think that would ruin an acoustic. And sanding is a massive job with poly coats. So I'm thinking about methylene chloride... I'll be looking out for your next video.
Rob2Go thanks for watching! Yes stripping poly will improve sound quality in my opinion. Be very careful with methylene chloride it’s dangerous. It will melt any plastic binding or rosette also so be mindful of that. Sanding is easier to control but it takes forever. Heat gun will burn the wood, I started out with heat with my other one and burned the back of the guitar a little bit. It’s hard not to sand through the stain also. I accidentally sanded through the stain on my other guitar. I chose not to re stain it. Methylene chloride did not do anything to the stain.
I did this with my Cordoba C7 classical guitar .the improvement was about 40% it just wssnt the same guitar. Its not necessary to do the sides just the top and back and Definitely THE NECK ! But that guitar in the video deffenitly needed a ftret leveling for even clearer sound i heard some buzzzing going on .
Yes, I think it was the nut buzzing. I don’t like the way Sal made the nut. Too flat. I sold that guitar and I’m refinishing another one now. Who cares if people think you ruined a guitar. You payed for it it’s yours to do whatever you want with it, it’s a great experience and improves the tone. You will get better with every guitar you do. I’m taking sides front and back off the one I’m working on now . Not the neck though.
From my experience the best way to improve such a guitar is to cover back an sides and leave them original and safe. Then remove the bridge carefully, sand the top by hand with a good sanding block and lots of feeling, make sure to remove all the filler right to the bare wood surface (max 120 to 180 grid). Then fine sand with up to 1500 grid, glue back the bridge and spray 3 or 4 thin layers of nitro laquer on the top. That will give a great sound and also a good look especially on sides and back because their surface wont effect the tone at all. That will take roundabout 8 to 10 hours work so maybe 400 to 500 bucks including laquer and sandpaper...what did Sal take?
I think I paid him 350 bucks but I shouldn’t have paid him anything he Ruined that guitar. I would never take a finish off with methylene chloride that’s a huge mistake it melts the binding. Sanding is the only way I would ever do it.
I tried but still can't tell the difference except maybe they are different strings? Flamenco guitars have large tap plates/golpeadores installed on top but as long as the tone wood is good that's what matters. That would be my conclusion.
Sounds fine the way it is, and looks beautiful with the gloss. Yes, the satin finish has a crisper sound, but personally, I hate the satin finish look.
That is a LBenito guitar! I am from Chile and knew the luthier who started the company, but sadly, the company went out of business. Keep that guitar, it is a great one and you won't find any other with an Alerce top.
Thank you! Yes, Mr. Benito built some amazing guitars, I’ve owned several with the Alerce tops. Sold this one as I’m not a huge fan of cutaways. Sold a dred that I regret selling. I still have a nice collection of 4 Alerce top Benito’s.
@@doctor7music91 yes I am in New Orleans (meraux) about 30 minutes outside. I purchased my first Benito in 2009 . I’ve been hooked ever since. There is one on reverb an Alerce dreadnought but the guy wants $3,300 ☹️
in my opinion your guitar looks much better with the satin finish... and i can clearly hear a differenc in the sound, but i dont know if that's due to the finish or different recording conditions.
Louis Collings thanks for watching. I use the same camera to film both videos. It was a zoom q4. What you hear is true the guitar is more open without the finish that has way better sustain also. Many guitar builders use a quick polyurethane finish because it's cheap and it looks good and a lot of people want something shiny. But it does make a difference in the sound. A thick finish chokes out the sound. I like the new look on my guitar too it's kind of rustic.
Cool. I have a parlor Blueridge, and I don't like the glossy finish on it. I won't sand it off because I don't know anyone who could do the job of refinishing it better than it was. By the way, your guitar sounds beautiful... what's the name of the manufacturer?
I'm comparing with my headphones on now and I can notice a big difference in sound. It's like the difference from dead string to brand new strings, or the difference between 80/20 and phosphor bronze strings.
The manufacturer is L' Benito. They were made in the country of Chile from about 2000 -2010, but they went out of business. They are really awesome guitars for the money. I paid $850.00 for that one on eBay but the guitar neck needed to be straightened. It was twisted and the idiots that were selling it ( a music store in won't mention) cranked the truss rod so much to lower the action that they split the wood by the nut. These guitars retailed in the low $2000.00 when the company was in operation. Blueridge guitars are pretty good, but if you want to hear an even more impressive Chinese made guitar check out Eastman guitars. You won't be disappointed. All solid wood on some models too. A friend of mine has an Eastman E8d and it really has a great sound. Not everything made in China is junk. The E8D is a copy of a martin D28. A have 3 of these Benito's and I love them all. Check out my other videos. I'm refinishing one of the other ones myself using a sander and sandpaper and it's taking forever but its coming along. I can't wait to hear how that one sounds!
Louis Collings oh yeah the notes are crystal clear and very bell like with the phosphor bronze (daddario ). I used same strings in both videos, d addario exp .11 -.52. Now the 80-20's sound amazing also. They give the guitar a much more vintage sound if you know what I mean. They make the guitar sound like and old guitar if you know that sound. But both string types sound great. Oh yeah there is a bone nut and saddle in the second video which makes a difference too. The original nut and saddle was plastic. I forgot to mention a lot of foreign guitar builders use poly to finish their guitars because it's more stable in climates when the guitars are shipped over seas. It's a thick plastic shell. Martin uses nitro cellulose lacquer. It's way way thinner but it's very time consuming . It takes Martin 21 days to finish a guitar and that's with automation! No wonder they cost so much! It makes a difference in sound though.
A LB less??? Really? That much? The recordings sounded really different... It seems like it sounds better... But what did you record it with and did you replicate the same distance? I like the French Polish a lot... I would have liked to hear your thoughts in detail afterwards
Thanks, I used a zoom q4 camera with a built in stereo mic. I tried to get distance the same. I think Sal f***** up this guitar big time. I did another one myself French Polishing and It came out aesthetically pleasing. Much better. I sanded the finish off and then shellacked. Sal used chemicals to remove he finish which melted the plastic binding. It looked crappy. czcams.com/video/iaYQxB-99vk/video.htmlsi=9xhYkkhsxgYrkSQQ
@@TheJoshSchneider do you mind me asking how much he charged you to destroy the aesthetics of your guitar.... It for sound more open but you would think that a luthier would be well aware of the rangers of solvents on plastics
Doesn't it give the same result if you just sand it off yourself and apply a layer of standard cheap woodwax for furnitures? Also, have you tried to put a mirror inside this guitar to see if it has lacquer under the top inside? Thanks for posting this video!
Morten Nielsen I have put a mirror inside the guitar to see the bracing . The inside is not lacquered . Wax is probably not a good idea. I’ve never tried it so I can’t say.
You needed to do the "before" and "after" with new strings, same kind, although, the difference is pretty obvious, just not sure how much of that is the new strings.
I think he didnt take of neck or bridge off...waaay to much work. He used a paint/poly stripper to get poly off. I hope this wasnt an expensive guitar. It looks like crap now... Sorry...just my opinion. P.s. Ive dont this before. Its not easy. Especially with plastic binding.
I can’t disagree with you. He ruined my guitar. He did take the neck off though. He actually broke it in half at the heel. He took the bridge off as well, he was messy with the glue when he re glued it. I agree , it’s not easy to take the finish off of a guitar. The finish isn’t meant to be taken off.
As im really interested here, did you only get the top refinished or the whole guitar i can definitely see a tonne more sustain and on the whole a more rounded sound!
Sal did the complete guitar including the back, sides, top and neck. Now I’ve been collecting these guitars for quite some time and I’m about to do another one. The only way that I would go about this is to sand off the finish. I would never put methylene chloride because it melted the Rosette on the guitar. I used heat gun to get the back of the next one I did and I accidentally burnt the wood in one spot. To your remarks on the sustain, I am Kinda undecided. The tone is more clear and open and vintage sounding. Sometimes I feel that the thick finish holds the sustain in longer but I’m still not sure. I definitely feel like you get more volume though.
Unfortunately your new satin polish looks terrible. Poor workmanship. And I can't hear any decent improvement in sound anyway. Should have stuck to the original polish and save your money for a better guitar.
I sanded off a rk dirty 30s om top paint. I much prefer that raw wood look. I'm just wondering of a simple cheap method I could use to protect the wood without staining it to much? Like a sealent? Wax? It looks way more authentic now. Like an old catalogue guitar. Ive no idea why they are plastering and ruining an instruments sound just to look shiney in a shop.
if your going to go with no finish stay away from waxes. use boiled linseed oil instead. Apply it then wipe it off before it dries. Do this two or three times a year and that should protect the wood from splitting or drying out too fast.
1k for french polish lmao.. also if you want better tone try acrylic pics (gravity / v picks) thicker the better) those cheap plastic are sucking alot out as well.
French polish using a "Urethane Varnish" as well, IE Poly no less... Now I don't believe Poly is bad at all these days; it might've been wonky in the past because they applied it too thick and/or used the wrong chemicals in the mix; but they've made some pretty decent strides in the last 5-10 years compared to instruments from the 90's-00's, especially from South America where they tend to get the advancements last. Also; lot of people don't realize that Nitrocellulose guitars often have 1-2mils of poly underneath, and that nitrocellulose can vary widely to the point that there could be more difference between nitro A and nitro B than between Nitro A and Poly A. PRS even mentions the complexity of nitro finishes in his video on the subject, and how he basically has like a fiberglass (basically like a poly) additive to harden his nitro so that it isn't sticky and weak like most is. People also don't factor in the thickness of the finish (regardless which finish), whether the wood is properly humidified, if the strings are right for the instrument (cheap, bright springs often add a very tinny, hollow sound to a guitar), and even the acoustics of the room they're in. The sound of a guitar varies wildly in recording sessions by changing the distance or angle of the microphone, much less sitting behind it and expecting to hear the true sound from there.
IcabodCrane agree. Benito sprayed heavy finish on his guitars. Finishes or a double edge sword. Polyurethane and polyester are cheap they look great and the last lifetime but they Will probably mute The instrument. Nitrocellulose and French polish shellacked finishes sound better but they don’t last. There’s a reason Martin still uses the nitro. A lot of the cheap overseas makers use the cheaper poly finish. You spray it on and then you buff it out. Nitro must be applied in thin layers and multiple applications increasing costs. People who have not experimented should not talk. Many people have not ever played a guitar that was French polished with shellac. Only very expensive boutique guitars Will have a French polish. In my opinion my guitar sounds much more organic without the plastic finish.
@@TheJoshSchneider The thickness of the finish definitely affects the the tone which is what I was talking about in another comment. However; I've also noticed that the difference between a nitro finish, poly finish, and other forms of "higher end" finishes like a French shellac or even hand-rubbed wax are often more of a "snob-effect" nuance than they are greatly significant. Sure a bad, super-thick poly will make a guitar sound dead but so will drying it out or playing it with a 9-month old pair of the cheapest strings you could muster. I've noticed very little difference between a Guild D-55 with a hand-rubbed nitro finish and the Guild D-150 with their poly finish as both are done well; and neither make half as much difference as a good set of strings will make or whether or not the person actually takes care of the instrument or leaves it to dry out in front of a window near the heat-return. People who leave their instrument in a non-humidified room on a guitar stand are the last people who need a finish as weak, sticky, and unforgiving as nitro as they'll quickly see more checking and cracks than a broken piece of glass. Then there's the thickness of the top/sides, the manufacture of the instrument, the type of bracing and wood used, the microphone, the type of play-style (fingerpicking with or without fingernails, flat-picking, strumming, etc), the fact that many finishes (especially poly) have a mixture of chemicals that vary widely between brands, and the list goes on. Hell; even Paul Reed Smith admitted to basically using a blend of poly/fiberglass in his nitro finish, and Collings admits to using 1-2 mills of poly underneath at least one of his instrument lines. Then the obvious elephant in the room; Ed Sheeran plays the cheapest, laminate-back POS he could possibly work with and, yet, he's made millions in comparison to someone with a 10,000$ Spalted Maple Taylor in the hands of someone who can't play it. Finish is just one very small part of the equation; though, sadly, many of the average South American companies are the very last to gain improvements in their finishes whereas China and Japan often tend to get them before we do.
No sanding was done on this guitar. He used a chemical called methylene chloride to remove the urethane finish. Unfortunately it melted the binding and ruined that guitar. Lesson learned.
@@DanielCstudio yes. Here is another guitar I did myself that came out much better. I sanded the finish off of the top and sides. No chemicals! czcams.com/video/iaYQxB-99vk/video.html
Poly is for beginners who don't know any better. I only buy french polished guitars. Yes cost is more but nothing compares nothing compares to it hahahaha.
Carvin Bugera $350.00. I would sand it off if I were you. Methylene chloride melts the binding. The guitar sounds better without the heavy finish though .
Carvin Bugera yes see my other video. I used a heat gun to take the finish off the back of my guitar and I burned the wood! Sanding is the easiest to control but it is slow. You need an electric sander. You can try heat but be careful with an acoustic guitar you don’t want to loosen the glue on the braces or burn or melt plastic binding or the wood.
@@carvin69thinline65 the stripper and the heat gun are way to risky are you kiddin me ? Stripper loosens the glue and so dose a heat gun If you dont have a week to put in PATIENTLY DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT GLUE IS A COVALENT BOND AND ALL COVENANT BONDS ARE DISLODGED BY HEAT ! AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR STRIPPERS
Definitely no sound change, the eurethane doesn't change the tone of the wood. Guitar companies usually put polyurethane on more expensive guitars especially with abalone inlay. like My Dean Exotica Dao, it has a nice coat of urethane which makes the abalone stick out more and also brings out the finish of the pattern in the wood. I have a eastman and I don't like it's matte finish.
No Poly will not change the sound of your guitar, period no debate necessary. However, putting on new strings will! An acoustic is a sealed body guitar. Except for the resonance trap, i.e., hole on the top plate of the guitar. Some acoustics don't even have the hole the might just have a few small 3/8" holes on the top corner. Anyway. The Poly is flexible within the limits that an acoustic top will flex, even while strumming hard & fast. There had been studies in the late '50s & 60" on using poly & other urethanes as the finish surface on acoustics. Poly was proven to be a good surface finish if desired for an acoustic. However, I believe there was a coat limit with sand and buff. Don't quote me on this I think it was 4 - 6 with sanding down from 600 -2000 or wet and buff.
Chilean made! I had 5 of them so I sold a few. Some Chinese guitars are quite well made and sound great, example - Eastman. By the way I have 4 songs on Spotify and CZcams , one with over 9,000 streams. Where are all your songs? Oh wait you don’t have any 🙁
theshyguitarist those are pretty good as well. American guitars are nice but often overrated and overpriced. I look for foreign brand all solid wood guitars like Larivee. Martins sound amazing but sometimes can be hit or miss on a great sounding one. Very expensive.
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It could be just down to a slight difference in the guitar's angle toward the microphone or the distance from it, but the difference I hear is that poly demo had more bass and brighter highs, and the new finish seemed to have more midrange.
9:28 for the gloss finished sound and jump to 12:56 for the flat finish sound for a direct comparison. I think the sound is a clearer and cleaner with the flat finish. Thanks for posting the video! Apparently the Beatles sanded off the finishes on ALL their guitars (including electric guitars and electric bass) because they said it improves the sound. Hopefully someone will do a comparison with electric guitars. Again, thanks!
reginaldperiwinkle thank you so much for watching and your input! I made this video to show people that the heavy thick finishes do mute the sound. I also find that without the thick finishes the strings ring out a lot more and there is more clarity between the notes. I'm doing another guitar same maker and I'll be posting that video shortly.
I prefer jumping between 8:12 and 11:55.
Impressive
Well ill add my story maybe it will help some one .
Im a big fan of Cordoba classical guitars .i own 4 of them .last year a baught a C7 for a gig and knock around guitar its about $600 the dam thing had no color no resonance and sound extremely high pitched ( the neck sucked too but thats a whole other story) at my wits end o was going to destroy it ! And get a C10 for $1200 .
As a last resort i sanded ( never strip) it down to raw wood then i mixed fresh shellac flakes with 90% alcohol ( not house hold type but from a paint store) and i began a two day process of French Polishing rubbing it in by hand after day one a sanded it smooth with 1000 grit paper gettin a hard white dust and began another day of french polish. I then sanded it down with l500 , 2500 and 3000 matador paper i also sanded the urithaine neck with # 600 paper as to loose the shine . The sound improved by 60% im so happy i did this !
I bought a 10 euro more than 40 years old classical guitar and it sounds great but I don’t like it looks old with natural varnish cracks all over, that I painted flowers and a layer of acrylic varnish (those varnish I use for protection for my paintings) on it , and I am curious to know how it will sound like after 😬 anyway, it got the look I like and I am happy with it... so far.
My cordoba C9 just had a dent and I feel sad. Bought it not enough 4 months! I searched hundred of poly finish fixing post like a crazy. Now I look back I think I was a fool after seeing your story.
I have a C7, and I'm very happy with the sound. I've owner it for over ten years know. It's just an awesome sounding guitar. I'm thinking of having it sanded down to a mate finish. 80 % aesthetic 20 % sound. I must have been fortunate to get a good player. I tried several classical guitars, and this was the best for your dollar . Any thoughts on this project?
Brilliant upload. Love the guitar, even with the poly-gloss, but definitely a more rounded sound, and better look without it.
I never understood why people thought polyurethane finishes looked good. It looks like plastic. I think it's one of those marketing things, like smoking cigarettes.
@DEEJMASTER 333 I guess there's people who love plastic too. I'n my eye's polyurethane, when new, can look appealing. I have yet to see a polyurethane guitar that is getting more beautiful with wear. They never do. Nitro, shellack, oil finish or even oil based paint can wear and get old and beautiful while a poly guitar gets old and scratched. They just don't age well.
@DEEJMASTER 333 Your mind ve loved that u can't see the difference its sounds, not clear, fat (more medium low frequencies) but murky, gloomy, not seperate sounds...
I think the poly finish makes the instrument more durable and less sensitive to humidity, temp changes, and damage in general. He did a great job of refinishing it. Did he remove the bridge? Some are glued on top of the finish. Don't know if that was done on this one. Big sound improvement.
SGNT He did OK, he used to methylene chloride which removes the finish but it also melted the binding a little bit. I took the finish off my other guitar by sanding . It took forever. Yes he did remove the bridge and the neck. Yes you are correct about the poly finish making the guitar more durable. That’s why all the overseas builders use it. Because when they ship the guitarist to America they need them to be in good condition when they get here. But it still chokes out the sound. I’m thinking about selling that guitar I’m just not sure what I could get for it. It’s a killer sound a guitar if you like real clear guitar. That guitar has incredible note separation. Thanks!
@@TheJoshSchneider Oh yeah; to be honest I disagree that he did a good job at all. Not only did he damage the binding and leave a pretty nasty scratch underneath the strings; but there's a spot at the top of the rosette where you can obviously see he got frustrated with his sanding work and left an obvious gouge/damage to the rosette himself. As someone who's Father is a master of refinishing furniture I can see a mistake like that a mile away even with my less-than-stellar personal ability.
Sadly, as many people will come to eventually realize (even Guitarologist admits it freely in his videos) that the only industry worse for snake-oil sales tactics than guitars/fretted instruments is audiophile equipment.
@@IcabodCrane I agree, it could have been done much better. I'm also going to disagree with the comment above in that the bridge was removed. When he first shows the refinished guitar you can see deep scratch marks around the bridge where he sanded across the grain which would indicate he went around the bridge and did not remove it... and if he didn't remove the bridge I seriously doubt he took the time to remove the neck
What would think would happen if I just sanded down my poly finish a little bit? I've done it on an electric bass and it absolutely changed the tone imo for the better. That's why les Paul's have hard maple caps, they have a bright top snap note whatever. There's a different tone from a LP with a maple cap or a special or maby A sg.
@@IcabodCrane i agree... looks like amateur hour. looks like the final sanding was like 240 at best, should sand until you see no scratches, then up to 320, then to 400 then apply a finish. if you went through all that trouble, should have french polished it.
Less chimney more like a Martin now basier more tone without poly . I did mine with 400 grit then 800 grit then 2000 grit buffed it with compound . I’m using Lemmon oil to give it some protection and like satin look but later will buy some French polish I think. Can’t wait to play.
--You've got a real, old-school, "big, full, & rich" sounding guitar now -- AND it looks better with the polish !! Thanks for the video !!!
satin finish = clear tone
prone to damage by humidity
glossy finish= warm tone
gives protection to some humidity issues
Hard to tell only cuz u moved closer when u toook the finish off
I have been finishing guitars for 30 years I use polyester at 4 mills sides at 3mills and top at 2 mills it sound amazing and it will lost over 200 years or more I have seen French polish and it don’t last long. You have to keep putting on. Sounded better before the French polish. Anyway thanks for the video. It’s everyone’s choice what they like.
how would you go about taking off the Polyurethane?
I’ve been waiting for this video thank you!!! Stripping all mine now
Might end up doing a lacquer finish on mine then ordered the thing for like 50 bucks brand new, and surprisingly it didn't come finished!! So hopefully I can get some better tone out of it, as well as getting it cleaner looking lol great vid! Definitely hearing a difference from the guitars before and after.
I think yeah it sounds kinda "better" brighter but the work at the front top is terrible, you can see sand paper scratches, i don't think that's good for a decent luthier, just my thoughts... Thanks for share, this is a good comparison video.
See my other video “French Polishing an acoustic guitar “ that guitar I did myself and it came out much better. 🙂
czcams.com/video/iaYQxB-99vk/video.html
@@TheJoshSchneider got it bro!
Around 4:05 you mention that you'll put on some kind of "Varathane" coat, but varathane is polyurethane. Your luthier says he will do a ground coat of "french polish" which means he would (if he's doing a real french polish) use shellac.
I don’t really know what the hell he did except ruin that guitar. Check out my French polish guitar video . I did a real French polish guitar and it came out great.
I use a scraper (hope i using is the accurate word för this) to remove old paint on instruments. It is much faster than sanding and give you good control and it is easy to scrape near the bridge. I just sand a little when all that old paint is almost gone. It fact, you can also use some kind of tool-knife to get the job done. Easy and fast I think.
I'm making a Saxon lyre. First project, so been considering wood finishes. This video has helped. Your instrument has a muffled sound before stripping the poly down, like the sound is being held back. I'll definitely avoid putting this on my instrument.
Mark Faulkner
I'm glad the video helped you! It does make a noticeable difference.
ONE shot poly is usually too thick and does have some sound inhibiting qualities especially on the top of the guitar. i have used poly by applying it in thin layers with gauze cheesecloth with no lint successfully especially when done with light fine sanding between coats. that requires a lot of patience and some skill. The dry time is really fast with thin coats so application requires dust proof environment and manual dexterity. Choice of sand papers is very important as well. The end product can be quite rewarding.
Manufacturers of cheap guitars often use a thick one shot poly coat because it saves on man hours and looks nice and shiny and new. The end result of course is a finish that is way too thick. as for no finish at all, that may improve the sound for a few days but the wood needs to be protected from change of humidity and use and abuse. good quality Polyurethane or varathane is on the other hand almost child proof.
using heat to remove the old finish i think is a bad idea because it can compromise the structure of the guitar. using the right sandpaper and scrappers is i think the way to go. Time consuming ?yes Labour intensive ? most definitely..
I agree. I did two other guitars. Sanded off finish, did try heat gun but burned the wood 😞 on the back. Used Home Depot lacquer on my first try. Bad idea. It’s difficult to build up I sanded and went through the finish. Started over a year later with stew Mac blond shellac. Made a cut with everclear. I like French Polishing because it’s the easiest way for novices to refinish. Excellent color and chatoyant color. Great sound improvement as well. Delicate fishing though, scratches easily. I do like how each shellac layer melds into the one beneath it.
Here is my first attempt at French Polishing with shellac flakes. Why don’t builders finish the inside wood of a guitar? You say humidity would effect an unfinished guitar but almost ever acoustic I’ve played only has the outside soundbox finished. czcams.com/video/iaYQxB-99vk/video.htmlsi=lnuSBESHqtLyU2qw
i didn't say 'make the guitar water proof' like a boat although i thought about it. ln some environments its probably not a bad idea. a good guitar case should extend the life of the guitar considerably .i think not finishing on the inside allows the wood to adjust to different humidity levels slowly .as well i would not like to repair an unglued or broken brace if the guitar were finished on the inside. solid wood guitar usually sound better when they are quite dry. but they are also more fragile. laminates not so much. i have treated insides of guitars with a light coat of boiled linseed oil just to check things like mold or a foul smell. thanks for your thought.
I think the only change was the finish.
Sounds exactly the same
Thanks for posting this - I have a couple of poly-coated guitars I want to strip, but I've only seen heatguns used on solid bodies. I think that would ruin an acoustic. And sanding is a massive job with poly coats. So I'm thinking about methylene chloride... I'll be looking out for your next video.
Rob2Go thanks for watching! Yes stripping poly will improve sound quality in my opinion. Be very careful with methylene chloride it’s dangerous. It will melt any plastic binding or rosette also so be mindful of that. Sanding is easier to control but it takes forever. Heat gun will burn the wood, I started out with heat with my other one and burned the back of the guitar a little bit. It’s hard not to sand through the stain also. I accidentally sanded through the stain on my other guitar. I chose not to re stain it. Methylene chloride did not do anything to the stain.
josh schneider thanks - good advice
Rob2Go I would caution using heat with an acoustic. It could potentially compromise glue bonds on frets, finger board, bridge, neck, etc.
Nico.33 steel wool isn’t going to do anything.
I did this with my Cordoba C7 classical guitar .the improvement was about 40% it just wssnt the same guitar. Its not necessary to do the sides just the top and back and Definitely THE NECK ! But that guitar in the video deffenitly needed a ftret leveling for even clearer sound i heard some buzzzing going on .
Yes, I think it was the nut buzzing. I don’t like the way Sal made the nut. Too flat. I sold that guitar and I’m refinishing another one now. Who cares if people think you ruined a guitar. You payed for it it’s yours to do whatever you want with it, it’s a great experience and improves the tone. You will get better with every guitar you do. I’m taking sides front and back off the one I’m working on now . Not the neck though.
I sanded my acoustic guitar and finished it with Nitrocellulose lacquer.
Much more true to sound without poly.
thanks, this is awesome
I wonder is only the back and sides were done, hide mistakes and save time.
From my experience the best way to improve such a guitar is to cover back an sides and leave them original and safe. Then remove the bridge carefully, sand the top by hand with a good sanding block and lots of feeling, make sure to remove all the filler right to the bare wood surface (max 120 to 180 grid). Then fine sand with up to 1500 grid, glue back the bridge and spray 3 or 4 thin layers of nitro laquer on the top. That will give a great sound and also a good look especially on sides and back because their surface wont effect the tone at all. That will take roundabout 8 to 10 hours work so maybe 400 to 500 bucks including laquer and sandpaper...what did Sal take?
I think I paid him 350 bucks but I shouldn’t have paid him anything he Ruined that guitar. I would never take a finish off with methylene chloride that’s a huge mistake it melts the binding. Sanding is the only way I would ever do it.
@@TheJoshSchneider Very sorry for you but on the other hand you help people to understand with posting that video!
better overtones and blending with the new finish. the wood is more visible.
I tried but still can't tell the difference except maybe they are different strings? Flamenco guitars have large tap plates/golpeadores installed on top but as long as the tone wood is good that's what matters. That would be my conclusion.
How much did cost to remove poly?
$350
When you play way back on the sound hole you definatly loose tone and get a thin sound play at the front next to thd ffets flr better sound
Sounds fine the way it is, and looks beautiful with the gloss. Yes, the satin finish has a crisper sound, but personally, I hate the satin finish look.
That is a LBenito guitar! I am from Chile and knew the luthier who started the company, but sadly, the company went out of business. Keep that guitar, it is a great one and you won't find any other with an Alerce top.
Thank you! Yes, Mr. Benito built some amazing guitars, I’ve owned several with the Alerce tops. Sold this one as I’m not a huge fan of cutaways. Sold a dred that I regret selling. I still have a nice collection of 4 Alerce top Benito’s.
@@TheJoshSchneider Amazing! Are you based in New Orleans? I remember LBenito's most important dealer was located there.
@@doctor7music91 yes I am in New Orleans (meraux) about 30 minutes outside. I purchased my first Benito in 2009 . I’ve been hooked ever since. There is one on reverb an Alerce dreadnought but the guy wants $3,300 ☹️
in my opinion your guitar looks much better with the satin finish... and i can clearly hear a differenc in the sound, but i dont know if that's due to the finish or different recording conditions.
Louis Collings thanks for watching. I use the same camera to film both videos. It was a zoom q4. What you hear is true the guitar is more open without the finish that has way better sustain also. Many guitar builders use a quick polyurethane finish because it's cheap and it looks good and a lot of people want something shiny. But it does make a difference in the sound. A thick finish chokes out the sound. I like the new look on my guitar too it's kind of rustic.
Cool. I have a parlor Blueridge, and I don't like the glossy finish on it. I won't sand it off because I don't know anyone who could do the job of refinishing it better than it was. By the way, your guitar sounds beautiful... what's the name of the manufacturer?
I'm comparing with my headphones on now and I can notice a big difference in sound. It's like the difference from dead string to brand new strings, or the difference between 80/20 and phosphor bronze strings.
The manufacturer is L' Benito. They were made in the country of Chile from about 2000 -2010, but they went out of business. They are really awesome guitars for the money. I paid $850.00 for that one on eBay but the guitar neck needed to be straightened. It was twisted and the idiots that were selling it ( a music store in won't mention) cranked the truss rod so much to lower the action that they split the wood by the nut. These guitars retailed in the low $2000.00 when the company was in operation. Blueridge guitars are pretty good, but if you want to hear an even more impressive Chinese made guitar check out Eastman guitars. You won't be disappointed. All solid wood on some models too. A friend of mine has an Eastman E8d and it really has a great sound. Not everything made in China is junk. The E8D is a copy of a martin D28. A have 3 of these Benito's and I love them all. Check out my other videos. I'm refinishing one of the other ones myself using a sander and sandpaper and it's taking forever but its coming along. I can't wait to hear how that one sounds!
Louis Collings oh yeah the notes are crystal clear and very bell like with the phosphor bronze (daddario ). I used same strings in both videos, d addario exp .11 -.52. Now the 80-20's sound amazing also. They give the guitar a much more vintage sound if you know what I mean. They make the guitar sound like and old guitar if you know that sound. But both string types sound great. Oh yeah there is a bone nut and saddle in the second video which makes a difference too. The original nut and saddle was plastic. I forgot to mention a lot of foreign guitar builders use poly to finish their guitars because it's more stable in climates when the guitars are shipped over seas. It's a thick plastic shell. Martin uses nitro cellulose lacquer. It's way way thinner but it's very time consuming . It takes Martin 21 days to finish a guitar and that's with automation! No wonder they cost so much! It makes a difference in sound though.
A LB less??? Really? That much? The recordings sounded really different... It seems like it sounds better... But what did you record it with and did you replicate the same distance? I like the French Polish a lot... I would have liked to hear your thoughts in detail afterwards
Thanks, I used a zoom q4 camera with a built in stereo mic. I tried to get distance the same. I think Sal f***** up this guitar big time. I did another one myself French Polishing and It came out aesthetically pleasing. Much better. I sanded the finish off and then shellacked. Sal used chemicals to remove he finish which melted the plastic binding. It looked crappy. czcams.com/video/iaYQxB-99vk/video.htmlsi=9xhYkkhsxgYrkSQQ
@@TheJoshSchneider do you mind me asking how much he charged you to destroy the aesthetics of your guitar.... It for sound more open but you would think that a luthier would be well aware of the rangers of solvents on plastics
@@ramspencer5492 $350.00 for the destruction of that guitar! Good deal huh? Obviously he likes methylene chloride to take finishes off. lol 😂
Doesn't it give the same result if you just sand it off yourself and apply a layer of standard cheap woodwax for furnitures?
Also, have you tried to put a mirror inside this guitar to see if it has lacquer under the top inside?
Thanks for posting this video!
Morten Nielsen I have put a mirror inside the guitar to see the bracing . The inside is not lacquered . Wax is probably not a good idea. I’ve never tried it so I can’t say.
I’ve heard it’s really bad to use that kind of stuff on your guitar. Especially if it’s a nice guitar.
You needed to do the "before" and "after" with new strings, same kind, although, the difference is pretty obvious, just not sure how much of that is the new strings.
Mark Fleener same strings, first set was pretty new.
I think he didnt take of neck or bridge off...waaay to much work. He used a paint/poly stripper to get poly off. I hope this wasnt an expensive guitar. It looks like crap now... Sorry...just my opinion. P.s. Ive dont this before. Its not easy. Especially with plastic binding.
I can’t disagree with you. He ruined my guitar. He did take the neck off though. He actually broke it in half at the heel. He took the bridge off as well, he was messy with the glue when he re glued it. I agree , it’s not easy to take the finish off of a guitar. The finish isn’t meant to be taken off.
As im really interested here, did you only get the top refinished or the whole guitar i can definitely see a tonne more sustain and on the whole a more rounded sound!
Sal did the complete guitar including the back, sides, top and neck. Now I’ve been collecting these guitars for quite some time and I’m about to do another one. The only way that I would go about this is to sand off the finish. I would never put methylene chloride because it melted the Rosette on the guitar. I used heat gun to get the back of the next one I did and I accidentally burnt the wood in one spot. To your remarks on the sustain, I am Kinda undecided. The tone is more clear and open and vintage sounding. Sometimes I feel that the thick finish holds the sustain in longer but I’m still not sure. I definitely feel like you get more volume though.
Unfortunately your new satin polish looks terrible. Poor workmanship. And I can't hear any decent improvement in sound anyway. Should have stuck to the original polish and save your money for a better guitar.
I sanded off a rk dirty 30s om top paint. I much prefer that raw wood look. I'm just wondering of a simple cheap method I could use to protect the wood without staining it to much? Like a sealent? Wax? It looks way more authentic now. Like an old catalogue guitar. Ive no idea why they are plastering and ruining an instruments sound just to look shiney in a shop.
if your going to go with no finish stay away from waxes. use boiled linseed oil instead. Apply it then wipe it off before it dries. Do this two or three times a year and that should protect the wood from splitting or drying out too fast.
What is the guitar name.. Very good quality
L’ Benito guitars! Made in Chile.
1k for french polish lmao.. also if you want better tone try acrylic pics (gravity / v picks) thicker the better) those cheap plastic are sucking alot out as well.
French polish using a "Urethane Varnish" as well, IE Poly no less... Now I don't believe Poly is bad at all these days; it might've been wonky in the past because they applied it too thick and/or used the wrong chemicals in the mix; but they've made some pretty decent strides in the last 5-10 years compared to instruments from the 90's-00's, especially from South America where they tend to get the advancements last.
Also; lot of people don't realize that Nitrocellulose guitars often have 1-2mils of poly underneath, and that nitrocellulose can vary widely to the point that there could be more difference between nitro A and nitro B than between Nitro A and Poly A. PRS even mentions the complexity of nitro finishes in his video on the subject, and how he basically has like a fiberglass (basically like a poly) additive to harden his nitro so that it isn't sticky and weak like most is. People also don't factor in the thickness of the finish (regardless which finish), whether the wood is properly humidified, if the strings are right for the instrument (cheap, bright springs often add a very tinny, hollow sound to a guitar), and even the acoustics of the room they're in. The sound of a guitar varies wildly in recording sessions by changing the distance or angle of the microphone, much less sitting behind it and expecting to hear the true sound from there.
IcabodCrane agree. Benito sprayed heavy finish on his guitars. Finishes or a double edge sword. Polyurethane and polyester are cheap they look great and the last lifetime but they Will probably mute The instrument. Nitrocellulose and French polish shellacked finishes sound better but they don’t last. There’s a reason Martin still uses the nitro. A lot of the cheap overseas makers use the cheaper poly finish. You spray it on and then you buff it out. Nitro must be applied in thin layers and multiple applications increasing costs. People who have not experimented should not talk. Many people have not ever played a guitar that was French polished with shellac. Only very expensive boutique guitars Will have a French polish. In my opinion my guitar sounds much more organic without the plastic finish.
@@TheJoshSchneider The thickness of the finish definitely affects the the tone which is what I was talking about in another comment. However; I've also noticed that the difference between a nitro finish, poly finish, and other forms of "higher end" finishes like a French shellac or even hand-rubbed wax are often more of a "snob-effect" nuance than they are greatly significant. Sure a bad, super-thick poly will make a guitar sound dead but so will drying it out or playing it with a 9-month old pair of the cheapest strings you could muster. I've noticed very little difference between a Guild D-55 with a hand-rubbed nitro finish and the Guild D-150 with their poly finish as both are done well; and neither make half as much difference as a good set of strings will make or whether or not the person actually takes care of the instrument or leaves it to dry out in front of a window near the heat-return. People who leave their instrument in a non-humidified room on a guitar stand are the last people who need a finish as weak, sticky, and unforgiving as nitro as they'll quickly see more checking and cracks than a broken piece of glass.
Then there's the thickness of the top/sides, the manufacture of the instrument, the type of bracing and wood used, the microphone, the type of play-style (fingerpicking with or without fingernails, flat-picking, strumming, etc), the fact that many finishes (especially poly) have a mixture of chemicals that vary widely between brands, and the list goes on. Hell; even Paul Reed Smith admitted to basically using a blend of poly/fiberglass in his nitro finish, and Collings admits to using 1-2 mills of poly underneath at least one of his instrument lines.
Then the obvious elephant in the room; Ed Sheeran plays the cheapest, laminate-back POS he could possibly work with and, yet, he's made millions in comparison to someone with a 10,000$ Spalted Maple Taylor in the hands of someone who can't play it.
Finish is just one very small part of the equation; though, sadly, many of the average South American companies are the very last to gain improvements in their finishes whereas China and Japan often tend to get them before we do.
Hey Josh, did you just get the top sanded or the whole body?
No sanding was done on this guitar. He used a chemical called methylene chloride to remove the urethane finish. Unfortunately it melted the binding and ruined that guitar. Lesson learned.
@@TheJoshSchneider so he used that for the whole body..? Lol
@@DanielCstudio yes. Here is another guitar I did myself that came out much better. I sanded the finish off of the top and sides. No chemicals!
czcams.com/video/iaYQxB-99vk/video.html
Poly is for beginners who don't know any better. I only buy french polished guitars. Yes cost is more but nothing compares nothing compares to it hahahaha.
Ship to me let me clear it.
May I ask how expensive was it to have the luthier strip the guitar and put the base finish on?
Carvin Bugera $350.00. I would sand it off if I were you. Methylene chloride melts the binding. The guitar sounds better without the heavy finish though .
the heat gun is too risky?
Carvin Bugera yes see my other video. I used a heat gun to take the finish off the back of my guitar and I burned the wood! Sanding is the easiest to control but it is slow. You need an electric sander. You can try heat but be careful with an acoustic guitar you don’t want to loosen the glue on the braces or burn or melt plastic binding or the wood.
@@carvin69thinline65 the stripper and the heat gun are way to risky are you kiddin me ?
Stripper loosens the glue and so dose a heat gun
If you dont have a week to put in PATIENTLY DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT GLUE IS A COVALENT BOND AND ALL COVENANT BONDS ARE DISLODGED BY HEAT ! AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR STRIPPERS
Definitely no sound change, the eurethane doesn't change the tone of the wood. Guitar companies usually put polyurethane on more expensive guitars especially with abalone inlay. like My Dean Exotica Dao, it has a nice coat of urethane which makes the abalone stick out more and also brings out the finish of the pattern in the wood. I have a eastman and I don't like it's matte finish.
Shoddy work.
No Poly will not change the sound of your guitar, period no debate necessary. However, putting on new strings will!
An acoustic is a sealed body guitar. Except for the resonance trap, i.e., hole on the top plate of the guitar. Some acoustics don't even have the hole the might just have a few small 3/8" holes on the top corner. Anyway. The Poly is flexible within the limits that an acoustic top will flex, even while strumming hard & fast. There had been studies in the late '50s & 60" on using poly & other urethanes as the finish surface on acoustics. Poly was proven to be a good surface finish if desired for an acoustic. However, I believe there was a coat limit with sand and buff. Don't quote me on this I think it was 4 - 6 with sanding down from 600 -2000 or wet and buff.
I think you just pissed away a lot of money.
what finish did he use on the flat?
demodeiowa I think he used shellac .
I dont think Sal did a good job...
No he did not.
He ruined your guitar. He doesn’t deserve the title of Luthier. Shame.
And the guy that doesn't play much puts good money into a Chinese guitar, still unhappy and sells it. My advice...spend more time practicing.
Chilean made! I had 5 of them so I sold a few. Some Chinese guitars are quite well made and sound great, example - Eastman. By the way I have 4 songs on Spotify and CZcams , one with over 9,000 streams. Where are all your songs? Oh wait you don’t have any 🙁
@@TheJoshSchneider czcams.com/video/pY3H3pPoixk/video.html
czcams.com/video/Ir6Cg305HzA/video.html
My main guitar these days is a very nice Chinese made Blueridge.
theshyguitarist those are pretty good as well. American guitars are nice but often overrated and overpriced. I look for foreign brand all solid wood guitars like Larivee. Martins sound amazing but sometimes can be hit or miss on a great sounding one. Very expensive.
Man, you DESTROYED that BEAUTIFUL guitar! What a shame!
I do my best! Thanks! 😉