I buff in a circularpattern, much like french polishing. Most of the fine old musical instruments made in europe were french polished, as are a majority of fine classical. Arrow indicates top crack after color touchup and french polishing, nearly invisible. Heat and water damage, loose veneer, dents or gouges this video will show you a way to tackle them. Martin guitars the patina of the finish can be one of the true delights of an old martin guitar. To quickly hide minor scratches, crack open a pecan or walnut and break the meat in half before rubbing the broken surface against the scratch.
If you are interested in having repair work done at our factory, please contact customer service. Guitar repair at clementi west 200 photos professional. Ordinary guitar polishes shine by leaving a longlasting silicone residue thats very hard to remove. I have a guitar that is obviously spray lacquered and thick due to the large amount of finish cracking on the spruce top. Repairing a scratch on a french polish finish luthiers. How to repair wood dents, knots and flaws woodworking. French polish is the handapplication of a shellac finish that is at the end rubbed out to a high gloss. It is agreed by most makers of handmade instruments, that the acoustic properties of french polish are far superior to. Restoring shellac finishes, information and illustrations. To show examples of our work a series of article following the restorations of several guitars has been created. Fold and twist the corners tight around the cotton to create the pad. For example, french polishing, which is a method used for applying a highly polished shellac finish primarily to small table tops, is a technique used successfully only by the most experienced workers. The first being through an impact such as a dropped guitar or something falling on it.
Condition is excellent for an instrument of this vintage not only is the guitar crack and repair free, but it has only very minor signs of wear showing that it has been well cared for its entire life. Firstly we look for any loose pieces and glue those. So, your french polished tabletop has a nasty crack in it. Aside from strings, nuts and saddles wear out, as do frets. I once asked a well known guitar repair person what was the cause of most of the problems he saw with instruments needing repair. So if you decide to pad or french polish with either. It was the traditional and best finish for wood in the days before lacquers, urethanes, catalyzed and ultravioletcure finishes, etc. This is the main reason why most european and us builders will try to convince guitar buyers that french polish is better, bla bla it is not.
Polishing, restorations and repairs advice guide, for. Pipettes make good applicatorscut the tip off for the viscous shellac and leave the tip on for the alcohol. Now i am quite proficient at french polishing techiques but have only finished new guitars. A simple guitar finishing trick for a better shellac finish. Guitar center repairs is your goto spot for expert stringed instrument repairs, upgrades and servicing.
In the guitar world, the term french polish is understood to be a shellac spirit varnish that has been applied by the french polishing method. Finishing is one of the most important aspects to any woodworking. Dan erlewines busy in his shop creating the new 3rd edition of the guitar player repair guide. Sep 29, 2014 now that all the repairs are complete, i have applied a french polish to the plank and it is hard to find the defects. Moving easily between jazz and classical guitar, fareed has performed or. Luthier and instructor, robert obrien, shows how to fix hairline cracks in a brazilian rosewood guitar back and then repair the finish. Fortunately, most of these issues are manageable, and w. Located inside every guitar center store, our staff of experienced, certified technicians. Sharp chisel and card scraper, or similar, for leveling the filler. Ive used a combination of crazy glue and nail polish to repair a ding from a wall hanger on the neck by the nut on my es 5 translucent red finish, took the guitar to the drug store and the girl in cosmetics helped me match the color, the results were unnoticeable. French polishing a guitar an indepth look at french polishing the traditional technique and materials used by master luthier tom bills. Shellac stick of a similar tone to the wood, to fill the crack. Jul 26, 2019 repair, restoration richard phillis july 26, 2019 repair, refinish, acoustic, french polish, tailblock truss cranker repair richard phillis july 21, 2019 truss rod, clamping, crack.
A large change of humidity from the original will cause the instrument to be dry and place the wood under considerable. Strings violin shop 5842 merriam drive merriam, ks 66203. Shellac is basically a mixture of natural shellac flakes derived from an insect secretion and alcohol, and applying additional coats of shellac to a previously shellacfinished project will cause the existing shellac to dissolve somewhat, allowing scratches and other imperfections to be. Repair and maintenance of a fine classical or flamenco guitar is not a matter of if, but of when. Aug 14, 2011 restoring checked and crazed finishes. Regardless, cracks can be repaired via a special glue or clamps that arch across the top or back of the violin.
Helpful hints for repairing a french polish finish. Unfortunately, a new owner polishing an old guitar can destroy the original patina forever. I made this baby guitar for my granddaughter kate, and french polishing let me finish it in time to cut the cake. Mar 28, 2016 the cost of the repair depends on the size and severity of the crack, and whether or not cleats are required. French polishing is a difficult skill to master, and very laborintensive. An older finish with decent french polish added should be as good as new. On the other hand if the guitar is made with hide glue and french polished theres a good chance the luthier can do an excellent and noninvasive repair job. In this video series you will see how i french polish a spanish guitar while i explain and share the way i do this process. Prices may change based on complexity of the job and value of the instrument. Trained by world renowned luthier yuris zeltins in classical guitar repair and restoration. Chicago guitarspace blog for repairs, restorations, component. It is possible to fill some serious flaws in a piece of wood, leaving a goodlooking surface that no one will see as repaired. Complete refinishing with a french polished varnish is an option that will likely improve the sound of your guitars and additionally give them a more handmade look. A clean soft cloth will generally do the job on fingerprints or general schmutz.
French polish ready mixed, or made by dissolving shellac flakes in methylated spirits 25g100ml. Services these prices are to give an idea of the cost of common repairs. I recommend an expert for valuable items, but, anyone. My specialty is french polishing see my video, french polishing for guitarmaker 2. French polish finish restoration and french polish refinishing are available. French polish used most often to finish luthiermade classical and flamenco guitars, french polish is surrounded by more myths and opinions than virtually any other aspect of guitar making.
While beautiful and vibrant, french polish does not provide the degree of surface. My concern is preserving authenticity of old instruments. Home about us hours directions gallery eisenbarth instruments repair price list rental program contact us due to the covid19 outbreak, eisenbarth violin shop is closed until further notice. How to french polish for a fast finish without spraying. Ill work on french polishing the neck tomorrow night and then work on the body on successive nights. What is the best way to clean fingerprints from a french polish top. Because it is extremely thin, it allows for the best possible tone, and it can be easily repaired and reconditioned at. After the polishing compound, i repeat the circular buffing with a fresh paper towel. The course takes the viewer through all the steps required to. Since im an instrument restorer, not a builder, ill describe the process of adding new finish on top of old to fill in wounds, irregularities, crazing, crack repair, moisture damage or wear. Nov 29, 2014 posts about guitar crack repair written by basone guitars.
Obvious answer is to send it out to a professional restorer, but. The shop offers a complete line of repair and restoration services from simple set up of your new guitar to total restoration of vintage gems. Repairing a neck ding with nail lacquer genius or stupid. Martin guitar performs warranty and nonwarranty repairs on martin instruments at the factory. Here you can register, log in, purchase and download roberts online video courses. Gsi recommends planet waves polish spray and polish conditioner. Contact your local guitar center store for pricing and more information about these repair and maintenance services. The players kit took the guitar polish world by storm a few years ago and continues to amaze users worldwide. Shop electric guitar body blanks back to electric guitar body blanks. Fortunately, most of these issues are manageable, and with proper skill. Rather, french polishing is a method of applying shellac to wood furniture, musical instruments, or decorative accents in many thin layerstypically well over 100. French polish finish instructions luthiers mercantile. Guitar specialist guitar repair and restoration services.
Its not a product, its a technique of applying shellac by hand with a wad of cloth. If your guitar ever needs a repair, the silicone will prevent glue or finish from adhering, making even simple repairs more difficult and costly. I do a lot of french polish repair work, which may entail refreshing the finish and filling dings. Repairs to french polished surfaces need be be done by people who can successfully apply a french polish. Like a broken bone, a crack in the face of a violin can be an incomplete fracture or a complete break through the wood.
Because it is extremely thin, it allows for the best possible tone, and it can be easily repaired and reconditioned at any time. French polish is not a specific material but rather the effect of applying shellac to a woodworking project that produces a tough surface with a very glossy, mirrorlike finish. The term french polishing might have received its name from the extensive rubbing that is necessary to apply shellac smoothly and perfectly. I spent an hour this evening working on the cedarmaple guitar and the finish is building up nicely again after the crack repair. It does however have a much finer cut for the ultimate in mirror smooth. It is like being in a guitar building class designed just for youin fact, it is designed just for you.
The common misconception is that french polish is the best finish acoustically. Professional neck resetting, refretting, and set up. May 19, 2017 heres how i repair a nasty crack in the top of a french polished sewing box. Always apply the polish to the cloth, never directly to the guitar. French polishing is a simple way to get a lovely handrubbed finish. It takes considerable elbow grease, but you get a darned good finish in. French polish has several advantages, and perhaps a few disadvantages. Guitar repair and restoration services tsiorba guitars. A simple guitar finishing trick for a better shellac. French polishing is a traditional wood finishing technique commonly used on antique furniture. French polish repair techniques including refinish.
In this video, ill demonstrate and explain a simple guitar finishing technique specifically for french polishing guitars made from resinous woods like cocobolo plus we take it a step further with. Does the finish on an acoustic guitar affect tone expert. It has a big, deep and rich tone with great volume, making this a particularly strong instrument for live performance. Finish off by waxing and polishing the repair site.
Place cotton in the center of your rag, pour on a slug of shellac, and add alcohol about a third as much alcohol as shellac. My unique french polish finish available on my custom guitars and also taught in the online classical guitar building course, provides a superior guitar finish that is fast to learn, easy to apply, durable and easily repairable. French polish repair techniques including refinish youtube. Finally a guitar polish that does more than just clean it polishes and removes scratches, too. Restoring checked and crazed finishes woodworking network. It is easy to apply and requires little or no infrastructure and practically no space to work and, since most us and european workshops are small, it fits northern hemisphere builders to perfection. Heres how i repair a nasty crack in the top of a french polished sewing box. Its flexible, so resists cracking, scratches, and weara definite advantage if. Blend new lacquer into old lacquer with flash coats youtube. The first step in making a repair is to clean the surface with mineral spirits. Clamping a side crack, gluing down part of the lifting fingerboard extension, and closing a crack along the upper bout along the fingerboard. Robertovenn school of luthiery graduate, spring 2000. Filling partially steamed dents, checks, bark inclusions and dead knots.
The shellac used in french polishing will give your furniture a beautiful lustrous appearance with a deep. Preservation polish gently cleans, polishes and protects lacquer and varnish finishes. After working some glue into the crack and clamping a spruce cleat on the inside. If you have an heirloom or collectible guitar and you are looking for a complicated restoration you should probably keep looking. Guitar polishes are specially formulated to be gentle on lacquer finishes. Therefore, i restrict my repair work to fine guitars made in spain or portugal, and latin american fretted folk instruments e.
Each video lesson contains high quality video and audio with simple to understand, very detailed instructions. French polish crack repair 60 second series youtube. Dreher guitars guitar repair warren, ohio dreher guitars. Classical guitar care and maintenance guitars international. Im presenting just an illustration of what french polish actually is, and how i approach it.
Even with a slightly heavier build a french polish finish is usually far thinner than any synthetic type of sprayed or brushed finish. French polishing is a method of applying finish to wood by hand with a cotton pad. After dan repaired a crack in a gibson acoustic guitar the finish didnt look to good. The over polishing and thus the livening up of a dull french polished surface is one of the most satisfying jobs in my book as, with some care and a little effort, a tired old piece of home furniture or office furniture may be transformed into a richly patinated antique. Guitar repair tucson specializes in functional repairs to working player guitars. Then reapply a new light polish or wax rics use wax like turtle wax. If a french polish of shellac finish is marred for example, it takes on a milky white haze due to contact with moisture, a guitar maker or repair person skilled in the french polish technique may be able to restore a finishs luster using a very mild rubbing compound. Is it possible to speak to the repair person working on my guitar. Our setup department uses turtle wax or most any other guitar or violin polish a small amount on a dry cloth, rubbed by hand should do. Brune only uses hot hide glue and french polish for finish touchup. Some luthiers, especially classical guitar makers, believe that french polish enhances the tone of a fine guitar.