Official Luthiers Forum!

I stumbled across this stuff and was wondering if anyone has tried it. The manufacturer says it's better than sliced bread. Anyway here is a link to the site...


http://www.bristolfinish.com/

any feedback is most welcome.

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

2-part urethane varnishes are not new. Interlux is one of the leading manufacturers of Marine varnishes, and their product is probably similar. I get concerned when I hear the word "acrylic" in it, because if memory serves (and it may not) acrylics tend to be soft. The only way to know how good it is or isn't is to try it. Sorry, I know that's not much help there buddy!

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"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."

The picture they have on the second page of their web site look a little blue to me. It might be a reflection off the sky but my guess is that it has a bluish cast to it.

The Spanish made the transition from shellac to catalyzed urethanes without passing through the lacquer stage. Americans went more towards the lacquers. In my opinion the urethanes are better finishes. Nitrocellulose lacquers just will not hold up compared to the cat urethanes.
Keep in mind though that the cat urethanes will build in layers as oppossed to crosslinking to the layer under it and becoming one. You can have shadows if you rub through a layer when sanding or buffing.
According to Brune in issue number 79 of American Luthierie magazine our choic eof finish should be based on a musical decision instead of convenience or even appearence. The type of finish you apply (types of resins, oil content, solids, etc.) and how thick or thin it is applied will definitely influence the quality of sound your instrument will have.   

Robbie,

The web site claims that this finish will croslink if you lay down subsequent coats while the previous is still tacky. Truth or fiction? Who knows?

Rick Turner claims, and I'm inclined to believe him, that a very thin catalyzed finish is as acoustically transparent as any other finish.

With that said, I like french polish for the looks and repairability, but every time I ding a cedar top I look lovingly towards the urethanes!

To a certain degree this is true. I always try and apply a second coat as soon as I can hold the instrument without it being tacky for this reason. However, my experience has been that if you sand through a layer it will be visible.

I agree with Rick Turner. I also believe that a nice hard thin finish will help distribute vibrations evenly as well. I am sure there are those who think differently though.


[QUOTE=rlabbe] Robbie,

The web site claims that this finish will croslink if you lay down subsequent coats while the previous is still tacky. Truth or fiction? Who knows?

Rick Turner claims, and I'm inclined to believe him, that a very thin catalyzed finish is as acoustically transparent as any other finish.

With that said, I like french polish for the looks and repairability, but every time I ding a cedar top I look lovingly towards the urethanes!

[/QUOTE]