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I am currently finishing my second guitar using thin coats of wiped on Tru-oil over a seal coat of shellac. I understand that if applied directly to the wood, the Tru-oil could cause problems with damping and have an adverse effect on the tone. My question is, will this damping be avoided by sealing the guitar with shellac?

It doesn't seem that many people are using this finish for the body of the guitar and I'm just wondering if it is because of the risk of damping, or there is some other reason?

Hi,

Your seal coat of shellac should prevent the Tru-oil from soaking in & possibly damping the vibrations - just as you supposed.

Although Tru-oil is reportedly 100% linseed oil, it is treated so that it behaves much more like a short-oil varnish than a traditional thin oil finish. After applying a shellac sealer coat you can use the Tru-oil finish for tops, backs & sides with minimal worries about damping vibrations more than any other finishes with the possible exception of French polished shellac. If you wipe it on thinned with turps, it can be a very durable thin & lovely finish - less thick & with less sound damping than nitro lacquer or waterborne lacquer - either sprayed or brushed.

It's often used by beginners because you don't have to have spray equipment or expensive natural brushes to wipe it on. But it can give you a really fine finish & often is used by experienced luthiers too - for all parts of the guitar. Think of it as being similar but an alternative to the Behlens Rockhard Varnish that is being used by more & more luthiers these days.

Skip

Thanks Skip.. that is very helpful. Do you have any tips for the application? So far I have wiped on about 6 coats full strength, scuffing with steel wool between each coat.

Ksudar,

I'll endorse what Skip says. I finish now with French Polish topped by a few thin Tru-oil coats but have done a number of guitar tops with just Tru-oil. The oldest - my baritone - was finished with Tru-oil in February 2004 and the tone just gets bigger and bigger - Russell has heard it so he may comment. I got to see another guitar last weekend that is just over a year old that was Tru-oiled and the sound is great as well.

I think the Tru-oil fits into the thread on finishing here - if it isn't shiny nitro or poly there can be customer resistance. I think it makes a great looking and sounding guitar finish.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Ksudar,

There's a description of how I used Tru-oil in the archived thread below. I would hate to describe it yet again (fourth time) on this forum . It worked well for me. Good Luck,

Skip

http://luthiersforum.3element.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID= 4208&KW=Skip+Beach#forumTop

I see on the Birchwood Casey website that TO is available in spray cans. Anyone tried it? They recommend it as a final coat after the usual wipe on coats.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

I can definately comment on Daves Baritone, Sweet Tone and Big Projection, you can feel the sound going over Your Shoulders

I love Oil Finishes, Tru Oil is a good choice as it doesn't penerate, I tried TruOil as Dave gave me some, great finish, I also like Rustins Danish oil, I like to use a wash coat of shellac under it.

only thing I've ever used tru-oil for goes BANG so I guess it would make a
guitar with lots of projection....or not..

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Ok, I have a few questions, never used TO. I think I have a pretty good feel for handling the neck. Give me the recommendations for using it on B&S, what filler to use or not use any at all?, and also the Top/Soundboard, how or what do you guys recommend using this product????????????????

Wash Coat of Shellac all Over

No Filler, for Tru Oil use it Straight, for the other Oils thin the first coat.

Thanks, I am trying Tru-Oil on one I have going, appreciate the help.

Mike

On another thread someone described a method of pore filling with TO. Seal 1st with shellac then, take thinned down TO and wetsand with 220 grit in a circular pattern pushing the wood fibers & TO into the pores, finish session by wiping sideways across the grain. 3 or 4 sessions with 220 grit, then a couple with 400 & thin TO. Then move to straight TO. That's the way gunstocks are done. I'm experimenting on some spanich cedar right now, and it's coming along nicely. Also, note that TO is now available in spray cans, and is recommended as a final coat after the wipe on's. I've read that after a couple of weeks of curing TO can be buffed to a nice gloss.

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Can I apply TO over epoxy sealer?? I ask because I just finished a building a neck for an old archtop that I am rebuilding, cheapy, but I already sealed the body with system three. The TO has some very interesting qualities and I have not yet decided on a finish. I was leaning towards KTM which I have used once before.

Mike,

Look at Skips thread or search for Tru-oil for other threads. I haven't used fillers much but I suspect that epoxy followed by shellac and then Tru-oil would work. As always try it on scrap wood first. You will definitely need a shellac washcoat on some woods like Rosewood or the Tru-oil by itself never fully cures.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010