Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi All.

It seems i only post when i'm having problems with the finish of my guitars.

I've finished my latest build with a melamine Lacquer. Sanded it, buffed it and polished it, looks nice and glossy...Only problem is the spruce top has tiny pits running length wise in the grain (darker grain line) all over the top. Some are longer than others and have tiny pin pricks in them. It cannot be felt when running a finger over them.


I re-sanded the top thinking i might not have leveled completely but as soon as it buffed to a gloss these tiny pits are sticking out like a sore thumb.

Anyone have any ideas what could cause this and any solution?

I washed coated with dewaxed shellac, applied a couple of coats of cellulose sanding sealer. Then sprayed the Lacquer and left for 4 weeks.

The Mahogany back and sides are fine.

I've tried to take a picture but it is impossible for me to capture it.

Many thanks in advance.

Glenn.

Hi Filippo.

Thank you for the reply.

In answer to your questions.
-The pits are in the finish and are only on the darker grain lines. To me it looks as though the grain has sucked the finish in.
-All stages of the finish were leveled. No shiny areas were left after sanding. They only became visible when buffed to a high gloss. I re-sanded from p1200 upto p2000 wet and dry then compounded and polished again and its during the polishing they became visible again.
-No pits were observed after i leveled the sanding sealer.
-I used a melamine lacquer sprayed from rattle cans. Sprayed in my shed. Temperture was 21 c.
-Pin holes for sure. The pits look like sunken lines and some have pin holes others not.

I'm thinking the lacquer has not taken to these areas but i cant think of why.

Cheers.

Glenn.

Sounds like it may be a solvent pop issue. re wetting the lacquer with retarder and then allowing to dry again and buffing may remove them.

_________________
Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

The pits are probably caused by resin canals in the spruce. Sealing with shellac is one method to prevent this from happening. Sometimes I drop fill them, but in most cases, they are so small that I just leave them alone.

_________________
John