View Full Version : Varnish
Halloooo...everybody....
New here...First post....!!! Hope this works!! Ok..Eastman 515 - basically the finish is a bit poor and not very durable...I want to remove it or "distress" the whole mando. Any suggestions please?
Newbie... Spot in UK
billhay4
Feb-13-2007, 2:05pm
Be very careful here. This is not an easy task and risks damaging the entire instrument.
Bill
Eric F.
Feb-13-2007, 2:06pm
Spot, your question might be better posed in the builders section, where people who do this sort of thing for a living are more likely to see it.
That said, why not just leave it be and let your playing and handling of it "distress" it naturally?
Anyhow, welcome to the Cafe.
Thanks for the welcome :-) So...not just a case of scrape scrape, then?
A friend took elec sander to an old Yam folk guitar, very probably thinned it to absolute minimum, (by accident!!)and finished it with beeswax type stuff...It looks and sounds fabulous!! I was rather hoping to do the same.Point taken re..builders section, though. Will re-think....
Kip Welty
Feb-13-2007, 9:53pm
my 6 mth old eastman is starting to get some serious chips, stratches on the finish. like the prior said, do it naturally, monore style...........i love the worn look, but only if done naturally. my 2.
Stephen Perry
Feb-14-2007, 6:30am
I believe the top coat is nitro and the under coats are spirit. Alcohol might do it. Will leave the wood dirty I'm sure. Unless there's some kind of good solid sealer/ground system in use. Soft varnish, sounds good, gets beat up. My fiddle has about 25% of the original varnish, and it's only 90 years old, just a youngster in the fiddle world.
Allo...
Please don't be cross at me... :-) I have taken blade to the the top of my Eastman.... One blade fitted all curves (ish!!) The varnishy stuff is no longer. OK, the wood is slightly dirty, but, with judicious sanding and a coat of rosewood stain...it's coming!!! Another coat of stain, mebbe a coat of tung/white spirit and then bees wax...Gawd...this is exciting!! It had to be done, guys...sorry!! If I lose the sound then I'll have learned a major lesson.....but, I'm very optimistic.... Thanks for inputs..will keep you posted...
Regards...Spot http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Tom...I want sound!!! And a unique look ( errmm...got that already!!) Can't do pix unfortunately but will speak to wife with digital camera thing....
Regards..Spot
Righto boys and girls...This is how it is... Can't do pix (sorry!!) but it's "mission accomplished" and, to my mind, successfully....!!! It looks well distressed, now, still sounds ok and smells wonderful...!!!! I don't doubt my methods are "strictly non - trad" but the end result suits me very well...Still working on the pix dept!! Will do the rest of it at next string change...
Regads to all... Spot