French polish

[Nick Triesch]

Can any of you nice folks tell me if I can french polish my old 23 Gibson A type? I'm pretty handy and I also would like to know what items I will need to do the job and where I could get them. My old A is in good overall shape but the top is somewhat marked up over the years and I think a polish would make it look nice. Thank you very much, Nick Triesch

[Darryl Wolfe]

That's exactly what you need to do...see here

link (http://www.milburnguitars.com/frenchpolish.html)

Be advised that if it is a brown face, like I suspect...too much polishing too quickly will move the coloring around...because it is mostly in the shellac top coat, not in the wood

[Rob Powell]

Here's a link to Frank Ford's A model french polish...

Frets.com (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/FrenchPolish/frenchpolish1.html)

[PlayerOf8]

While you're at it, pull your wisdom teeth.

GM

[Nick Triesch]

Thank you Darryl and others. #Guess what? #I really don't think my old A is that bad off and I really like the sound and it plays well so I think I'll just leave it alone. #If it was polished it would just be a really pretty very smelly old A type. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[El Rey del Mando]

The smell is the best part..... OK,I guess the rest of the instrument has something to do with it too.. (o:
John