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Thread: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

  1. #1

    Default Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    If you had the choice of the 2, which would you want for a finish on your mandolin. I have found lots of info on the ease of application and stuff. I would like to hear from people who have it on their mandos.
    How does it hold up, do you like the look and stuff such as that. Please give a few reasons for your choice, any help is appreciated.
    Last edited by Three-Dz; Jan-19-2019 at 8:58pm.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    I have an octave with Tru-Oil finish. Eddie Blevins made it for me. Although I don't play it as much as some of the others, I'm very happy with it. I've heard that Tru-Oil allows the wood to resonate more than nitro or varnish but I've never seen anything credible to prove or disprove it.
    David Hopkins

    2001 Gibson F-5L mandolin
    Breedlove Legacy FF mandolin; Breedlove Quartz FF mandolin
    Gibson F-4 mandolin (1916); Blevins f-style Octave mandolin, 2018
    McCormick Oval Sound Hole "Reinhardt" Mandolin
    McCormick Solid Body F-Style Electric Mandolin; Slingerland Songster Guitar (c. 1939)

    The older I get, the less tolerant I am of political correctness, incompetence and stupidity.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    Thanks David, I’m looking at the Blevins also. I have lacquer on my Ratliff, thinking about Tru-Oil on the next one.

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    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    Here are a couple of pics of the Blevins octave with the Tru-Oil finish. The arm rest was custom-made by Spencer Oliver of Marietta, GA. The case is a Cedar Creek. No one makes cases for octaves so it had to be custom-made also.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I don't know how the first pic got turned.
    Last edited by DHopkins; Jan-22-2019 at 8:44am. Reason: Add'l info
    David Hopkins

    2001 Gibson F-5L mandolin
    Breedlove Legacy FF mandolin; Breedlove Quartz FF mandolin
    Gibson F-4 mandolin (1916); Blevins f-style Octave mandolin, 2018
    McCormick Oval Sound Hole "Reinhardt" Mandolin
    McCormick Solid Body F-Style Electric Mandolin; Slingerland Songster Guitar (c. 1939)

    The older I get, the less tolerant I am of political correctness, incompetence and stupidity.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    Looks good David, nice OM. Still kicking the tires, I’ve got a bit to decide.

  6. #6
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    If you expect any finish wear or damage that you may want repaired, TO is a better choice than satin lacquer. (Gloss lacquer, on the other hand, is reasonably easy to repair.) Both finishes require skill on the part of the finisher and either can be a very high quality finish if expertly applied.
    Don't worry about the effect on sound. The builder determines the sound, not the finish.

  7. #7
    Registered User Vernon Hughes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    "The builder determines the sound, not the finish" Amen to that John!
    Hughes F-5 #1
    Hughes A model #1
    1922 Gibson A-2
    1958 Gibson A-5

  8. #8

    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    Thanks John, I was just thinking of tru-oil finish to have something different than my others.

  9. #9
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    Quote Originally Posted by Three-Dz View Post
    Thanks John, I was just thinking of tru-oil finish to have something different than my others.
    That's fine, but expertly applied finishes are not easy to tell apart. A TO finish does seem to feel a little different from lacquer on a neck though.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    I used truoil on the necks of my electric mandolins. Compared to the lacquer finish on the various guitars and my acoustic Mandolin. I find them to have a much nicer feel.
    However I will add I have quite a bit of experience using it for gunstock finishes and it’s feel might be a result of the difference of application.

  11. #11

    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    Thanks Sonic, I’m liking the lacquer a little better. Just thought theTO would be something different. Still unsure!😐

  12. #12
    its a very very long song Jim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    Though I like the look of a satin finish, I would go TO for ease of repair

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  14. #13

    Default Re: Given a choice, Tru-Oil or Nitro-Lacquer (satin) for finish.

    Tru-Oil adds a bit of an amber hue, so I like it for anything in the amber/red/brown ranges. On blue/green/black I would definitely stick with laquer, but I prefer the feel of the Tru-Oil when color is not an issue.


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