FINISHES
Finishing is one of the most important things, in the making of an instrument.It is a protection against the ravages of time, marks & scratches, but it allows the wood to reveal itself in all its splendor.
As I always say, the luthier can build the best guitar in the world, with the best materials he can find ... if the finish is not great, nobody will buy the instrument.
Since the end of 2019, you now have the choice between 2 different finishes:
Since I followed a masterclass with masterluthier Michel Pellerin of Pellerin guitars at the end of 2019, I am able to finish my instruments myself. In the past, I opted for the Polyester option but for a couple of reasons, I decided to head for polyurethane.
The high quality product that I use allows me to obtain a very high standing finish, gorgeous & durable. The thickness of it is as thin as possible, in order to obtain a strong & optimal varnish without affecting the sound of the instrument.
Ever since I have embarqued on this journey, I had the time to try a lot of different finishes; True Oil, Water Laquers and French Polishes.
This old technique that is French polish has been used on instruments and furnitures for a long time, and it is still, to me, the best technique to apply if you care to have not only the best sound for your instrument, but also the best aesthetics.
The shiny "3D effect" you get from French polish off the wood is unbelievable. None of the other techniques will result in the same visual quality. The French polish also provides an easy-to-fix finish should any scratches or blemishes ever surface.
Though a hard and long required process, the French polish is the only technique that will match the standards that I hold for my instruments.