Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello!

Im new around here and new to guitar building overall.

Im mainly a drummer, but as a project, I thought about building a lap steel guitar. Now, I know that it will most definately be a disaster in terms of sound and looks, but Im doing it mostly for experience, even if I only manage to finish the body.

I was thinking about, what finish I would like it to have, but I couldnt think of anything.

Then it hit me! Stickers! Why not put stickers all over the body?

But..I thought about laqcuering the body too.

It may seem a stupid question, but..should I laqcuer the bare body (just one coat or so), then put the stickers on and then lacquer it again or can I put the stickers the bare wood and then lacquer?

As I said, it may sound stupid, but I want to be sure, just in case by some magical chance I succeed at making something playable.

Anyway, thanks in advance for your help!!

Stickers are a bad idea if you decide to remove them later. You should check out a couple of books on wood finishing, like Michael Dresdner's. An oil finish like tung or linseed oil is very easy and could be acceptable for a lap-steel, shellac is easy to apply as well and there's a number of finishes that do not require equipment or tremendous technique to get a good result. Lacquer requires a spray booth, it is both dangerous and toxic, besides the fact that there is definitey a learning curve to it, as with any professional finish.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Well the stickers do not make it moistier resistant. The sickers would make any future repaire a nightmare.

If you take your time and ask for help when needed your steel guitar will not be a desaster and will sound fine.

just type if you need help. That wat we are good at around here

Thanks for the quick replies!

I see. So the stickers seem like a bad idea, haha.

I'll try to find out more about oil finishes then. And if I have any more questions, I now know, where to go!

Thanks again!

Say the guitar does turn out to be pretty good why cover it up with crappy sticker. Even if your not any good with finishing a simple wipe on oil finish will look a hundred times better then stickers and its easy. Watcos danish oil is one brand.

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Guitars, guitars and more guitars.

There are lots of easy to apply instrument grade finish available that do not require specalized equipment. Personally I thing French polish is a great choice but brused on shellac. raged on tru-oil, spirit varnishes, Belhen's Rockard varnish, lost to chose from.