Pics of Satin to Gloss Results

[tsatt]

[IMG][/IMG]So here are the before pics of my GS4e Ltd. Sitka/Tazmanian Blackwood:

[tsatt]

Okay that didn't work. I went through Snapfish. Any suggestions?

[I.B. Strummin]

photobucket

IB

[tsatt]

Here they are:

[tsatt]

After pics. Let me know what you think. Its my first time trying to capture an image of a guitar on camera. Not sure I did it justice...



I even did the headstock:

[Mr. Ed]

Wow! Looks great!

[M19]

I think you did a great job. I like the gloss look much better in most every guitar wood.

[Ichthus]

Wow!!! What process did you use, and how long did it take? Seriously...VERY impressive results!

[tonesweettone]

Did you do this yourself????? Whoa! Would love to know more about how, what and etc.

[ewalling]

You've done an excellent job, but I don't think you've improved it, you've just made it look different. It looked really good before and it looks really good now. I think both satin and gloss finishes have their own unique charms.

[dogdevil94]

Woah! Now that looks stunning... both old and new looked good esp the new back and sides.

How did you do it?

[tsatt]

Thanks for the compliments guys. It was a bit of a process, but I believe its a fool-proof one as evidenced by me. After doing this, I strongly believe these guitars have a finish that is bulletproof. You can't mess this up! I agree that satin and gloss both look good in different ways. I was hoping to bring out the ribbon/figuring of the Blackwood with the wet look and I am pleasantly surprised. I think the lighting in the pics is misleading as one day was cloudy and the other sunny.

As for the process it took more patience than brains. I started with a random orbital polisher but quickly ditched it in favor of doing it by hand.

1. Wash the guitar with a mild Palmolive dish soap mixture and rag.
2. Tape off hardware and neck base with masking tape.
3. Using HiTemp's Smooth Cut polish, start rubbing! Use a random pattern and break the surfaces down into random sections. The edges are the hardest to get. You will know when to stop because the polish will break down and leave only a fine oily residue.
4. Wash oily residue off with the dish soap mixture. (very important!)
5. Check your progress.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you are happy with the gloss. Ears are just as important as your eyes because as you are polishing you can hear the satin finish under the rag. When it turns glossy there is no more friction or sound. The middle of surfaces gets glossy faster than the edges, so compensate for that in your patterns.
7. Give it one final washing with the dish soap.
8. Wax with a basic Meguire's wax and buff it out and you are done!

I polished probably 2-3 times per night for about 5 nights. I thought this would be better than doing it all at once because I found my attention to detail diminishing with each application of the Smooth Cut.

When I decided to do the headstock, I just removed the tuners and truss cover and went to work the same way. That picture is the worst one I posted. I think the rosewood headstock glossed would look better on a glossed rosewood body. I might do it to my 810 because of how much it matches the body ... but I'm waiting until I'm convinced. What do you guys think of glossed headstocks?

I am very happy I took this adventure. Shoot me any other questions. Oh, and yes she sounds like a dream!

Tyler

[emmonsh]

really should use meguires pro line/ grey bottles i beleave. any silicone and never can refinish it. not sure about dish soap either. but does look great. also dont use masking tape. use painters tape[ i use the blue kind]. there are many kinds of scratch removers that dont contain silicone and usually the first step.

[wooglins]

Originally Posted by emmonsh

really should use meguires pro line/ grey bottles i beleave. any silicone and never can refinish it. not sure about dish soap either. but does look great. also dont use masking tape. use painters tape[ i use the blue kind]. there are many kinds of scratch removers that dont contain silicone and usually the first step.

I am afraid you might be mistaken about the silicone in Hitemps product. HiTemp smooth cut polish is silicone free (and considered one of the best smooth cut polishes in the business). Maguire's is a good product, but no better than hitemps product. As for masking take, you are right that painters tape is easier to use, but light masking tape is fine in a pinch. Washing between steps just ensures that you are not wiping around stray particles that might result in an streaks, etc.

You were correct however that you should avoid silicone at all costs.

[Ichthus]

Did you leave the strings on when you did the back and sides of the guitar, or did you keep them off for the 5 days?