Varnish finish good bad ugly ?

[gstring]

What are the pros and cons of varnish finish?

Thanks.

daniel

[Triumph1050]

http://www.lmii.com/carttwo/finishoverview.htm


Some good info. The "oil finish" section talks about varnish.

[Brackett Instruments]

There's all kinds of finishes called "Varnish". Some are good, some aren't so good. The finish the LMI is calling "Varnish" (Tru-oil) isn't very durable, and adds some damping. Professional products, including both spar varnishes, and cabinet varnishes have been used by some very good builders with great success. My standard finish is Oil based Varnish. (I use Polyester on my necks, and also offer other options though) Some companies (Collings, Bourgeous) charge over 1/2 of my base price as an upcharge for a Varnish finish. A good Varnish finish is more work than most finishes, but patience is rewarded.

Technically, polyurethane is a "varnish" finish, and I suppose some could argue that polyester is "varnish".
Here's a preview of my instructional DVD set on Varnish guitar finishing.
Varnish DVD set preview

This guitar is finished with oil based Varnish.


You can hear it here. http://brackettinstruments.com/27.mp3

[Kitchen Guitars]

When you say Varnish I think of French Polish. Are you asking about spray or hand application?

[Brackett Instruments]

Originally Posted by Kitchen Guitars

When you say Varnish I think of French Polish. Are you asking about spray or hand application?

French Polish is a process, normally using shellac. It isn't Varnish.