Beautiful work! Better results than I've ever had (and I've not tried with aerosol). If it's not too pretentious, I would love to offer a sandpaper tip: When working with stiff papers in the 80-220 grit range, it's not unusual for the paper to crinkle and create a hard edge (and that can introduce some really bad sanding results). If you 'break' the paper before tearing it or attempting to sand with it, things get a lot easier. Just grab the sheet by two opposing corners then drag it over the edge of your bench with the sanding side up and while holding enough pressure to be bending the paper at least 45 degrees over that bench edge. Then grab the other two corners of the paper and repeat. Now when you go to fold the paper or work inside a tight radius area (like inside the horns on that strat) the paper will flow through those areas without that annoying crinkle showing up to ruin your work!
I cannot thank you guys enough for this 3-part series! I have an old Peavey Hydra double-neck that I inherited from my dad when he passed 3 years ago. It has to be completely redone due to the foam in the old case deteriorating all over it. I think I just might have the confidence now to complete the project! 😁
This series is amazingly detailed. Chris and Matt take their time to go over every detail, pointing possible problems and how to recover from them. Phenomenal job!
For people that are serious about crating a great finish on a guitar kit, or refinish this is a great series. Very detailed with clear instructions. Thanks!
Great Beginning! Clear and logical script. Gets you both the details and a clear overview of the first 3 steps in the new guitar painting process. What an asset to have a good teacher who is also a skilled craftsman. I gained so many prep and painting tips and I can transfer that knowledge to other finishing projects. These alone give good value to my time spent. Printable work-tools would be a tremendous addition to these videos. Simple lists of the activities in each step. Include materials, tools used, colors, stop and start times, progress, troubleshooting, and other notes. These would be valuable so you constantly know where you are and what comes next. I know that delays and interruptions are the biggest constants in my shopwork.
This is amazing. Have been trying to piece the process together from multiple videos, but this is so thoroughly explain. Feel so confident this is doable now.
Same here! Then I stumbled on this and quit looking. There was so much out there that was vague or differing information because most of them are made by first timers or others who's projects I have to say didn't turn out well. I was getting kind of scared and was thinking I'd just have to "trial and error" my way through it. I'm not finished completely with this yet and because they didn't include staining in the video I'm a bit apprehensive still, but I think it will turn out well. I'll let you know. (I'm at the finish process.)
We really hope you enjoy this series. We've had this on our "to-do" list for years and we're very proud of how this turned out. We'd love to get your feedback on it below.
I’m a professional videographer, editor and producer. I’ve worked on several television shows. I found it to be very well done. The lighting and editing is excellent. The content is easy to follow. The interaction between the two was perfect. It didn’t appear scripted. The presentation was very natural, not rehearsed. As for someone interested in refinishing I found the video to be very informative and the best I’ve seen so far.
This whole series is so interesting! I don't have the space and gear to be able to do all this sanding and painting, but it's really exciting to see that it can be done given the proper conditions. Thanks to StewMac for helping make this happen and kudos to the Driftwood guys for all their expertise and tips.
I finished my first guitar recently with aerosol spray. In the process I was in touch with the folks at StewMac and they were so helpful through the entire process. I built a goldtop LP style guitar.
After sifting through various forums and videos trying to figure out the best way to finish my guitar, this video finally puts me at ease. What a stupendous job, thanks so much.
Thanks for putting this together! I have admit that after watching the 3 superb videos in this series I am rather overwhelmed. However following your advice and examples I am confident I will take the steps and time to get a great finish on my guitar project. When Dan is impressed with the finish I know its the real deal. Thanks again Stew Mac & Driftwood Guitars.
With typical teenage audacity, many, many years ago, I sprayed an orange sunburst finish on my violin. I still have it and it still looks pretty good! Thanks for showing how to do it correctly.
I've been fooling with this stuff as an amateur for around 50 years and I picked up a trick or two from this series. Good work, guys. This is how to do it right!
Great series! I really appreciate that you gave a lesson that was clear and instructive from a beginner's view, and explaining potential pitfalls and how to avoid them. Keep up the great work!
I've been putting off doing a refinishing job on a couple of my guitars - I purchased the refinishing materials from Stew Mac a couple of years ago now. This 3 part series has given me the information, the motivation, and the confidence I need to finally get things going - my spring project. Great job on the videos Chris and Matt, thanks!
Patience, patience, patience. I painted guitars with lacquer mixed at a local paint store, applied with a brush with good results. Toughest thing was tracking down paste wood filler. It was a learning process, and a LOT of work. Talking 40 years ago before TH-cam and Stewmac. People really have it made now.
Preparation, attention to detail and patience is key and you guys hit all marks. The end result proves it. Love love love Sonic blue with rosewood neck. What a beautiful guitar. Great video and job!
I build ukuleles as a hobby. Have stayed away from aerosol finishes because I don't have spray equipment. This StewMac product gives me confidence to try an aerosol. Looking forward to it!
I always enjoy StewMac videos--they are comprehensive, detailed, and explained in an understable way. After watching these 3 videos I feel confident to refinish a guitar I have been wanting to do. Thank you.
the whiteboard explanation is great. I'm trying to guess at that exact side slice view watching other videos but it's great to see it actually explained WHY the step is needed
Fantastic series of videos! I have refinished one guitar, and now I understand all of the mistakes I made. Excellent! I am ready for guitar number two…
StewMac - I feel like I owe you money for watching this. Just the prep alone is such useful info fore an amateur. Kudos to the guys from Driftwood and kudos to StewMac for seeing this through. Please add, not just more videos, but more videos of this level. This is great contenetQ
This is excellent. Great balance of detail and clarity, but concise. I appreciate the simplicity of the tools required without too many gadgets. I am left confident that this CAN be done well and safely at home, with proper attention to details. I'll be giving this a try, for sure!
I watched this video from start to finish and it is very detailed on how to sand and finish your guitar. The 2 guys doing the job were very good and fun to watch.
I already appreciated great finishes on instruments versus (thick, steal the tone) lesser finishes, but this series brought home how much work it takes to do a proper job. Have done 3 refinishes of my own over the years, and... well... skipped a couple of weeks, and several steps they took. "Relicing " them helped a little, lol.
I've seen all these steps before but it's good to SEE them being done by professionals and to go over them again as a refresher. I also like to look at the tools being used for ideas on what I might need. I saw one or both were using a Festool sander. They make good tools but they ain't cheap.
I’m generally a guitar player, so that’s why I know of this video but I’ve actually been using this guide for building a pair of speakers. It’s been excellent!
Thanks Chris and Matt for the great 👍 presentations in the series. The two of you did an excellent job all the way through. From Chris writing ✍️ the seven steps to the whole process on the whiteboard to him encouraging us that if we make a mistake during the process, to learn from it and keep at it. Like Chris said, for me anyway, one day I would like to be considered to be a good guitar builder. Finally, but certainly not the least, a special shout-out and thanks goes to Dan and StewMac for making this series possible! Thanks everyone! I learned a lot and will be watching these videos multiple times to really let the seven step process take hold in this old brain of mine. LOL 😂 Dave
These guys are so inspiring! I just finished building my first partscaster with a neck I bought from Stew Mac, now I have some vital knowledge with regards to finishing a guitar
This was an awesome series! I watched the entire series in one go, and it was an amazing confidence builder. Your tips and tricks are really helpful. It’s always easier to learn from an experienced teacher who’s not shy about sharing secrets and alternative approaches, and the end result is fantastic. Can’t wait to find a time window to try this…. Thank You!!!
Really nicely done. This is a great primer, no pun intended, on how to do a good job finishing a painting project. Patience is the key and you guys did a great job of stressing that point. Two thumbs up!
Wonderful! Thank you so much for this series of videos. I must say that I originally wanted to buy a guitar all done. Now, my mind is just getting flooded with infinite design ideas that I could create by implementing the basics of what you've shared in this video series. Most importantly, thank you for all the safety features and reminders. Us newbies don't think about all those details until it could be very late. Much appreciate, really. Also, thank you for the opportunity to win a guitar. Wishing your channel to continue with loads of success this 2022.
Guys, thanks for all the detailed, well explained, step by step demonstration. I'll be referring back to this series come the spring for a project I'm working on.
Great video. Knew about many parts but, some of the methods sounded so much easier than the way I have done in the past. May take extra time but, the end result I think is so much better than the methods I have used.
Thanks for this series. It clearly addressed a number of issues I have been having. Although I don't use spray cans, most of the info is transferable to the StewMac water based lacquer I use. Thanks to Chris & Matt and StewMac.
Great information…. I recently built an sg kit I bought from Stewmac a couple of years ago and was amazed by the playability but I could have used the guidance on the finish and construction that these videos provide.
"Dan is Bob Ross of guitar building, and a national treasure"- here you go. It should appear under every StewMac video, cause it is true and we all know it! But you Guys are obviously as awesome as Dan😉 Thanks for your work and these videos!
Lots of great information here. So many of us, (including me, when I first started) are anxious for the final product and rush into finishing without ever laying out a schedule that will ensure good results. Knowing what to do, when to do it and when to stop is critical. Now I tell my self - "You just spent a ton of time building this thing, don't screw it up with a slapped on finish". Sure it will still play great, but why not make it stand out.
Over the 1st part of thr pandemic as I had a lot of time on my hands I got into customizing my guitars and even building one. This video was very helpful and I'll def be using the tips. Thanks!
Beautiful work! Better results than I've ever had (and I've not tried with aerosol).
If it's not too pretentious, I would love to offer a sandpaper tip: When working with stiff papers in the 80-220 grit range, it's not unusual for the paper to crinkle and create a hard edge (and that can introduce some really bad sanding results). If you 'break' the paper before tearing it or attempting to sand with it, things get a lot easier.
Just grab the sheet by two opposing corners then drag it over the edge of your bench with the sanding side up and while holding enough pressure to be bending the paper at least 45 degrees over that bench edge. Then grab the other two corners of the paper and repeat.
Now when you go to fold the paper or work inside a tight radius area (like inside the horns on that strat) the paper will flow through those areas without that annoying crinkle showing up to ruin your work!
I cannot thank you guys enough for this 3-part series! I have an old Peavey Hydra double-neck that I inherited from my dad when he passed 3 years ago. It has to be completely redone due to the foam in the old case deteriorating all over it. I think I just might have the confidence now to complete the project! 😁
This series is amazingly detailed. Chris and Matt take their time to go over every detail, pointing possible problems and how to recover from them. Phenomenal job!
For people that are serious about crating a great finish on a guitar kit, or refinish this is a great series. Very detailed with clear instructions. Thanks!
Great Beginning! Clear and logical script. Gets you both the details and a clear overview of the first 3 steps in the new guitar painting process. What an asset to have a good teacher who is also a skilled craftsman. I gained so many prep and painting tips and I can transfer that knowledge to other finishing projects. These alone give good value to my time spent.
Printable work-tools would be a tremendous addition to these videos. Simple lists of the activities in each step. Include materials, tools used, colors, stop and start times, progress, troubleshooting, and other notes. These would be valuable so you constantly know where you are and what comes next. I know that delays and interruptions are the biggest constants in my shopwork.
This is amazing. Have been trying to piece the process together from multiple videos, but this is so thoroughly explain. Feel so confident this is doable now.
Same here! Then I stumbled on this and quit looking. There was so much out there that was vague or differing information because most of them are made by first timers or others who's projects I have to say didn't turn out well. I was getting kind of scared and was thinking I'd just have to "trial and error" my way through it. I'm not finished completely with this yet and because they didn't include staining in the video I'm a bit apprehensive still, but I think it will turn out well. I'll let you know. (I'm at the finish process.)
We really hope you enjoy this series. We've had this on our "to-do" list for years and we're very proud of how this turned out. We'd love to get your feedback on it below.
I’m a professional videographer, editor and producer. I’ve worked on several television shows. I found it to be very well done. The lighting and editing is excellent. The content is easy to follow. The interaction between the two was perfect. It didn’t appear scripted. The presentation was very natural, not rehearsed. As for someone interested in refinishing I found the video to be very informative and the best I’ve seen so far.
Awesome series Dan, much appreciated.
Thanks so much
Invaluable- greatest how-to video maybe ever. Loved the pauses to take the time to get the technique correct
So good. Really useful, hands on advice and the demonstrations are superb
This whole series is so interesting! I don't have the space and gear to be able to do all this sanding and painting, but it's really exciting to see that it can be done given the proper conditions. Thanks to StewMac for helping make this happen and kudos to the Driftwood guys for all their expertise and tips.
Love the driftwood guitars team, you couldn't have picked a better duo to teach this difficult process! I learned a lot!
I finished my first guitar recently with aerosol spray. In the process I was in touch with the folks at StewMac and they were so helpful through the entire process. I built a goldtop LP style guitar.
I've watched this a couple of times now and will be watching it again... and again. So many great tips! Thanks!
After sifting through various forums and videos trying to figure out the best way to finish my guitar, this video finally puts me at ease. What a stupendous job, thanks so much.
Thanks for putting this together! I have admit that after watching the 3 superb videos in this series I am rather overwhelmed. However following your advice and examples I am confident I will take the steps and time to get a great finish on my guitar project. When Dan is impressed with the finish I know its the real deal. Thanks again Stew Mac & Driftwood Guitars.
With typical teenage audacity, many, many years ago, I sprayed an orange sunburst finish on my violin. I still have it and it still looks pretty good! Thanks for showing how to do it correctly.
I've been fooling with this stuff as an amateur for around 50 years and I picked up a trick or two from this series. Good work, guys. This is how to do it right!
It's nice to learn from people who seem to genuinely love teaching others!
Great series! I really appreciate that you gave a lesson that was clear and instructive from a beginner's view, and explaining potential pitfalls and how to avoid them. Keep up the great work!
I've been putting off doing a refinishing job on a couple of my guitars - I purchased the refinishing materials from Stew Mac a couple of years ago now. This 3 part series has given me the information, the motivation, and the confidence I need to finally get things going - my spring project. Great job on the videos Chris and Matt, thanks!
Patience, patience, patience. I painted guitars with lacquer mixed at a local paint store, applied with a brush with good results. Toughest thing was tracking down paste wood filler. It was a learning process, and a LOT of work. Talking 40 years ago before TH-cam and Stewmac. People really have it made now.
Preparation, attention to detail and patience is key and you guys hit all marks. The end result proves it. Love love love Sonic blue with rosewood neck. What a beautiful guitar.
Great video and job!
I build ukuleles as a hobby. Have stayed away from aerosol finishes because I don't have spray equipment. This StewMac product gives me confidence to try an aerosol. Looking forward to it!
Most impressed by the detailed instruction and focus on real and potential mistakes. Thanks!
I always enjoy StewMac videos--they are comprehensive, detailed, and explained in an understable way. After watching these 3 videos I feel confident to refinish a guitar I have been wanting to do. Thank you.
the whiteboard explanation is great. I'm trying to guess at that exact side slice view watching other videos but it's great to see it actually explained WHY the step is needed
Fantastic series of videos! I have refinished one guitar, and now I understand all of the mistakes I made. Excellent! I am ready for guitar number two…
Fantastic. The pore fill is THE secret to a good finish.
Great Vid, Thanks StewMac for sponsoring it. Very informative and well done Matt and Chris.
StewMac - I feel like I owe you money for watching this. Just the prep alone is such useful info fore an amateur. Kudos to the guys from Driftwood and kudos to StewMac for seeing this through. Please add, not just more videos, but more videos of this level. This is great contenetQ
This is excellent. Great balance of detail and clarity, but concise. I appreciate the simplicity of the tools required without too many gadgets. I am left confident that this CAN be done well and safely at home, with proper attention to details. I'll be giving this a try, for sure!
I watched this video from start to finish and it is very detailed on how to sand and finish your guitar. The 2 guys doing the job were very good and fun to watch.
Great series, and beautiful finish! I liked seeing Matt go through the steps from a beginner’s perspective. And always good to see Dan!
I already appreciated great finishes on instruments versus (thick, steal the tone) lesser finishes, but this series brought home how much work it takes to do a proper job. Have done 3 refinishes of my own over the years, and... well... skipped a couple of weeks, and several steps they took. "Relicing " them helped a little, lol.
I've seen all these steps before but it's good to SEE them being done by professionals and to go over them again as a refresher. I also like to look at the tools being used for ideas on what I might need. I saw one or both were using a Festool sander. They make good tools but they ain't cheap.
Nice job of describing the whole process of painting and the reasons why! Sooo much sanding!
Great series on DIY aerosol finishing!
Thanks for this! This feels like a masters degree course on finishing
I’m generally a guitar player, so that’s why I know of this video but I’ve actually been using this guide for building a pair of speakers. It’s been excellent!
Fantastic. Finishing is my favorite part of guitar building.
This is fantastic!!! I've been doing a lot of it right, but a bunch of stuff wrong; NOW my guitars will look PRO!!!!!!
Great info... I've watched their videos a few times, and they definitely helped when I refinished my strat!
Hearing the paint cans with a sous vide cooker works great. Easy to keep consistent.
That is a good idea, I'd just be careful taking the cans north of 150 degrees F.
Thank you very much for this complete tutorial. It is very well explained and can help people lose their fear of these jobs
This is awesome. I have a telecaster that needs some attention. I feel confident using these techniques.
Great to see you partnering with Stewmac! Match made in heaven.
Thanks Chris and Matt for the great 👍 presentations in the series. The two of you did an excellent job all the way through. From Chris writing ✍️ the seven steps to the whole process on the whiteboard to him encouraging us that if we make a mistake during the process, to learn from it and keep at it. Like Chris said, for me anyway, one day I would like to be considered to be a good guitar builder. Finally, but certainly not the least, a special shout-out and thanks goes to Dan and StewMac for making this series possible! Thanks everyone! I learned a lot and will be watching these videos multiple times to really let the seven step process take hold in this old brain of mine. LOL 😂 Dave
I've always thought about finishing by can but never thought it would be realistic. Looks great!
This is the best video series on this topic yet. Can't wait to do my next project now!
Very enlightening. I have always been interested in putting a new finish on my old strat. I'm glad I saw this first.
I’m going to try this step by step on my Epiphone Les Paul!
Great job!
Thanks for all your time spent guys
Nice to see all the steps I've been missing on film. Thanks Driftwood and Stewmac!
Very nice luthiers, nice to see !
This is easily the best video about refinishing a guitar I have ever seen. And I have always wanted a Strat this color!!!
These guys are so inspiring! I just finished building my first partscaster with a neck I bought from Stew Mac, now I have some vital knowledge with regards to finishing a guitar
This was an awesome series! I watched the entire series in one go, and it was an amazing confidence builder. Your tips and tricks are really helpful. It’s always easier to learn from an experienced teacher who’s not shy about sharing secrets and alternative approaches, and the end result is fantastic. Can’t wait to find a time window to try this…. Thank You!!!
Really nicely done. This is a great primer, no pun intended, on how to do a good job finishing a painting project. Patience is the key and you guys did a great job of stressing that point. Two thumbs up!
Wow. That is unbelievable. What a beautiful looking guitar. Great job!
Patience! That's my nemesis in finishing. Never ever heard of steaming a dent, cool!
That iron/steam technique on the dent is amazing.dented a tele kit im working on while sanding it. It was fixed in seconds. Thanks.
Thanks Guys,finishing is something I'm getting ready to try my hand at and I learned a lot just from this first Video.Great job!
I've been doing very limited finishing work with very limited results. This video series should get me past my 5th grade level real fast! Thanks
I've been using the Stew Mac paints for years and have no complaints. Good stuff! Thanks.
Have been wanting to watch a finishing series like this for a while. Really enjoying theses videos and the amp building series.
Thanks for posting the video i gain so much knowledge from StewMac videos. Thanks again
Wow! Very informative. I never thought it was possible to use aerosol and get such a great professional finish.
Thank you for this series. The biggest takeaway I got is PATIENCE. I have 2 kits to work on.
You can do it!
Chris and Matt make it look easy!
Attention to detail is key to the final finish , a great finish can be accomplished in your own shop
Great video series on guitar finishing. A full course on the entire process in only three hours!
I was hesitant of aerosol finishing, but now I am really interested in trying it out.
Great series. I thought to myself, hey this is the guy who cuts guitars in half! Great tips.
Excellent tutorial for all of us who want to develop skills in this hobby or job. congratulations for such a good performance
Lots to unpack, confident my next paint job will be better than my first after watching this.
Nice! I've been wanting to tackle a build, but finishing has always kept me. This series may change that - Thanks!
Nice to know there are professionals in my backyard -- will check them out!
One and done!
It takes a lot of passionate concentration.
Big rewards from doing all the steps correctly.
Thanks for all that you shared and mastered.
The Strat came out great
Beautiful guitar
DWH
Wonderful! Thank you so much for this series of videos. I must say that I originally wanted to buy a guitar all done. Now, my mind is just getting flooded with infinite design ideas that I could create by implementing the basics of what you've shared in this video series. Most importantly, thank you for all the safety features and reminders. Us newbies don't think about all those details until it could be very late. Much appreciate, really. Also, thank you for the opportunity to win a guitar. Wishing your channel to continue with loads of success this 2022.
Learned a lot. Now off to create my first hand built tele with a white translucent finish. Stain, porefiill, sealer and nitro.
Great way of showing how it’s done. Fun listening to you guys as well.
Excellent step by step presentation. A bunch of tips to add to my arsenal. Thanks
Guys, thanks for all the detailed, well explained, step by step demonstration. I'll be referring back to this series come the spring for a project I'm working on.
Great Job! Great Tips! Looking forward to putting them into service.
Stewmac's rooftop: Literally top of the game.
Great episode! I have been using StewMac parts for years. I have finished 3 guitars with their spray cans. Nice job on the strat.
Wow, I was waiting to learn more before proceeding on a couple projects and this is the exact info I was looking for! GREAT!
Awesome video. I can't wait to try it on one of my homebuilt instruments.
Super informative. I learned a bunch of things I'd done wrong before and will get way better results now.
Been dying to see this done correctly, so many different ways to get the job done
One way to do it! Lots of excellent tips here!
This is a great series !! Man would I love to win that Wilkinson Strat !! That’s a beauty !!
Great video. Knew about many parts but, some of the methods sounded so much easier than the way I have done in the past. May take extra time but, the end result I think is so much better than the methods I have used.
When I saw the length of the videos, I was kind of hesitant to watch. However, the time flew by and I learned a lot. Thanks for the series
Thanks for this series. It clearly addressed a number of issues I have been having. Although I don't use spray cans, most of the info is transferable to the StewMac water based lacquer I use. Thanks to Chris & Matt and StewMac.
Great information…. I recently built an sg kit I bought from Stewmac a couple of years ago and was amazed by the playability but I could have used the guidance on the finish and construction that these videos provide.
"Dan is Bob Ross of guitar building, and a national treasure"- here you go. It should appear under every StewMac video, cause it is true and we all know it!
But you Guys are obviously as awesome as Dan😉 Thanks for your work and these videos!
Lots of great information here. So many of us, (including me, when I first started) are anxious for the final product and rush into finishing without ever laying out a schedule that will ensure good results. Knowing what to do, when to do it and when to stop is critical. Now I tell my self - "You just spent a ton of time building this thing, don't screw it up with a slapped on finish". Sure it will still play great, but why not make it stand out.
Great information and well presented. Thanks very much. I'm eager to get started.
Over the 1st part of thr pandemic as I had a lot of time on my hands I got into customizing my guitars and even building one. This video was very helpful and I'll def be using the tips. Thanks!
This series of video is confidence buiding!
Great video on finishing a guitar!