[Guitar DIY] I experimented to see if I could use Xotic Oil Gel to change a satin finish to a glossy finish.

Hello!
My name is Takuto Fujioka, an occupational therapist specializing in guitarists.
This time, I'm going to DIY on a guitar again.

I introduced this guitar here before. It is a guitar from a manufacturer called Recording King, but in a good way I like the cheap sound. When I tried to use this sound for home recording, a problem occurred.
This guitar has a satin finish, and when it touches your clothes, a "rustling" noise occurs.
I didn't really care when I was using it for practice only, but I didn't expect it would affect recording...!
Some people may say, "change your clothes to cotton or something softer!" or "figure out the technique to avoid making the noise!" But I wanted to change the appearance of the satin finish as well, so this time I would like to take the plunge and change it to a gloss finish.
Of course, I think the sound will change, but I have taken that into consideration.

Normally, when coating a guitar, a clear lacquer or urethane spray is used for the coating. However, amateurs doing this kind of DIY need to consider the location and smell working at home, so the hurdle is a bit high.
So here is what I will use this time. The friend of guitar DIY, Xotic Oil Gel.
I think this was originally an oil for oil finishes, but when it hardens, it becomes quite hard. I believe there is no change in coating the surface, so I would like to use this. This oil does not have a strong odor, so it is easy for amateurs to handle.

Will the oil settle even on top of a satin finish? I will try this as an experiment!
Here is the initial state.

I don't want to apply too much, so I'd like to do it with only two coats. (This causes the failure….)
Also, although I said I would change it to a gloss finish, instead of making it shiny new, I will try to “wear it in” using a file, aiming for a used finish with scratches because it is originally a vintage like guitar.

The process of applying oil gel, drying and sanding (No. 600) was repeated twice. I decided not to mask the bridge. On purpose.

I think that the oil spread a little poorly when applying it on top of the satin finish. The desire keep the finish thin caused a considerably uneven coating. Also, even though I applied it thinly, I felt that I scratched it too much by sanding, which I think caused unevenness. Failure!
I think that if you apply the oil gel a little thicker and sand it carefully, you may be able to get a more beautiful finish.

Will the oil gel settle? In that respect, it dried without any problem and created a coating.

I was prepared for failure because I didn’t use the oil gel as it should be used. So I will finish it as is without re-doing it!
The finish is water-polished with 800-1000-1500 water-resistant paper, polished with a car compound, and finally polished again. (I'm sorry I don't have a photo of the work in progress.) Here, I was careful not to scratch the finish too much, but the finish near the elbow peeled off. Failure!

And here is the completion!
Please compare before and after.

The gloss is amazing because it is finished with polish. Lol

What did you think? In the photo, it is hard to see because of the reflection of the light, but when I actually look at, I think I was able to produce an atmosphere for this guitar that I have used quite a bit.
Thanks to the luster, the atmosphere has changed and I think it has a luxurious feel.
The noise of friction with clothes, which was the main purpose this time, has also been eliminated!

Also about the change in sound. I think that the overall sound was hardened by the coating on top. The original sound was a little blurry, so I think the new finish turned out better than I expected.
However, it is a pity that the cheap characteristic that this guitar had has decreased...!

It was difficult to work around the pickguard and the bridge, and the finish was not beautiful, but I think that the scratches and bald sections of the finish led to a used atmosphere, so it's okay!

This process was an experiment based on amateur thinking, so please take it with a grain of salt... However, I found that if I can work well, I can make it a gloss finish with oil gel. So I hope it will be helpful for those who like DIY.
See you later!

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