ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

Wonker

Wonker

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Can you tell me about this finish? It is Tung Oil right? How does it compare durability wise to the original faded finish? How long did it take?

I just picked up another faded V and want to do one of my single pickup configuration V’s with this style finish.

All input is welcome.

Thanks!
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

I have a TRU OIL finished guitar (not the same as tung oil i know but still) its really easy to do and builds up a nice shine and dries hard. id recommend tru oil over any other oil finish. i've had necks finished in other oils and none of them dried hard or really protected the neck wood.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

Tru-oil or Varathane Natural Oil #66 both dry harder than tung oil with similar results. Tung Oil is a prety soft finish, nice thing is you can always re-apply. Not sure if Watco still makes the Danish Oil finish, similar as well.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

I sold my Tongue oiled King V to donahue1. Very easy to put on but offers almost no protection for the wood itself. All it does is basically darken up the wood.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

yes its tung oil on the V, about 12 coats. Just takes a lot of elbow grease and patience to do multiple coats, then needs to be reapplied once or twice a year depending on what your climate is like. Feels like satin but makes the grain pop more.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

9finger said:
I sold my Tongue oiled King V to donahue1. Very easy to put on but offers almost no protection for the wood itself. All it does is basically darken up the wood.
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Can you apply TRU OIL over a Tung Oil finish with successful results? As 9finger stated above, the Tung Oil just darkened the wood and I've been wondering how to give the guitar a more durable finish, without painting or clear-coating it.

Note: Not trying to hi-jack, this topic should go along with the OP.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

donahue1 said:
Can you apply TRU OIL over a Tung Oil finish with successful results? As 9finger stated above, the Tung Oil just darkened the wood and I've been wondering how to give the guitar a more durable finish, without painting or clear-coating it.

Note: Not trying to hi-jack, this topic should go along with the OP.
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It is a great question and in no way a hi-jack.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

I have no experience with tru oil. And tung will darken the wood same as adding a clearcoat would, gives it a wetter more hydrated look, so its not tinted but will darken naturally with the hydration effect.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

Yes, you can use Tru-Oil over a Tung Oil finish. I would recommend going over the Tung Oil finish with some fine sandpaper or steel wool first, but the Tru-Oil will gone over it fine.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

Wonker said:
So it looks like I'm going to do a Tru-Oil over a Tung Oil finish following this.

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


Do I need to use a pore filler?
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I wouldn't think so.

Sand the finish a little with steel wool or very fine sandpaper. 1500 grit or better.
Rub with a tack cloth. Apply a thin coat of the tru-oil with a t-shirt or similar cloth, " nothing that leaves fuzzies behind". Let dry 2-3 hours repeat process.
I suggest using a fine steel wool after the initial sanding. It leaves more of the material behind on each coat.
The tru-oil will fill the grain. it just takes alot of coats.

You can also add a little Rit liquid dye to the Tru-oil and change the tint of the finish.
 
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Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

I finished a Swamp Ash Tele body in Tru-Oil without filling the grain (I wish I had taken a picture while I still had it...sorry) and it came out really well. The grain is really visible because of how much the oil sinks in, but I think it looks great.

I stained the wood with a water based stain, then applied 8-10 coats of Tru-Oil. I hand rubbed the first few, then used aerosol Tru-Oil on the last couple coats.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

You can also do wipe on Poly over Tung Oil for added protection , although it s not much thicker than the Tru oil and takes a lot of coats to build up.
To me , Tung Oil is more like Nitrocellulose than Tru Oil..letting the wood breathe.
Tru oil is thicker and more like a glossy poly, easier, but even though Tung takes more effort it's the way to go for a real 1st class guitar finish.
I'm an amateur though..read up on this.
 
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Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

Yes Sir!

Got one...

1989 Kramer Telecaster Custom
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Working on completing another...

B.C. Rich / Southeast Guitars LP
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Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

MetalManiac said:
Tung Oil is more like Nitrocellulose than Tru Oil..letting the wood breathe. Tru oil is thicker and more like a glossy poly,
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Well this makes me think.

I don't like glossy poly type finishs. I need to think about this a little more. Maybe a thick tung oil finish would be better for me.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

MetalManiac said:
Tru oil is thicker and more like a glossy poly
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I think it's a stretch to compare Tru-Oil to poly. I mean, it's only thick if apply a bunch of heavy coats. I buffed mine when it was dry because I like the gloss, but Tru-Oil can be left satin as well. Even when it's buffed, it's a subtle shine, like a dull nitro shine. It never gets that super-smooth poly gloss look.

I think, in general, Tru-Oil dries harder than tung oil, but everything else is just a matter of the way it's applied.
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

muttznmongrelz, did you fill the grain on that Tele before oiling?
 
Re: ATTN:TattooedCarrot and anyone else with a Tung Oil Finished Guitar.

SabbathFan0220 said:
muttznmongrelz, did you fill the grain on that Tele before oiling?
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No grain fill on either the Ash Tele or the Mahgany LP Bodies, although you can wet sand it in the process w/the oils and that acts as a filler more or less; Lemon Oil for "coloring/tint" until I got color/depth of color that I liked then on with the Tung Oil which I hand rubbed in about 20 coats then applied approximately a half dozen coats with a sponge applicator brush with a mild sanding in between each coat. Tung Oil is "self leveling" and really easy to work with, if, like me..you can't spray paint! ;)

Def. would not classify it as anythng like a poly finish nor would I cal it "thick". I didn't want a thick glossy finish on the Tele, which is why I went the Tung Oil route. Nor did I buff it out as much as I could have, but you can get a nice shine out of it for sure.
 
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