Polishing a 414CE so it's now glossy rather than matte (and other stuff)

[thebigz]

How long do you use the steel wool?  I'm starting on my 416CE today

[MexicoMike]

Just rub with steel wool until the finish smooths out a bit - you will see it get a bit glossy.  I'd say it goes from "Matte" as original, to "satin" by using the steel wool but that's just my personal view of the change.  You can do it all with the finesse-it but it will take a lot longer.  Once you switch to the Finesse-it, the level of gloss depends totally on how long you rub/how much gloss you want.

Since doing mine I have learned that Taylor uses a catylized finish - basically a two-part epoxy-type coating - which is much harder than traditional finishes and explains why it takes so long (relatively speaking) to rub it to glossy using just Finesse-it.

[DMBfan41]

When using the steel wool and FI, do you rub in circles or stay with the grain?  Considering trying this out on one of my 214s soon.

Thanks for the all the info you've provided!

[MexicoMike]

Good question that I should have mentioned...steel wool goes WITH the grain,  Finesse-it goes on in circles ("Wax on;Wax off") It will work OK with the grain but it works better in circles.  Rub it until the finesse -it "disappears"  as you are rubbing.  It is not a wax or coating, you do not leave it on like a wax and wait for it to dry.  Just keep adding the finesse-it, circle-rubbing 'till it disappears, until you get the gloss you want.

[MartinD]

Nice job Mike!  I was wondering if you could post a few more pix of the back?  A couple of different angles to really catch the shine?  I'm thinking of doing this first to my Takamine which has a satin cedar soundboard. Also, do you finish with a coat of wax?  I am impressed with your results.

[MexicoMike]

Here's a pic that may be helpful.  I tried all sorts of angles/light but this seemed to capture it pretty well, reflecting a colorful bedspread.  Please, no comments on out taste in bedspread colors/patterns! 

FWIW, I may get to do this again - I'm considering a Taylor 355ce 12 string which will need to be polished...

[thebigz]

Excellent.  Thank you!  I started the steel wool part of the process on Saturday.  I have found that you can hear when you are "there" with the steel wool as it gets a lot quieter and smoother sounding.

Is this your experience?

I also have some FI on the way.  Hopefully it gets here tomorrow

[Louis]

I'm debating trying it out on my 314. so you say you started with the steel wool ,I want  to make darn sure I get this right. So you are using JUST the steel wool and going WITH the rain, and then what? When you get your FI you are gonna put the FI on in circles with a soft rag if I' m right. What about the 3 knobs for the expression system, how were  they to come off, cause the last thing I want do is break the Es inside, then I'm gonna look like a fine how do you do!

[MexicoMike]

The ES knobs pull off easily - just pull straight off with your thumbnail/middle finger nail under opposite sides of the knob.  Then do the steel wool thing with the grain - just rub across/between the knob mountings that are still in place after you remove the knobs.  Then use the FI. A circular motion works best for the back because of the large surface area but it may be easier on the sides to use the FI with or across the grain but it doesn't matter it will gloss equally well either way - whatever is most comfortable for you. 

As I said, doing this by hand you CANNOT damage anything.  But remember, FI is not a coating.  This not something to try with the idea that if you don't like the resulting gloss finish you can just "wipe it off" and change it back to the factory matte.  Once you start with the 0000 steel wool, anything you have used it on will now be slightly glossier than the factory finish and the FI increases the gloss from there.

[Louis]

OK thanks Mike , i get it good now.Ive read lots of posts on this but none explained the way you did.Confident enough to give it a shot now.

[Satsuki]

What if you used 800 or 1000 wet dry sand paper with a sanding block.

[Tugboat]

What if you used 800 or 1000 wet dry sand paper with a sanding block.

That's what I'm wondering. Start with 800 grit and work your way up to 2000.

[MexicoMike]

In theory it will work fine but sandpaper is more difficult to use in this situation - The guitar surface is not flat.  So a pad of steel wool pad followed by a cotton pad with FI will better polish the surface more uniformly.  I don't think you could hurt anything with the paper but you may end up with streaks of shiny/dull as you move over the gently curved surface.  I would not personally use that method for this but, as I said, it probably won't hurt anything.

[Tugboat]

Didn't even think about the top and back radii. Too used to electrics.

[jerrytubes]

Mike:  where did you find the white bridge pins?  I got the pin specs from Taylor customer service, but can't find any white ones that match the size.