Guitar Finishing Step-By-Step

I appreciated this book because it gives you all the theoretical information you need to understand the painting process. Highly recommended

Great book, very clear.
I suggest to buy the video too, with both you can do a perfect finish for sure.

Ah the cold of winter, time to curl up and learn how to paint. This is a great book, good explanations that so far I am able to understand. I will finish reading it front to back by the time the frost leaves the ground and I am ready for my next paint project. Only complaint I would have (why it is 4 stars vs. 5) is that it tends to lean very heavily on the Fender/Gibson model and I want to see a bit more information on customer colors cause that is where my interests lie. Thanks!

I bought both the book and the DVD. One section of the book did not recommend wipe-staining the instrument, but the recipe I picked said to wipe stain the instrument. I bought the DVD, which did not address this at all. When I ordered the supplies I needed, I told the salesperson the recipe# I was using, and he was totally at a loss as to what to suggest. The airgun I bought came without instructions or a schematic, and when I tried to clean it for its first use, I broke a small plastic part crucial to its operation. Now I have to return it, and I'm another week or more plus shipping costs over budget and behind schedule.

Stewmac are nice guys, but apparently cater to experienced luthiers. Very, very disappointed. This should have been an exciting project, and it is turning into a nightmare.

Super book! It helped me out a great deal. I also bought the DVD and having the 2 of them is a great reference to have. Keep up the good work!

This book is very theoretical, and contains not enough color-pictures. A finishing book in black and white? It focuses on nitro, no recipe for french-polishing or other varnish.
A bit disappointed.

Very well written book. Thank You for it. Will put up photos of the candy red Strat I built for my sisters friends dad

I'm finishing my second guitar using ReRanch products. Although the ReRanch instructions are pretty good and their forum is helpful, using this book has given me a much clearer picture of the what's and why's and how's. Feeling like this second guitar will come out much better.
And, like a lot of Dan's books and videos, if you are into guitars, they make just plain entertaining reading. He and co-author DonMacRostie include history, anecdotes, and dozens of tips that only someone with their experience would know about. They are very generous about sharing their knowledge, and their love of everything guitar shines through.

I've found this book really great, full of useful info and describing all the process from general ideas to practical details. It is focused mostly on nitro lacquer finishes though, and I am starting to think about French polishing shellac technique, so I will have to buy also your DVD focused on this :-). Your web is really The Source of professional info about lutherie, great job, many thanks!!!

First, let me say that this book really is a "must-have" for anyone doing or planning to do guitar finishes. Truly a wealth of good information on what I believe to be the most challenging and arcane aspect of guitar construction.

This would absolutley be a five-star book except for two things, and I see them as significant:

1. The book has a few glossy color pages in the middle (and they are GREAT), but a book like this DESPERATELY wants to be full-color throughout, with many more photo-examples of what to look for and avoid in guitar finishing projects. At $29.95, I think there's really no excuse for this book not to be full-color glossy.

2. This was clearly originally written as a book for folks doing nitrocellulose lacquer finishes. A good (not great) attempt has been made to incorporate tips and instructions for finishing with waterborne products, but it feels as though the information was shoe-horned into the most recent edition(s). It can be at times unclear which remarks pertain only to nitro, which pertain to waterborne, and what applies to both. As more and more small scale builders and hobbyists switch to waterborne finishes, this book needs to take the topic more seriously, perhaps splitting into two editions -- on for nitro, one for waterborne.

I hope this review was helpful, and I hope the authors will consider my suggestions when they work on the next edition!