How to get a Mirror Glaze finish on your guitar - YOU can achieve this!

[@michaelschweizer4772]

Great tutorial !!! Looking forward to finishing my project.

[@DevilAndSons]

Excellent. What is it you are working on?

[@michaelschweizer4772]

@@DevilAndSons My first guitar build so got a China kit from Pango, PJS 329, for $190.00 , happy with quality. Comes with no instructions so learning as I go, neck angle was a challenge but came out good, body pre-cut but everything off just a little. Glad there's people like yourself online for guidance. Thanks!!!!!

[@DevilAndSons]

@michaelschweizer4772 I hear Pango are good but can take a while to ship. Glad it has come put well, and that we could help.

[@nine9whitepony526]

Omg that looks amazing. Looks like a different guitar than it did before you started. And that truly is a mirror finish. Nice job on that, you truly are a guitar master craftsmen.

[@DevilAndSons]

That's so kind of you to say, thanks so much.

[@DragonofLimerick]

Super good and thorough explanation! I do the sides all by hand so I don't burn thru. Great work!

[@DevilAndSons]

Thanks, and good idea. I find odd shaped guitars do need a bit of work done by hand, but I'm too lazy to do it all by hand 😁

[@stevekobb3850]

So helpful! Thank you.

[@DevilAndSons]

It's a pleasure, thanks for commenting.

[@dennyps1]

Great demo thank you

[@DevilAndSons]

My pleasure! Thank for watching and commenting

[@simmonsjonboy3128]

That's awesome hoss I have 2 of the 1959 Les Paul's from Epiphone the lemon and the dark burst they have the stain finish I started the lemon burst with just wood polish cause I didn't know how those pads would workout so thanks man that gave me some light bulbs like I say if your not learning ya not picking same goes in to maintenance and care of your instrument

[@DevilAndSons]

They sound very nice. I would say the problem with polishing satin is that it may start to go gloss over time, so avoid using the compounds I used in this video and just try something light to wipe clean with.

[@garyb1036]

I got the lemon burst les paul,what polish would you recommend for glossing the top up?

[@DevilAndSons]

If it's matt or satin I would definitely go through the whole process and not just start with a final polish. If using these products use both Maguires. I have recently started using a different product, from Axe Wax. I would recommend you use their fine x polishing compound followed by either their G2 was or original Wax. An additional but not necessary step would be to use their Axe blast, this is more of a regular use product to put on and keep the shine up. Here's a video on that process kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGm6Xn93o9Z_eZY

[@garyb1036]

@@DevilAndSons thanks mate

[@DevilAndSons]

@@garyb1036 anytime. Good luck.

[@Mwhbmnabjms]

Correction, sand paper the higher the number the finest it will be. The lower the grit the roughest so its the opposite with the meguire

[@DevilAndSons]

The higher number is smoother, so you work up in numbers with sandpaper. 300 us rougher, 1000 is smooth. So 205 meguiar is also smoother than 105 meguiar.

[@Mwhbmnabjms]

Ahh. I tot the meguiar is the opposite. Btw very nice content of your videos. I subscribed! Keep it up..love it

[@DevilAndSons]

@@Mwhbmnabjms thanks for subscribing and commenting. Definitely the meguiar is also a finer cut for 205.

[@teslanick1]

good job

[@DevilAndSons]

Thanks for commenting, much appreciated

[@alexandroskaripidis3562]

Really helpful video thank you

[@DevilAndSons]

Good luck with your paintjob.

[@dgaz3057]

The turtle wax is wax that protects the surface, the other stuff cuts and removes scratches and polishes so all steps are correct. Going back over with the 105 will remove the turtle wax.

[@DevilAndSons]

Thanks for clarifying. Most helpful.

[@13amplifiers]

That coffee cup is an accident waiting to happen, lol!

[@DevilAndSons]

Ha, I try to get it into shot whenever I can but yes, that is risky.

[@daveelson213]

Bit late to the party, but will this stuff work to get swirls out of a glossy black finish

[@DevilAndSons]

Yes. I'd try 4coasses with the heavy, then 4 with the luggt as a starter. If that looks good a final polish would finish it off. If not you may find it best to do a light sand coat with some fine paper first. 1000 and up.

[@daveelson213]

@@DevilAndSons cheers boss. Im currently going through the wet sanding and reached 2500 grit. Ive read black is a pain to get perfect, but i dont want perfect, a half decent shine will do me

[@DevilAndSons]

Great start. It is hard. I would recommend if you aren't happy after the light cut, go back and do a few more passes of the heavy cut, then even more fine cut. I have noticed that more passes is better. Good luck. Is it a new build or a refinish?

[@daveelson213]

@@DevilAndSons had an old strat copy body and decided to build a gilmouresque strat. Its going alright. Just getting to the nitty gritty bit

[@DevilAndSons]

@@daveelson213 very nice

[@paulafresty]

Enjoyed the video. You do realize that the compounds are not "coats" but an abrasive in liquid form that cuts into the finish. The whiteness comes from the wet "dust" that the compound removes from the clear coat. Using the word "coat" implies that you are ADDING to the finish... when in fact your are subtracting. :-) Loved it! Looks beautiful!

[@DevilAndSons]

You are correct, thanks for clarifying. I probably shouldn't have used the word coats. I will check though how the product describes it on the bottle, I'm not sure what other word to use really. I normally describe it like liquid sand paper, hence using a finer grain as the number increases like sandpaper. Thanks for commenting and glad you enjoyed it.

[@paulafresty]

@@DevilAndSons perhaps... "applications"? "I will use three applications of the cutting compound..."

[@DevilAndSons]

That works. I checked and the bottle has no directions on it so doesn't actually have a word I can use. Application does the job just right though.

[@p.s8950]

Does Mcguires mix ok with the cream in your Tea ? Mmmmmm... I've never been able to do anything with a cup of anything within arms reach. lol

[@DevilAndSons]

Cream in tea! Crazy. Milk is the way. I sometimes accidentally dip my paint brushes into the tea instead of the water pot.

[@jairojaime6720]

Hola! Can I do all this procedure if my guitar has a bee wax previous finish? Thank you. Greetings from Panamá!!!

[@DevilAndSons]

Greetings back from the UK. I'll be honest, I've never used beeswax but it is a polish so I would imagine you can do this on top. But it would depend on the finish of the wood. If it were a bare wood polished with beeswax then no, it would need a lacquer or varnish on the wood.

[@mvp019]

Can you do this to a satin finish guitar to make it gloss? Or is the thinner poly or nitro of a sating too thin to mess with in this manner... the last thing I want to do is wear through the finish.

[@DevilAndSons]

You can definitely do this on a stin guitar, but make sure you start with some sanding to get the surface really flat. Obviously be carefully not to sand through the colour.

[@ehb21103]

Would this work on a satin/matte finish, to bring it up to a mirror shine? The guitar is the Epiphone 1959 Les Paul that came out last year.

[@DevilAndSons]

Yes, matt finishes can definitely be polished up. You probably won't need to go in with wet dry paper first but just start with the buffing compounds. It may take a few more passes with the first one. Good luck.

[@ehb21103]

@@DevilAndSons Cheers! Are you based in the UK? How much would do you think it would be for a professional to do this?

[@DevilAndSons]

It's a pleasure. I am UK based. Are you thinking you'd want to send the guitar as it is. Have the hardware etc taken off, polished, then all reassembled?

[@ehb21103]

@@DevilAndSons Yeah I was thinking something like that! I think it might be something I can do myself, but would be curious to see how much it would be for someone like yourself to do - probably an hour or two of work?

[@DevilAndSons]

www.devilandsons.guitars/price-list

[@filmlover2284]

The different color foam pads are different in their aggressiveness Black, blue or white should be used last. You don't want to use a cleaning color to apply the final coat.

[@DevilAndSons]

I noticed that with the good quality ones, I think mine were cheap though and feel like the same but different colours. What are you thoughts on the flat or textured sponges?

[@dolphin5808]

Yellow or orange is typically for the compounds, white for the polishing and black for the finishing, black and red don’t burn through your clear coat just refine it

[@DevilAndSons]

I noticed some companies make a blue one that is also for polishing.

[@deetee-uk]

Not sure if you were skipping ahead in the video. but did you use the power polishing with the 205 also?

[@DevilAndSons]

Yes, I used the same set up with each of the polishing products.

[@OzPrince01]

Tea must taste a little funkier after all that residue from those compounds mixed in. 😅

[@DevilAndSons]

😆Sometimes I have tea on the go whilst I'm painting and accidentally dip my paint brushes in it. I bet there have been times when I haven't even noticed that.

[@remiklovic]

Thanks for the content, good stuff, but what is up with the guitar in the back ground?

[@DevilAndSons]

Ha, thanks. It's one of these kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6GxiJyGmLWfiqM

[@kaskas55]

Hi, is the 105 really necessary or can I just skip to the finer 205? thanks a lot.

[@DevilAndSons]

I think it's essential to work finer and finer in stages. I'm actually thinking that going forward I am going to go even finer with the wet dry paper first. So I wouldn't skip it.

[@kaskas55]

@@DevilAndSons thanks again!

[@DevilAndSons]

Anytime

[@deetee-uk]

Do you put anything into the holes to stop moisture getting in?

[@DevilAndSons]

Actually I often put blutack in the smaller holes like bridge post holes, but I don't worry about the screw holes from things like pickguards. Is that what you mean?

[@pedalfr3ak265]

What did you have as a top coat price to polishing?

[@DevilAndSons]

I almost always use Spraymax 2k from a can these days, or sometimes I will use a nitrocellulose if a client really wants it. I'm considering going back to using my spray gun and compressor but really I have been so impressed with these cans for sometime now that I haven't regretted packing up my compressor.

[@pedalfr3ak265]

@Devil & Sons Guitars Thats good to know, thank you for your reply. I recently got into building and I use a semi nitro mix. I tried using Solarez but I have a very difficult time level sanding. I'm still really new and I'm trying everything I can.

[@DevilAndSons]

It's good to experiment and when you find the brand you like just stick with it. Good luck. Are you working on anything in particular?

[@pedalfr3ak265]

@Devil & Sons Guitars im working on telecaster bodies primarily in various set ups. I like the hand rubbed poly finishes but im trying to get better with high gloss lacquer. Im still trying to figure out how to do smooth opaque finishes. Those seem to be the hardest to complete. I tried hand applying Acrylic paint and got a smooth consistency but I still need a top coat to seal it.

[@DevilAndSons]

@Pedalfr3ak 26 I have a feeling that with hand rubbed finishes it's simply going to be practice to get it as good as you want. It may be worth just buying lots of scrap wood to test on. Years a go I did a French polishing course and we were testing and learning on anything from scraps to wooden things I had at home that really didn't need anything done to them but I still could use. I have a ukulele I still play from that course, it's not the best finish but it reminds me of that period of learning.

[@danielhounslow4274]

Do you sell those hoodies? And shirts?

[@DevilAndSons]

Yes, via my redbubble store - www.redbubble.com/people/devilandsons/shop

[@paulallyngoff7472]

Would this work on an SG faded?

[@DevilAndSons]

It should work on any poly or nitro finish.

[@tiliky95]

If I just want to remove some scratches from my strat (glossy finish) do I need both Meguiar compounds or only the ultra finish one?

[@DevilAndSons]

I think probably the ultra finish one, I can't remember off hand if it is also described on the bottle as scratch and swirl remover. Alternatively you could just try using a wax, these are designed to hide scratches and blemishes but it would depend on the depth of the scratch. Car waxes can be great, I used to use a Turtle wax one but recently started using a 2ax from a company called Axe Wax in the UK (although if they don't ship I'm pretty sure there are lots of companies that make them). If you start with the ultra finish or a wax and it's not quite good enough you could always go back one level, I.e. the last thing in my process is the wax, before that the ultra compound 205, and before that the 105... and before that is the sanding. With some bad scratches you may even need to start with sanding then go through the compounds, but you'd need to be really careful and start with a very light sand paper just in the scratch area and be super careful not to go through the paint, so a much more challenging option. The advantage of a strat if you end up having to go the sandpaper route is you can do a test under the scratchplate to see how far you can go before sanding through the paint. But hopefully just the ultra compound or wax is all you need, and ignore my over complicate reply. Good luck.

[@Xxmeca421xX]

I bought 6 inch pads and they're way too big and maguiars 85 diamond cut compound. I will get the 205 and turtle wax and also 3 inch pads. Have you ever used wool pads? The foam pad kit I'm ordering has them.

[@DevilAndSons]

Ohh, I haven't used the 85, I bet it's still great. The smaller pads are so much better. I did try some wool ones once, I honestly can't remember why I preferred the foam ones, I'm sure wool would be good too. Thanks for commenting and do let me know how you get on.

[@edadpops1709]

Agree 6” pad are to large

[@DevilAndSons]

They're really made for cars I think.

[@Xxmeca421xX]

@@DevilAndSons well I wet sanded with 1500 grit then hit my acoustic with m85 and 205 on only two of the 3 inch pads. It really wasn't as intimidating as I thought it would be. I had to keep touching the finish to make sure it wasn't getting hot but wow, I can see my reflection in the poly on spruce now. Thanks for the video! and I will use the 6" pads on my car since I'm not afraid of the buffing and polishing procedure now. Also, the m85 is only $16 for 32 oz on amazon. Close to what I payed for the 8oz of 205 polish. Thanks again.

[@DevilAndSons]

That is great to hear. I'm so glad you went ahead and have got such a good result. Thanks for letting me know.

[@Artress357]

Is this poly or lacquer?

[@DevilAndSons]

This method works on both, bit for this guitar I used spraymax 2k which is an acrylic lacquer.

[@caljude]

super tea with buffing compound...cool 🤘😅

[@DevilAndSons]

Everything is super with tea

[@wezilman]

I did this exact thing on a 2k spraymax finish and it looks all grey and cloudy, completely ruined, wish I'd never watched this...

[@DevilAndSons]

Sorry to hear thay. I almost exclusively use spraymax and this technique. Was the spraymax clear and set before you did this? If the cloudyness is under the surface then the spraxmax hadnt been applied properly as the meguiars shouldnt penetrate the spraymax. At what stage did it go cloudy? If it happened early on it is probably recoverable.

[@wezilman]

I figured out the problem! Apparently spraymax 2k is hard as hell, and my 3 passes with each compound were merely roughing it up and turning it grey. I tried my hardest foam pad and some pressure, and it's glossy like a mirror now! Thanks for the reply! This stuff is one tough coating.

[@DevilAndSons]

Excellent, so glad it turned out good for you.

[@jordanjacobs9888]

Great video. Does this method of using a polishing compound also work on a guitar finish done with just Tru Oil using up tp a 2000 grit sand paper. Thanks

[@DevilAndSons]

Thanks for commenting. Tru oil is quite different and more like traditional French polishing. If you use it correctly I believe you should be able to get a great finish with your final coat. Perhaps if it isn't shiny enough it may need more coats? I'm not an expert at all with tru oil so I can't advise if this method will work but I would guess it may in fact ruin the tru oil finish. I did some French polishingvyears ago and the shine was achieved through a slow and repetitive process of coat after coat, the final ones applied using a cotton rag. Sorry not to be able to give you a conclusive answer.

[@DevilAndSons]

I just heard from someone on instagram that he uses meguiar's on his tru oil finishes and thinks it's great. So that may be a answer.

[@simonsmith2642]

Not sure I want to try this on a satin finish 2800$ guitar lol

[@DevilAndSons]

It would definitely get rid of the satin finish, I wouldn't do it unless you want it gloss in which case it's the best way.

[@ajventura1756]

You know how much wax you just drank

[@DevilAndSons]

Please enlighten me.

[@glenthemann]

Lol those tattoos

[@DevilAndSons]

Thanks so much.

[@JamesCzerwinski-ph9zo]

Nice ash body

[@DevilAndSons]

Thanks