Superglue as a Guitar Finish!?!?!?! WHAT THE WHAT!?!?!? - Part I

[@mwmoriarty]

You can use coffee filters to apply the glue. The filters are made of paper that is thin, sturdy, and does not leave any lint. They are also super cheap.

[@crazyuncleduke8012]

I wouldn't have believed it unless I had seen it with my own eyes. What an amazing finish! Goodbye Truoil hello superglue. Thanks for the video.

[@Dreamdancer11]

Yes it is.....i have finished a couple of my handmade guitars that way...not to mention....i was able to finish the back of a neck with the strings on......seriously its not rocket science...first couple of coats for grain filling...then sand it down with 400 and level it(no shiny spots) and then after a couple of coats more use higher grits like the man in the video to remove the big scratches......not only its rock hard....looks great... but you dont have to wait months for the lacquer to dry.....

[@darthjarjarbinks8953]

Doogie Carpit Burger Shellac is pretty weak though. Whenever I use it, I use amber shellac and then put something like lacquer or poly over it.

[@thatellipsisguy8984]

"I’m just going to go very carefully around the sides..." ** knocks shit everywhere **

[@dannyboy9978]

I've been using Gluboost mostly for spot repairs for a couple years now. I've used it as a pore filler, but not as a final finish yet. I happen to have a Buckeye burl top that is going on a Weissenborn-shaped lap steel, so this video was extremely helpful. Previously I had sealed and filled a spalted maple top with a mixture of 12hr epoxy and acetone. It worked fine, but couldn't be used on a bound body. Thanks for the tutorial. And thanks to Rick at Gluboost for the awesome products!

[@jacktrent5648]

I saw this guy do a fretless bass conversion, and he used regular old super glue for a PERFECT mirror finish on the fretboard.

[@vinanderson2535]

I was glued to this video

[@bigdguitars]

literally stuck on it

[@DoritoAndy7227]

I'm just going to flat out say it... that is bad ass... wow

[@StuTheDawg]

John Kent No it’s hard ass

[@benschmidt8324]

John Ken

[@benschmidt8324]

L

[@rickrosenberg8428]

We recommend always using the GluBoost spray. The reason is that the Fill n' Finish is a flexible product and takes much longer to dry than a CA product. The spectacular thing about the GluBoost accelerator will not bubble or pit the product so the finish work is much easier to do. This flexibility allows for wood and ambient temperature and humidity changes without affecting the finish becuase the finish will move with the wood and not shrink back. Also, because the products are 99.6% pure the finish is always crystal clear.

[@mrmisterman999]

Will this look good even over stained wood?

[@1106Winter]

@@mrmisterman999, it can be done. Although the glue tents to smear and pull out the stain. Let the stain dry VERY good and be careful applying.

[@rustyshacklfort9508]

I've often thought about using CA for a sealer coat on softer woods like pine to harden up the wood so I won't dent as easy , but this is beautiful.

[@robphillips8351]

Great idea that has been right in front of me the entire time lol, wish I would have seen this a few guitar finishes ago

[@jean-philippegaudreault3549]

Thank you very much!!! I just finish to sand my new guitar after puting multiple coat of a water base lacquer! I sand through the finish!!! I have to start again the finishing process. I have already finished the finger board with CA and the result is amasing. So, this time I will use the CA to finish the whole guitar. Just for the info, the lacquer cost me 300$ and it is super fragile when it’s done!!! The only reason I will use lacquer is to put color on it. I will do a level sanding and add layer of CA to make sure the finish is shiny!

[@BradAngove]

Holy shit.

[@edwindenhertog7849]

Edwin Hi Brad, love your video's and learned a lot from them. What do you think of this? Will you have a go at it?

[@gunmath6115]

Hey man don't you have some paper to clear coat 😅jkjk came to check out how Crazy beautiful this is

[@BradAngove]

I would certainly consider it. If nothing else, I would use it as a sealer and a way of stabilizing a porous wood in preparation for finish. This looks great.

[@BradAngove]

Apparently now I have some paper to coat in glue haha.

[@Uncle_Buzz]

My eyes are burning just watching! A lot of guys that turn pens and other small stuff use CA glue as a finish. It's hard and glossy! Cheers, Chris.

[@frontbum420]

Theres no burn with this stuff it's not 2p10

[@lroy730]

Yeah it does put out Cyanide in the drying process . I use a Respirator Safety glasses and Fans..

[@jimfromoh8944]

There is definitely burn with this stuff. Respirator and Goggles are must have. Stuff dries hard and fast, but it's pretty nasty to work with. Just finish an entire body and would only use this stuff again if I had to. Sets up fast, streaky, second coats on top of the accelerator are close to unworkable. More sanding as a result, clogs paper fast. Gotta be super careful not to inadvertently glue things together. Gorgeous finish, rock hard over very soft woods and like glass, but would much rather work with oils and poly's.

[@shanecomstock7883]

@@jimfromoh8944 I've tried Truoil and poly on several guitars, this is by far the easiest and most durable finish of them all. Quicker, sands easy, doesnt smell too bad and I had ZERO streaking or witness lines. Truoil dents and dings like crazy, poly is a bitch to fix. Nitro never fully cures and is is lung cancer in a can.

[@shanecomstock7883]

Oh, no respirator needed. Good ventilation or outside, no issues.

[@robphillips8351]

Super glue=super shine I'm solid on this idea mucho gracias for putting this video up..

[@jacktoddy9783]

The wood flower is beautiful - great job.

[@tommymcmanus6453]

I've used Fill n Finish several times on repairs.(drop fills etc..).. I've also used transtint to color it..Always wondered how much it would take to completely finish with.. Thanks for the video

[@700bond700]

When I make wooden mallets for my self and friends, I soak the faces of the mallets letting it sink in deep. Makes the faces nice and hard and minimizes dents and dings.

[@bigdguitars]

great idea

[@robertkubik1997]

I used this product on a White Les Paul build. Stuff worked very well and compared to many finishes it is on par for cost or less expensive but the time it takes is pretty quick once you get going. If you go to their website they have all kinds of tips. I used the Fill and Finish product which is a little thicker. I used just regular paper towel to apply and the key was just use small areas. If you worked too big of an area the glue got hard to move and did not dry flat. Also, if you put in on in a large area the fumes did get bad. Small areas the fumes were not bad. To me the accelerator had the worst odor. Buff it out and you have a mirror finish that is smooth as glass and hard.

[@microbuilder]

I once used CA for the finish on the wood binding I put on my '78 Takamine, and I built a tiny flying 1975 Fender Champ RC plane...gotta love combining hobbies. I wonder if doing this on an acoustic would brighten the tone, I'd think the thin CA would soak into the wood better, making it even more rigid, making the tone even brighter?

[@bigdguitars]

yea potentially

[@microbuilder]

Interesting...I've wanted to build an acoustic for years, I think I'll try the CA if I finally do it.

[@microbuilder]

I'm refurbishing a nasty old Silvertone classical, will be using this technique.

[@iVironment]

How does the hardness / scratch resistance compare with nitro / acrylic?

[@CoffinVarnish]

Would love to see more of this, especially in combination with leather dyes.

[@andrewmorrish4296]

I would love to see this to. I'm ready liking the the Angelous dyes at the moment

[@Luckma1]

try oil finish first and then CA finish over it. gives the grain a much better look.

[@nmda9578]

This turned out way better than I was expecting.

[@buddyfan77]

wow!!! that's awesome almost has a marble look in the right light.

[@bigdguitars]

yea so cool. thanks for the comment

[@paulmyfinger]

I bet you couldn't put that guitar down once it was finished !

[@peterlamborn]

That’s great, because I have an acoustic with a cedar top I built that Im just getting done with. The top seems thin to me and I worry that string tension may pull it apart. Not with this stuff. I’m getin’ it!

[@MrCavemanDon]

I ave been using superglue as a sealer and finish on all kinds of wood projects, including guitars. It is all you have described in your video BUT I have found that most ANY superglue will do the same job! (Yellow bottle with red cap, $1 for two is awesome!)

[@E-BikingAdventures]

I tried some dollar store super glue as an experiment on some scrap wood and it works great.

[@ericwilliams7374]

Yep, I use super glue in a lot of my wood working projects.

[@jameslewis2635]

I don't know how much of what I am seeing is from the camera or KZbin compression but the finished product here looks like the wood has a thin transparent hard top. Doing this over the surface of a guitar should make it pretty darn strong too.

[@9999plato]

I don't know if this has the same properties but I used to use A LOT of CA glue in the past. They recommended keeping in refrigerated for a longer life. BTW nice finishing job, probably tough as nails too since the glue penetrates the wood. I have seen this process done on a Fretless neck and it came out incredible.

[@SHADOWBEAR82763]

I've used it on 2 fretless necks with fantastic results.

[@frontbum420]

"It" meaning gluboost?

[@frontbum420]

What did you use it on?

[@SHADOWBEAR82763]

Just plain CA glue.

[@kommi1974]

Per Gluboost's FAQ: Once you initially open the bottle, do not put the bottle back into the refrigerator as this will introduce condensation to the inside of the bottle and dispensing tube. This will then cause a reaction with the CA, and it will actually start to set up and compromise your entire bottle.

[@SteelyEyedMissileDan]

I made the mistake of trying this a few years ago in my shed with zero air flow. By the time I finished the nightstand top I was working on, I was high as a kite. About an hour later I had the worst headache I have ever had. I for sure killed a few brain cells, which is unfortunate because I didn’t have very many in the first place.

[@bigdguitars]

They grow back!

[@blounsb99]

I've been using thin superglue for years when turning pens and such on the lathe. You can sand and polish it up to an optical clarity.

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

it kinda works in reverse to oil, you should use thin formula for the first coats to harden woods because they penetrate more, and then thicker formulas after to build up thickness.

[@kommi1974]

Doing a new Black Limba tele next week when my glues arrive. All natural. I got a killer body and neck from Warmoth.

[@rschua7]

I use super glue for filling cracks or dings in guitar. I just add a little color and it works when buffed.

[@blkjckgtr3075]

Awesome video Derick who would of guessed great finish,and you could possibly re touch if you had a ding or blemish!Cheers

[@ericwilliams7374]

I've used super glue to mimic epoxy resin quite a few times. Plus, that how a lot of professional body shops repair cracks of "dings" in high end finished carbon fiber cars!!

[@gngng5626]

Careful with the fumes and the dust. Beautiful finish!

[@BrotherDevious]

Great work. Should you maybe be wearing breathing protection tho?

[@mrcaboosevg6089]

Super glue isn't that bad, there's air circulating around too

[@3cardmonty602]

Wow - very cool. I wonder how it will wear over time?

[@bigdguitars]

I will do a vid on this

[@gvtshorts2024]

BigDGuitars does it go yellow over time?

[@bryanharrison3889]

I've been finishing guitars with superglue for almost 30 years.

[@Adrian_MS86]

Hi. I'm thinking about finishing a guitar with superglue but underneath I want to apply a coat of wood dye. Will it work?

[@darthjarjarbinks8953]

Adrian MS I don’t see why it wouldn’t.

[@detroutspinners9933]

You must be knackered

[@vexguine]

After trying with different sprays, enamels, methods and all (and failing) I found superglue the most simple method for hobbysts. I dont have an air compressor or any super knowledge of painting. Enamels will never cure like factory hardness of guitars. Super glue will. And in 60 seconds. And its transparent. And error forgiving. And can be polished to shine. And its cheap. End of story for me.

[@Projectelectricguitar]

Impressive result! I'll be trying it. Thanks!

[@bigdguitars]

thanks!

[@jasont.9559]

Looks great! I wonder how it will do over time? Will it crack or turn hazy? What about small scratches and dings; will they stay transparent or will they be white like a scratch in plexiglass or acrylic? It's just Krazy!

[@Crazykiwi2]

You can repair scratches in superglue more easily than other finishes. Just fill the ding to slightly above surface, sand back to finished level and buff to the level of shine desired. I've used it to fill dents in poly finishes, sanded and buffed back with a sponge nail polisher. The joins were almost undetectable. Superglue also won't lift like poly or nitro because it's partially soaked into the wood. It's also a great finish for guitars because while it's hard, it's also very thin meaning the instrument can still resonate. I'm surprised PRS aren't using it yet!

[@DrMackSplackem]

I just finished my first guitar using AC glue as filler and clear coat. I used Starbond medium viscosity and it turned out great. I don't know why anyone would mess with spray booths after trying this. Dry times measured in minutes instead of hours.

[@michaelcarey9359]

Because unlike spraying poly or nitro, cyanoacrylate vapors polymerize instantly (that's why it's strong after 10 sec) upon meeting the water in your nose, throat, and everywhere else.... a spray booth seems sane compared to this technique.

[@DrMackSplackem]

+Michael Carey You're right, a respirator is a must if using this method, and I always work outside as well.

[@jeffmiller5252]

I'm a novice and building a tele style guitar. I plan on putting on a burl veneer (probably walnut). Would you recommend this, polyurethane, or something else. Thanks!

[@tomheagney2181]

wow that finished product makes the wood almost looks a 3d marbling

[@Twobeers1]

One can buy oderless CA glue. Only down side I see with using CA is that a dent is going to stay a dent, it's not going to bounce back on it's own. It is a hard finish. And also one can purchase a thinner for CA, which would be great for the first coat if your looking for penetration into the wood. That's my 2, (where's the cent key) worth.

[@frontbum420]

easy fix drop fill with master thin They have a video on there website where a master builder demos this

[@kommi1974]

Tell me which finish bounces back from a dent? ZERO.

[@jonahguitarguy]

Oh I gotta check this out. Anything at all that speeds up the finishing process. Not to mention it's got to be super thin.

[@bigdguitars]

yes very thin

[@pvdguitars2951]

Wished I saw this vid earlier. Completed 7 builds in the past year. None looks as good as this.

[@gryzew]

No suprise in general, CA is often used for finish touchups or filling knot holes etc. Though it's the first time I saw a whole body done with it. Probably not popular mostly because it's not "traditional" in the guitar world.

[@antmax]

People use it all the time to fix dings in guitars with polyurethane finishes. You can add some stain to match and then fill, sand, rubbing compound and polish. Comes out invisible if you took the time to sand and polish properly.

[@bigdguitars]

yes so cool

[@kcb5150]

This has been done for a long time to seal wood scales for straight razors.

[@neshiah4747]

Indeed, that finish does look awesome!

[@peterlamborn]

Very nice. So all the acetone does to the binding is melt the glue, not the binding itself?

[@davelinke]

I'm wondering about the brittleness of the finish. Have you experienced what happens when it gets hit? does it crack easily? cause other finishes tend to deform with the wood.

[@FreddysFrets]

Cool beans Big D! I want to try this new glue formula....hopefully it stands the test of time. The last time I did a finish with regular superglue it looked great...but then after about 5 or 6 years there was some really weird flaking. I had to refinish that guitar as warranty work, so I'm a bit gun shy about the longevity of CA finishes.

[@bigdguitars]

Freddie what up dude!! I will have to see how that turns out. thanks for the comment!

[@morho9422]

i used ca on a a fretboard made of porous wood. i made a thick coat, sanded down. look gorgeous and holds very well. even is more scratch resistant than i thought it would be. i'd look into how uv light affects ca for example, if i had problems. but i don't.

[@payday1963]

How will you finish the sides and back? Use the same stuff?? It looks incredible!!!

[@bigdguitars]

working on that vid next

[@10000rambos]

Cool. I've been looking for something to finish a fiberboard headstock veneer I put on my Explorer. This might be it.

[@billrowse2266]

10,000 Rambos What inspired you to make a FIBERBOARD veneer......

[@10000rambos]

Bill Rowse It's what Gibson started using after they quit using holly. Are you thinking of particle board?

[@billrowse2266]

10,000 Rambos I very possibly could be... My mistake haha

[@10000rambos]

Bill Rowse It's all good, man.

[@mmtl9203]

awesome vid. hope I can get this product in Australia.

[@Chakirisan]

Couldn't you use denatured alcohol to clean off the wood? Cyanoacrylate is pretty inert so I would think fumes shouldn't be an issue.

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

Awesome. I'm doing a head stock with the cheapest crap known to man. I'll let you know how it turns out. Sanded the head stock with about 350 grade. Acetone Fan 10 minutes Applied stickes glitter glue for that flake look. Applied it a second time after it dried to really make sure I covered it good. Also tried my best to have a level amount of lathering. No one likes bumpyness. We like smooth! After drying it was already stuck on there real nice. Right now I'm wiping it down fine with torn up t shirts. Trying to get what flakes remain that don't want to stick. Acetone. 10 minutes. Now some cheap ass modeling super glue. Let it run on evenly. Got tape on the outside of the head stock firmly put on so no lame run off occurs. Waiting for it to dry right now and I BET YOU it will be pretty awesome. We'll see lol...

[@minibob37]

Good job BigD

[@niptodstan]

Why didn’t you use a thin coat first, so it absorbed into the wood more? Do you ever use wood hardener? That’s just a liquid that you brush on.

[@k9taxi]

I wonder if any brand of CA glue would work? I have a spalted sycamore top I want to use for a build and I have Starbond CA glue.

[@simonlee9116]

Great job! Can you apply this technique to a classical guitar?

[@nsperce2496]

Nice job and nice looking finish. Where is possible to get such a nice and big buffing wheel? :)

[@wasichu66]

Amazing trick for home finishes.... Any idea if this could be applied on a dyed or stained body?

[@MrBownze]

I have a friend who builds custom ink pens. He uses CA glue as the finish.

[@pplo]

great. I was actually thinking about doing this on a project I'm doing... I'll apply a thin foil of wood, and thought about using CA to harden it. What I'm wondering is if this will become yellowish over time...

[@karlanka4366]

Thansk for the tips it loks amazing finnished but how did you avoid cirkular sandingmarks on the body when putting on the first layer. Or is the grain in that wood so irregular it doesnt matter how you sand?

[@robphillips8351]

Next guitar build will be with this finish..

[@OFR]

You know Fender was doing this in the mid 1980s on guitars that needed to be shipped FAST for TV shows or other special things. They used it now and then, not a lot, but it was a known quantity back then. Buffs out nicely. Lasts...

[@frontbum420]

Fender used a uv poly in the 80's is it is a 24 cure(2 day in reality)

[@Gu1tarZer0]

I finished some pine and maple before with superglue, but damn- a whole guitar? Sick!

[@bigdguitars]

yea its crazy

[@drill2.087]

So do a nice burst stain and then seal with superglue. Got it

[@hdxer8825]

I did not expect the result .... nice job. Thanks for the Video :)

[@charlesbovalis6591]

When buffing, are you using any buffing/polishing compound of some sort ? I will absolutely give the Fill n' Finish products a try .. So glad I discovered this video.

[@5hredder]

just watching you do this makes me feel like i am smelling the CA... i have done some small experiments with this material in the past though, and with heavy coats, the stuff just forms a ton of micro cracks and gets foggy... i have finished one sample piece of maple though with promising results, but even thn, it was too heavy.. thank you for showing a tutorial on how to do it right! i love super glue, and i refuse to use other glues over it for most applications, so to find out that i can do more with it makes me drool. before, i thought that trying that method as if it were shellac or something would just litter the piece with fibers.

[@xjuggaloryda1991x]

man i can smell the super glue through my monitor

[@bigdguitars]

have a fan running

[@CarcPazu]

I'm curious to know what happened 3 years later, did it age well? Did it turned yellowish or something? Did it started to crack or peel off? Please give an update.

[@paulevans4334]

Who would have thought. Glue burst. Looks well though

[@ritchtaylor3831]

Love this idea. One question: Can this be used over an oil (Teak Oil) finish to completely harden and waterproof a piece?

[@bigdguitars]

+Ritch Taylor I wouldn't put this over an oil as it has nothing to adhere too

[@ziblot1235]

It seems like it would start to harden while you are rubbing it in. Why not use one of those resins that come with two parts, forgot name, but it has a hardener and a polymer and you pour it on. A real cyanoacrylate starts drying in seconds. I guess this is little different that regular super glue.

[@gpgpgpgp1000]

Beautiful results!

[@bigdguitars]

so happy. Will stress test this

[@brevs8387]

I didn't see this in the comments, but forgive me if someone already mentioned this. Supposedly Fender uses this technique on all the Strats they make for Eric Clapton. The main difference is that I hear to that they use it as a finish for the neck.

[@Dreamdancer11]

I heard that too about Clapton.... i dont know the techniques they use but i have personally used it on necks and bodies with great results.....just the thin stuff rubbed with paper towels (even the cheapest superglue you can find works), it requires some sanding especially after the first coats to get everything sealed and levelled but its very fast and effective overall....no waiting for months for your laquer to dry and wet sand....but then again i like my guitars natural...never used it above actual paint as lacquer.

[@bertrandmajorik6589]

BASS player here, sorry i'm 3 years late. Nice video, lots of info, super-glue for fretless bass fingerboard, o.k. i'll have to try super-glue finish on my new project. Thanks for the link to the product.

[@kerrykrishna]

Blow me away, this is amazing to see. Did the company give you this product, or did you buy it? Thanks so much.

[@DougHinVA]

Impressed... we got that part

[@mattterrell4304]

I'm blown away by this. Like you said, I could never imagine this from super glue

[@bigdguitars]

I know I was like WTF as I buffed it.

[@kommi1974]

It's basically hardened acrylic.

[@joshkjohnson]

Wow, that stuff is impressive!

[@leocomerford]

The finish looks gorgeous, but is it tacky to the touch at all? And is it fast against moisture like sweat or splashed water?

[@MrBobwood22]

Beautiful top Big D!

[@kevinbutler525]

Sure... used CA on fretless fingerboards & it works great... super durable even under roundwound strings. Question: Is this ''GlueBoost" brand you used a special formulation for longer open / workable time? Or is it just typical CA

[@Ta_mère_en_short_chez_leclerc]

I d say CA , but sold 10 times its price😂

[@blb2388]

Looks fabulous. One question is how it could affect the sound. Is the toughness of the finish going to produce a brittle sound? Or does it make any difference at all to the sound?

[@kommi1974]

Brittle sound? This is an electric guitar. You could finish it in cement and it won't make a difference. Only electronics matter, wood/finish has ZERO impact on tone. On acoustics, it's different.

[@edrosenquist6541]

That isn't true. I have an SG shape guitar with a thick poly finish. I sanded the finish off (grinded it off, really. Thick as hell!) and discovered spalted maple under the paint so I decided to try this CA glue finish on it. Before I did the finish I put the guitar back together to see if it felt different "naked". The resonance and responsiveness of this guitar completely changed. I was shocked! The strings thrumming vibration was now going thru my hip bones! I've NEVER had an electric guitar do this! I won't apply ploy on another guitar.@@kommi1974

[@sammathis]

This is so cool. Thanks for sharing!

[@lroy730]

I use Polypropylene or Polyethylene Gloves that CA doesn't stick to them.

[@zapp442]

That looks fantastic. Gonna try that on a build myself!

[@charlesbovalis6591]

I notice that when applying the second coat of the "blue" bottle ( fill and finish ) you don't sand at all the previous coat .. is this correct ?

[@thebigswede1736]

thank you so much for this! You have answered a question that I have had for years. How do you think it would work for the fingerboard?

[@chrispile3878]

Works great on fretless basses.

[@georgekrabs6948]

Great tip bro, I'll be definitely be getting a few of their products.Fast drying time is critical and this is awesome.By the way H2O sets off CA quicker.Cheers

[@bigdguitars]

thanks!

[@johnniemnemonic73]

That truly is amazing, I had no idea the finish would have such a high gloss. Did you do the rest of the guitar in superglue or did you lacquer it?

[@bigdguitars]

I am sitting on the body right now. Need to finish the guitar

[@steveredenbaugh9058]

Looks like a big chunk of Moldy wood Beautiful is Truly a Subjective word. But now that it is Finished with that stuff... It looks like a Smooth Shiny piece of Moldy Wood.

[@chrispile3878]

Spalt IS mold or mildew..... so, yeah.

[@steveredenbaugh9058]

Congradulations

[@kommi1974]

@@steveredenbaugh9058 Learn how to spell and put sentences together before insulting someone's work of art.

[@peterweber79]

CA glue or Cyanoacrylat was once invented for unbreakable tank target optics