The main picture was taken in natural light, the detail pictures under artificial daylight bulbs. The detail pictures are a better representation of the colour. Please excuse the fingermarks!
So what have I learned? Most importantly, plan ahead. I could easily have finished the entire guitar in 3 weeks if I had been more focused and had a set plan. That would include 2 weeks of cure time for the shellac. Even using shellac, thinking that you do not need to hang the body while finishing is a mistake – it is much better to cover the entire body with each coat. This would keep it uniform and would alleviate any issues with touching wet surfaces. My technique for the fretboard still needs a little refining – it is not as uniform as I would like, but it is not a deal breaker for me.
I still may rub the finish back with steel wool and wax it – I’m going to see how it holds up for a while. I like the finish as it is though, so I’m happy either way.
I had a tiny loss of concentration when enlarging one of the ferrule holes, resulting in one being slightly off centre now. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest except knowing that it was a silly error that need not have happened.
I’m extremely pleased with the result, warts and all. If a ham-fisted hack with zero DIY/technical skills can do it, anyone with a modicum of ability will have no problems.
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