Finish Question

TheVandal

TheVandal

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Hey UU,
I was wondering if there's a way to turn a satin instrument, like the Kala Acacia, and turn into a gloss finish? I've read something about "buffing" the instrument, yet I do not know what the term refers to.
Thanks!
Niko
 
I've kind of buffed the top of my satin finish Collings where my arm rests against it shiny 'cause I play it so much. . . . it's that developing relationship kind of patina we all know and love.
 
About 2 months after I got my matte finish "lava" Flea, I had played it so much that it was glossy where my arm rested. I didn't care for the half gloss look, so I polished up the rest of the top with a rag and some toothpaste to a nice gloss. A very fine buffing compound would probably work better, but it would not smell as minty.
 
PM Paul December, he might be willing to help, he did an absolutley stunning proffesional job of giving his Kala Acacia a gloss finish. He may have photo's in his profile but it looks like a ukulele of double the price.
 
TheVandal said:
Wait, so how do you do the buffing exactly?
Click to expand...

Put a rag over your finger tip (old t-shirts work well). Dip your rag-covered fingertip in some toothpaste and rub the surface in a circular motion with it. Stop when you are tired, it looks shiny, or you need more toothpaste on the rag. If you got too carried away with it, you could rub a very thinly finished uke down to bare wood, but it would take a while with most toothpaste. Wipe it off and see how it looks. Most toothpaste contains very fine abrasives. I used the regular old white Colgate.
 
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