Seagrave saga...

Dave King, luthier extrordinaire in the UK tried his best to do business with this company but failed. His experience has been mirrored by a number of large producers in the US who have given up on them and sourced lacquer elsewhere. I'm currently using stuff made in Italy and am eagerly awaiting Dave's first shipment from the US supplier who sells to Collings and Santa Cruz. It's amazing how some companies just let go of the main chance isn't it? Lucky for our US cousins, if they want Seagrave lacquers, Stewmac is now selling them

I have always heard great things about McFadden, both thier vinyl sealer and nitro.

The product is.was first class no doubt... that is not what I am refering to. The poor customer relations and woeful lack of communication has driven custom from their doors which is a great shame. Dave was prepared to import 100 gallons at a time which is not a small order. If you can't take care of your customers then they will go elsewhere...

Unfortunately for us, the Cabinet and Interior finishing Industry drives the finish supply business. We're small potatoes to them even if StewMac, Luthier's Mercantile, Grizzly, all the big Guitar makers and all Individual Luthiers bought one brand from Seagrave. It probably wouldn't represent a significant percentage of their total business and would represent much higher service cost because of the variability of the substrates we use, level of equipment and environments we operate in. The commercial cabinet finishing environment is better controlled and standardized.
Time to try something new or change the paradigm from thick, glossy instument finishes to the handrubbed Tru-oil type finish that you do so well Pete.