Seatcoat the inside of the ukulele during build?

do any builders add a sealcoat on the inside of the ukulele soundboard, back and sides?

after or before the tonebars bracing or just leave the inside raw and natural?

just like the outside if I added a finish on the inside of it will it affect the tone as well in a positive or negative way?

I always seal up the inside of all my instruments. I know of several others who do as well.

You are going to get all kinds of people that will tell you that countless millions of instruments are built with raw wood on the insides, and they work great. No argument from me on this point.

But I was taught that what you do to one side of a piece of wood, you do to the other. Even if no one notices, or even can see it. It's most important that you know it was done to a level that you are happy with. So mine get sealed with shellac on the inside. It just doesn't take much effort to do. Does look good. Buffers agains dramatic swings in RH. And sets my instruments apart from the masses.

And occasionally I get feedback from a client who does look inside and notices that the inside is finished. Those are the little things that people appreciate.

Does' it affect tone. Who could say? Yes, no, maybe. It really doesn't matter.

I started this year (after 10 years) to seal all the inside to, as Allen says nicely, act as a buffer against dramatic swings in humidity. It is simply a logical building step to do (so logical it took me 10 years to do it...)

Only issues I see with doing it are that cracks and cleating would be harder to glue up.

I'm one of those that has to put my nose in the soundhole of almost any 'uke I pick up.
Will sealing the inside take away from my olfactory experience?

Will sealing the inside take away from my olfactory experience?

Click to expand...

Depending upon what sealer id used it may enhance it.

+1 on humidity
+1 on aesthetics
Miguel

pahu said:

I'm one of those that has to put my nose in the soundhole of almost any 'uke I pick up.
Will sealing the inside take away from my olfactory experience?

Click to expand...

If you like the smell of the woods, then don't finish it. All you will smell is the shellac sealer or nothing. As far as aesthetics, whatever looks good to you. Whenever I get a guitar in for repair that needs work on the inside and I see a sealer coat, all that means to me is more work sanding to get to the wood. Also, the sealer coat did not help the back from cracking, if the wood wants to move, it will move. The sealer coat does make getting the dust off the wood easier, but that doesn't mean there will be less dust.