What is the best finish for classical guitars?
Various players, luthiers, and classical guitar dealers have their personal opinions and preferences when it comes to finishes. From my experience, nitrocellulose lacquer, water-based lacquers, conversion finishes, French-polished shellac, and varnish all work well as long as there is only a thin coat on the soundboard. I have built guitars which are regularly used in concerts with all of these types of finishes. For my classical guitars, I prefer a varnish finish. It has excellent acoustic properties, beauty, and superior durability. I have French polished many guitars and offer this finish as an option.
