How to Refinish an Old Parlor Guitar
Parlor guitars were somewhat popular from the late 19th century through the early 20th century. Parlor guitars are easily recognizable, as their bodies are smaller than those of concert guitars. Various finishes and woods were used in creating these instruments---this was often more out of convenience than acoustical purposes.
Refinishing an old parlor guitar is not much different than refinishing a modern acoustic concert guitar. However, it is still very difficult.
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Instructions
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Strip whatever remains of the old finish. There are two ways of doing this, by using either a chemical stripper or sandpaper. The first method uses highly toxic chemicals and can damage parts of your guitar. The second method is far more labor intensive and also requires some practice to do correctly.
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Lightly sand the raw wood of your guitar. If this is not done, whatever new finish you apply will not stick and will flake off. Also, while the raw wood is exposed, you can use wood bleach to correct any stains that may have been inaccessible while the finish was still on the guitar.
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If the guitar is made of porous wood (as many parlor guitars were) use a filler, such as epoxy or acrylic lacquer, to fill in the most prominent pores. Sand the filled-in pores to make sure the filler is smoothed down.
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Choose the finish you wish to apply. Every guitar is different and there are many different types of finish. Classical guitars are often finished with a technique called French polishing, which involves applying layers of shellac mixed in alcohol and then using a few drops of oil to "polish" the shellac until the instrument's surface is uniform (see References for more information). However, French polishing takes time to master; you may want to use lacquer or various synthetic materials that are easier to apply. On a parlor guitar, if you are attempting to restore it to its original state, do not use a finishing technique created after 1950.
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Use masking tape to protect the bridge and neck of the guitar before refinishing. The neck is glued to the unfinished wood and should not come into contact with the finisher. Seal the sound hole of the guitar as well. Finishing products should remain on the outside of the guitar.
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Apply the base coat of the finish. This should be shellac on an older guitar. When applying the shellac or other chemicals, do so in a ventilated room, as the fumes are toxic. After the base coat, apply a second and third coat of a water-based lacquer. This can be done with a brush but, to prevent runs, should be sprayed on.
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Sand the guitar again after the finish has dried. Sand carefully and make sure not to damage the application of the finish. After this is done continue applying finish and sanding until the desired amount of coating has been achieved.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are not sure of your abilities, and have enough money, you should probably consider sending your guitar to a professional.
Wear gloves and goggles when stripping and finishing a guitar. Many of the chemicals used are toxic and the process tends to be messy. Do not apply finish unless you are sure of its reliability. A bad finish can not only affect the look of a guitar but also affect its sound.
