Finish or not to finish? Help please.

I have oldish, maybe about 10 years old, Hohner HW 400, and a few years ago I sanded the finish off the soundboard and the back of the neck, please don't ask me why because I honestly don't remember for sure. I think maybe I wanted to refinish it, but anyhow, I never did. So it is still unfinished. It sounds great to me so that is not an issue. It actually sounds way better to me than a lot of newer guitars that I have heard, even way more expensive ones, I guess because it's all nice and broken in. I'm just wondering if I can leave it like that or do I need to finish it? Is the wood going to get damaged? Is it already damaged?

I really like the feel of the neck without finish, it has a real smooth satin like feel to it. But the soundboard is kind of bugging me. Any suggestions? Can I use an oil finish? I might be crazy but I think it actually sounds better with out the clear coat or whatever it was on there.

I have at least 5 guitars that have no finish on the back of the neck. Some people will say it may cause damage. I have 3 that have been like that at least 15 years no harm done. I love a bare wood neck.

I have at least 5 guitars that have no finish on the back of the neck. Some people will say it may cause damage. I have 3 that have been like that at least 15 years no harm done. I love a bare wood neck.

What about the soundboard?

Well I've never seen an acoustic that was finished on the inside of the body, so it can't be that bad, and as you say it's been that way for a few years now.

An unfinished top will make the guitar more vulnerable to stains from spills and stuff, but a simple wax or oil finish would take care of that.

If you lived in the mid-west or east coast I'd be much more concerned about rapid humidity changes, but I'm guessing the Central Valley has a fairly mild climate, so that shouldn't be an issue.

I would have someone get a very light coat of lacquer on it. The lacquer will enhance the color of the wood and protect it from sweat, spills etc.

You did a brave and cool thing by sanding off the finish. Most of these PacRim instruments have WAY too much finish on them. Too much finish will absorb the guitar's vibrations and kill the tone. Without the finish on the top, your guitar is vibrating much more freely when played. That's probably why it sounds better.

Relative humidity will affect the tone and the set up of the guitar regardless of external finish if the whole guitar is solid woods rather than laminates. 99% of the time, guitar makers will not finish the inside of the guitar, leaving the wood open to the air. So RH affects solid wood guitars regardless of external finish.

If the guitar has a laminate body and a solid wood top, the tone will still be affected by RH, but the playability will be less affected. With a laminate top as well, RH will have little to no affect on the tone and playability of the instrument

I wouldn't call Clovis's climate mild, exactly. I live in Modesto, 90mins or so north of Clovis in the same valley, and we get it HOT sometimes with RH levels occasionally down into the teen-percentages. Then it'll turn quick to 85%-100% RH when a pacific storm sweeps in, as it did yesterday. We got 2" of rain in less than 24 hours, winds around 40mph, and RH of about 90%.

CA's central valley has a dry season and a wet season rather than Spring->Summer->Autumn->Winter. We're heading into the wet season now. Expect solid wood guitars to swell a bit and action to drop a hair (or two). Expect also a slightly muted tone, unless you run a dehumidifier.

Daniel

One more thought:
Might be fun to get a nice sunburst or a tobacco burst on it, since it's naked. :grin: :cool:

Daniel