Maple Guitar, Rosewood Binding, French Polish.

[Gilbert Fredrickson]

How do you keep the Rosewood binding and back strip from bleeding into the Maple when French Polishing?

[Waddy Thomson]

This works for me. Use a clean cloth(muslin or similar), put shellac on it, and wipe lightly, always in one direction, always using a clean area of the cloth every foot or so. Don't let the stained part of the cloth touch the Maple. After a couple of passes like this the rosewood will be sealed.

[Jason Rodgers]

Waddy, do you wipe from the top/side toward the binding (perpendicular to the binding)?

[Waddy Thomson]

I just wipe along the binding. I usually get some shellac on both the binding and the lighter wood surfaces at the same time. The key is to change frequently before too much staining occurs on the cloth. wipe from dry to wet then change again. Lots of little strokes. Let dry for 10 minutes then do it again.

[Gilbert Fredrickson]

Thank you so much, Waddy. That is what I will do.