Rosewood Stratocaster

[Mnemoflame]

Work in Progress Thread

Two-piece Indian Rosewood Stratocaster body, H-S-H, rear rout
Indian Rosewood Neck, Ebony fingerboard, pearloid Celtic cross inlays

Would anyone be willing to advice on the pros and cons of finishing this guitar?  I'm pretty firm on the idea of some sort of oil finish but I have no idea what would be best or what benefits it would confer.  I'd love to darken the wood just a bit and/or get the shimmery sort of 3-d effect, if at all possible.  So far, the results of Tru-oil and pure tung oil are all I've seen and both look pretty nice; my luthier recommended Liberon Finishing Oil and that seems to be pretty well reviewed.  Can anyone give me more information on the aforementioned oils?  Should some kind of wax be considered as well?

 

[Tipperman]

Commented on the Work in Progress thread. I vote no finish, myself. Darken it with oil from your skin. And sweat.

 

[ivar]

Something like this?

 

[Cagey]

Wow! That is one super-sharp Strat!

 

[jrybicki]

ivar that is all beauty.. just wood n gold!  classic. people should be coying that look! with variations of couse

 

[Mnemoflame]

Something like this?

Something very very much like that yes.  Yes!  YES.  OH GOD YES!

...sorry.  That looks really awesome and leaves me once again wishing I'd gotten a Schaller floyd rose instead of a 475.  What sort of finish is that?

 

[ivar]

As your luthier recommended, Liberon Finishing Oil.
(The bottle to the right, is for me)

 

[Mnemoflame]

Looks like I'm doing the finish myself and it's going to be Liberon.  Any tips on this?  Can something like a chamois be used to apply the stuff and rub it?  If not a chamois, what other sort of cloth can be used for a deep rub?

 

[Cagey]

Seems like a waste of a good chamois, but I imagine it would work. Usually, cheesecloth is the choice.

 

[Mnemoflame]

So, many weeks later, I finally get the resources to start the finishing process on this beast and I find out that Liberon products aren't stocked in California because of some kind of viscosity regulation...

Any thoughts on using red mahogany danish oil?  I do want more red tones from the rosewood but part of the point of Liberon was the lack of strong coloring agents; would I get too much from the Watco?