Mohawk Classic Instrument Lacquer, Clear Gloss, M610-1406, 1 Quart

The Mohawk Classic Instrument Lacquer, Clear Gloss (M610-1406) is an outstanding product that delivers a superior finish at a more affordable price than other top-tier lacquers. It provides a deep, glossy shine that enhances the natural beauty of your guitar while offering exceptional protection. The nitrocellulose formula allows the wood to breathe, improving the instrument’s resonance and tonal qualities.What really stands out about this lacquer is the quality-to-price ratio. It offers professional-level performance—comparable or even better than much pricier finishes. Application is smooth, it dries quickly, and the resulting finish is hard and durable, making it perfect for both new builds and refinishing projects.Pros:Superior quality finish with a clear, glossy shineQuick drying and easy to applyProvides a durable, protective coat that enhances the guitar's tonePerfect for refinishing or building guitars and instrumentsCons:Strong odor – Use in a well-ventilated area or with a respiratorFinal Verdict:If you're looking for a top-tier lacquer, the Mohawk Classic Instrument Lacquer is the clear winner. It provides an amazing finish that rivals the best in the industry, and it’s a fantastic option for anyone serious about their guitar refinishing or building projects. Highly recommended! Its sad to say that this lacquer double in price within a year I guess leaving positive reviews can backfire.

Used this brand for years with the same if not better results than the higher priced brands. Its nearly crystal clear even after 8-10 coats and the flow out is excellent, I usually thin it about 60/40 for my gun. I have 4 or 5 instruments that I shot 10 plus years ago and that still look great no discoloration or loss of adhesion, just some minor chips which I worked hard to get, not the fault of the product. Protection is better than expected for a nitro finish, my favorite finish. I have also refinished a few furniture projects that are just as nice although you could probably get a furniture finish lacquer from Mohawk for a little less money.

I'm surprised at how perfect the results were, especially since I've never done finish work. I had some highly texturized finish checking on the back of the neck, between frets 2 and 8. It's an older Les Paul. Many small pieces of nitro were flaking off, and it felt obvious. I used an artist's brush, some tape, Meguiar's quick detailer for lubricant, and followed the sanding instructions on the can. While the repair is still dull because I haven't buffed it yet (see pics), the neck feels like a flawlessly smooth, factory finish.

I make many guitars and have years of experience with furniture and instrument finishing. This Mohawk is the absolute best there is. Lays out nicely. tacks super quick and doesn't run, flows beautiful. Its as good as it gets. The stew Mac stuff is junk. Wont lay out unless heavily coated, then it runs like crazy. Also after a few coats the stew mac lacquer cracks on me. I just had a high end guitar finish all crack to the wood after 3 coats of stew mac lacquer. I stripped and used Mohawk in the same exact conditions and I worked perfectly . Plus stew mac is way over priced like all of their stuff with high shipping. Go with the Mohawk, I would never go back

I am not a professional painter, but with some good prep work, a garage, an ancient air compressor, and a Harbor Freight spray gun, I was able to obtain a better than factory finish with this product. I got 7 coats out of the one quart can: 3 coats per day for 2 days, and one last heavy final coat on the third day. I only did very minimal sanding between days to knock down any fuzz or debris. I did not apply the recommended E-Z Vinyl Sealer first, but I was spraying over top of gel stain, which has some inherent sealing properties. After letting the lacquer cure for about 3 weeks, I did spend considerable time wet sanding and polishing the finished guitar to really bring out the shine. As a general warning, if you use water for wet sanding, be very careful around any drilled holes. The holes will suck up the water, the wood will swell, and your beautiful new clear coat will crack around the holes. I learned this the hard way. I highly suggest dry sanding near any holes. Some recommend using mineral spirits instead of water. Also wear a quality respirator when spraying. This stuff is no joke.

Pretty standard nitro lacquer. Sprays well. Takes pigments nicely. Hard finish.UPDATE: 6/19/26: Please be aware that whoever is packaging these cans for shipping is apparently not doing a good job. I needed some recently so I ordered two quarts. I followed the shipping till it hung up about half way between me and the shipping point. It sat there for 5 days. Then finally shipped to my town. I excitedly checked to see if it was going to be delivered soon when I received a message that they were destroyed during shipping and were discarded and a refund order was sent to me. I got the refund in a couple days. Okay. Not to worry. I ordered two more quarts and they shipped right away. I followed tracking till they got to my town and again, received a notice they were destroyed during shipping and were discarded and a refund order was issued. I understand that accidents happen but two times in a row seems a little less than trustworthy. (They both shipped through UPS). Thinking perhaps UPS was not handling them correctly I ordered two quarts from Stewmac's Amazon store. I got them in perfect condition in 4 days. Just beware. They may not arrive as you'd hoped. The products is pretty good. The packaging-not so much.

Difficult to use. First of all you need the right weather, a day of low humidity is the best. Then you need a couple more items; like some retarder and reducer. One to thin without blushing, the other to slow the drying time and allow a smooth coat with minimal orange peal. You can add some tint to get a beautiful transparent layer. I ended up with a beautiful burgundy transparent finish. It also requires the right application tools, i.e. a good spray gun, booth, and compressor. Good to learn on an old guitar first till you have it down.

Excellent coverage. .Adele many light passes, and allowed each pass to dry without running. I worked in the night office clea ing world for over twenty years. When ever we had to do a wax job. It was just like painting. Light layer of wax, and several layers.