Workshop Journal Vol. 1 • Issue 1
- Darin Shiflett
- Jul 10
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 2
ReSound'65 | Workshop Journal
Vol. 1 • Issue 1
Building the Foundation
One of the most ambitious additions to the ReSound'65 program has been the introduction of lacquer-body instruments.
From the beginning, the vision was simple: offer the warmth, beauty, and timeless character of a hand-finished lacquer Emmons while maintaining the uncompromising standards players have come to expect.
The journey, however, proved more demanding than anticipated.
After an encouraging start, quality from an outside finishing vendor became too inconsistent to meet Emmons' expectations. Rather than compromise the integrity of the instrument, production was paused while alternative finishing partners were explored. When no solution met the standard, Emmons made the decision to bring the finishing process in-house.
Although Darin Shiflett brought years of experience in automotive and industrial finishing, guitar-grade polyester finishing required mastering an entirely different craft. Over the past several months, countless hours have been invested in research, testing, technique refinement, and process development to build a finishing system worthy of the Emmons name. Darin will train others according to this system so that progress is scaled and redundancy is in place.
The photos shared here capture part of that journey—from Justin and Darin building the body, through fabrication, and into the first successful production-quality clear coats. They represent more than progress on a single instrument; they mark an important milestone in creating an in-house finishing process that will support every future lacquer-body ReSound'65. "Along the way, the team has also been refining techniques by restoring existing bodies that required additional finishing work form the previous vendor.
To every customer who has patiently waited for a lacquer-body instrument, thank you. Your patience has allowed Emmons to pursue excellence rather than expedience, and that commitment will be reflected in every instrument that leaves the shop.
This is only the beginning.
In Workshop Journal | Vol. 1 • Issue 2 , we'll take you behind the scenes of the leveling, sanding, and buffing process that transforms a freshly cleared body into the deep, mirror-like finish that defines a handcrafted lacquer Emmons.
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