Carnauba wax isn't a normal finishing option for guitars. Whilst it is one of the hardest of waxes, it is still a wax and will be softer than other finish options. I'd definitely try it out on scrap wood first. Once you put it on, I'd imagine it would be very hard to remove to apply a different finish, and being a wax, I don't think many finishes would stick to it if applied on top.
It will probably need regular maintenance. From pictures of it in natural form, it looks yellow in any quantity, so will almost certainly tint the finish, and any deep pores in the grain may look light yellow due to an increased thickness of the wax. So it may work well on nice flat and fine-grained maple, but not be so good on mahogany or ash.
But until you try these things you don't know for sure. I'd suggest testing on some some scrap wood and see what you think. It shouldn't take too long to apply.
Thanks for the heads up, Simon. I've been reading up on finishing with wax and it's just like you said: if you apply it directly on wood, it will get in the pores and there will be no going back. Since this is my first build, I want something that's undoable if it goes very wrong, so I'd be sure to apply some sort of sealant before waxing it.
As for Carnauba Wax, at least in Brazil, you can either get it natural or transparent.
Sorry if I seem a little aimless regarding the finishing. I'll figure it out in the coming months! I have a crazy couple of months coming up in terms of work, so I'll concentrate on sanding, maybe doing the headstock and sourcing everything I'll need, but I'll leave the finishing for November, when I'll have the time to be disciplined about it.
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