Is sanding a compromise?

[Dave Bagwill]

What I mean is - with a good sharp hand plane, we can get a flat board to a ready-to-finish surface, with the grain really showing off. It gives a nicer surface than abrading with sandpaper.

But I don't know of a practical way to plane your boards and retain that surface through the building process.

Is sanding, then, a compromise?

[ken cierp]

Cabinet scrapers -- matter of fact a true japan lacquer finish is leveled with a scraper -- no sand paper.

[Dave Bagwill]

Scrapers do give a real good surface, but scraping a domed top or back is just about impossible?

[Ken Hundley]

Why would you say that? I scrape every surface on my guitars.

[Dave Bagwill]

I'm not making a papal pronouncement here, KH, just asking. :-)
So you don't sand before finishing?