nitro vs poly finish - does it really make a difference?
billc...@hotmail.com
finish - is nitro really "better" or is it more about the skill of the
finish person than the materials?
oasysco
Nitro finishes are repairable while polys typically aren't; you strip
and refin poly guitars. But polyester/urethane finishes are more
durable.
This guy states that the nitro finishes breathe like wood...
"Polyurethane and polyester finishes can take a lot so I suppose you
can clean and polish until the cows come home (sorry I'm from the
Midwest). Now lacquer finishes can stand up to a lot also but remember
that lacquer breathes just like wood so when you polish your guitar
you are putting polish into the lacquer itself. Regular polishing does
help keep a new finish looking new and helps make it less prone to
checking because of the chemical nutrients in the polish." [http://
www.musicianshotline.com/archive/monthly/guitar_er/2002/05_02.htm]
Personally, I think nitro finishes are nicer looking; they have glass
but not that thick painted on look of a poly finish.
And nitro finished guitars have a certain smell that seems to linger
faintly nearly forever.
But since you're building your own, why not go with a poly finish?
Greg
Joe Montgomery
> And nitro finished guitars have a certain smell that seems to linger
> faintly nearly forever.
...and can give hints to an informed olfactory as to whether or not
that GC 1961 ES-175 'in mint condition' has been refinished...the 1st
time I saw a savvy vintage dealer pick up a guitar at a show, stick
his nose inside an f hole and take a wanking deep breath, I thought to
myself, man, these guys are REALLY into it!
If you can do nitro I think it's better, esp if the wood is resonant,
despite being solid. I think there's a reason Nitro is found on the
better instruments.
Happy sniffing!
JM
Derek
on. Cheap and durable is why it is used so much today, not due to
it's superior tonal characteristics.
This gets argued back and forth by guys who are building or assembling
guitars, but i am not sure how much of a difference it makes on solid
bodies. Hollow, or acoustics, yes.
So does a tele with a nitro finish sound different than one encased in
plastic (poly)? I doubt there will be much difference.
gant...@comcast.net
as wood finished w/ nitro. Poly seals in the moisture and doesn't
allow the wood to season.
Gantt
On Dec 27, 9:34 am, billcou...@hotmail.com wrote:
Joey Goldstein
Dewey Cox's Mom: "Dewey. I'm so proud of you learning the guitar so
quickly, what with you losing your sense of smell and all."
Dewey: Thank's Mom. But I learned how to play by ear."
--
Joey Goldstein
<http://www.joeygoldstein.com>
<http://homepage.mac.com/josephgoldstein/AudioClips/audio.htm>
joegold AT sympatico DOT ca
Dave
> on. Cheap and durable is why it is used so much today, not due to
> it's superior tonal characteristics.
I understand the idea that a thin finish would be better for acoustic
properties. However, I've read that poly finishes are more flexible, which
is why they don't crack as easily, so mightn't a flexible finish be good for
acoustic properties?
Jim Soloway
We've done a bunch of both and my own guitar have been an even mix of
both. Honestly, I've never noticed one finish sounding better than
the other.
The biggest advantage to nitro is that it has a strong cachet among
collectors so it makes guitars a bit easier to sell. It's easier to
repair than poly and it also ages a bit more gracefully than poly. On
the other hand, it pickups up way more dings, nicks and scratches than
poly. We still offer nitro as an option, but most of our bodies are
finished in poly. I just got really tired of our having to repair
finishes every time I came back from a guitar show.
Our necks are almost all finished with nitro, but that's strictly feel
issue.
RobSm
Rattle can Nitro is really easy to use.
A number of shops sell water based lacquers that are non toxic.
For first time Diy'ers I'd recommend the non toxic water based
lacquers. They take a long time to 'cure' (as opposed to 'dry')
LMI or StewMac sell them.
RobSm
Tim McNamara
<8ce2a831-645c-4e85...@f3g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
oasysco <wilder...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> This guy states that the nitro finishes breathe like wood...
> "Polyurethane and polyester finishes can take a lot so I suppose you
> can clean and polish until the cows come home (sorry I'm from the
> Midwest). Now lacquer finishes can stand up to a lot also but
> remember that lacquer breathes just like wood so when you polish your
> guitar you are putting polish into the lacquer itself. Regular
> polishing does help keep a new finish looking new and helps make it
> less prone to checking because of the chemical nutrients in the
> polish.
"Nutrients" are only of interest to living organisms. A guitar finish
is not a living organism and cannot be nourished.
There is an amazing amount of bullshit in the myths and lore of musical
instruments.
Tim McNamara
<d1dc0762-50d6-41b6...@q77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
Derek <de...@ycoaoffice.com> wrote:
My home-assembled Warmoth "strat" was painted with Duplicolor automotive
paint. Worked great. Can't tell a thing about the sound being any
different because of it. Shoot, it's a canoe paddle with strings.