Nitrocellulose & polyurethane - Page 2

Myst and rain · #16 02-23-2008, 02:09 PM

I voted for polyurethane.

Alwin

Rodney James · #17 02-23-2008, 04:42 PM

........

**jemaholic** · #18 02-23-2008, 04:47 PM

Nitor also 'bonds' with the wood fibers over time creating a better resonance.

All high-end Gibsons, Fenders, Gretchs and Rickenbackers all use Nitro finishes.

Poly looks better and lasts better, and the argument about resonance really doesn't matter with a solidbody guitar if it's plugged in. Moot point really.

I will poly my next custon jem project and will not nitro the guitar - even though it's probably worth more nitro'd- I'm after the look on a swirled guitar anyway. I think DNA's were poly-coated too......

-jemaholic

ET Guitars · #19 02-24-2008, 09:06 AM

I like poly mostly, but it depends what your trying to do. I found that nitro "tames" Ash and Alder - if you use poly they become more snappy and aggressive. Poly on Basswood and Mahogany FTW...

losgatosrg350dx · #20 03-11-2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty Robb

I would think this is totally wrong. If you had a harder material wrapping around a softer material it should allow sound waves to bounce all around the softer material and off the walls of the hard material, just like an acoustic guitar, this increasing the resonance of the guitar. Caparison even claims they have special finishes that actually affect the overall tone of the guitar.

perhaps we should write to Mythbusters to try and prove this...

and hopefully this would end with them blowing up a few chibanezs...ahh, one can only dream.

sometimes in some situations its desired too, i dont like finishes like that i like unfinished woods, i use lots of gain and no effects, so i like my sound "organic" but thats just me

i like poly on basswood body and rosewood neck guitars, only becasue it does give it the umph in the overtones that a hard finish has....

land i like black laquer finish too!!!

but i dont like nitro becasue its sorf and i always scratch my dads tele when i touch it

**Ayrton** · #21 03-11-2008, 04:40 PM

I don't really buy into the argument that one finish "breaths" better than another because even with old nitro finishes, the wood was sealed with poly prior to painting. However, I do think the thickness or weight of the finish has some effect on the sound of the guitar.

Wither or not the difference is good or bad is dependent on ones ears and ones opinion of "good tone".

losgatosrg350dx · #22 03-11-2008, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayrton

I don't really buy into the argument that one finish "breaths" better than another because even with old nitro finishes, the wood was sealed with poly prior to painting. However, I do think the thickness or weight of the finish has some effect on the sound of the guitar.

Wither or not the difference is good or bad is dependent on ones ears and ones opinion of "good tone".

also... its not wheather the finish "breathes"...its more like thickness and material density wich counteracts with the wood charachteristics...either accentuating or dulling tone

sometimes even having a desired overtone...or tone mellowing

**Ayrton** · #23 03-11-2008, 10:07 PM

All of this is really moot considering that no two pieces of wood will sound exactly the same, and things like strings, pickups, and playing style all have an effect on the final sound.

I always get a chuckle out hearing how someone talks about tone when they are running something like active pickups through heavy distortion box into a high gain amp.

losgatosrg350dx · #24 03-11-2008, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayrton

All of this is really moot considering that no two pieces of wood will sound exactly the same, and things like strings, pickups, and playing style all have an effect on the final sound.

I always get a chuckle out hearing how someone talks about tone when they are running something like active pickups through heavy distortion box into a high gain amp.

word, i hate active pickups, i run all my stuff passive, soo much better tone

jemplayer55 · #25 03-12-2008, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayrton

I don't really buy into the argument that one finish "breaths" better than another because even with old nitro finishes, the wood was sealed with poly prior to painting.

I'm not sure where you got the information about older guitars being "sealed with poly"..... It is my understanding that both Fender and Gibson used Nitrocellulose Lacquer that was reduced 50% as a sanding sealer on their older instruments. Much older (before 1920) instruments used varnish or shellac for finishing, similar to old violins.

You do have a point regarding no two pieces of wood having the same characteristics. However, with a breathable finish, the wood continues to acclimate and age much quicker than say any insturment finished with polyurethane.

It would be nice to get some additional input from several professional finishers here on the site though.

I do think both finishes have their merits and drawbacks. You sure can't beat the durability of a polyurethane or acrylic finish!

**Ayrton** · #26 03-12-2008, 06:21 PM

It is well documented that Fender started sealing bodies with a poly based sealer in the early 1960s (63?) and then using lacquer based color coats.

jemplayer55 · #27 03-13-2008, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayrton

It is well documented that Fender started sealing bodies with a poly based sealer in the early 1960s (63?) and then using lacquer based color coats.

Yes, you're right about them switching over to Fullerplast in late '62' early '63'. Check this link out if you haven't already seen it.

http://www.caramedia.com/guitars/fullerplast.asp

Sorry, I guess most consider those "vintage"!

Guess when I think "old" or "vintage" I automatically think 50's era Fenders/Gibsons! Just never been big on 60's/70's Fenders.... however, they did produce some pretty damn cool colors! I've always just liked the two tone burst though!

**Ayrton** · #28 03-13-2008, 01:58 AM

Oh how I wish I could have been a Fender/Gibson buyer in the '80's when superstrats were all the rage...

here.choo · #29 06-30-2009, 07:55 AM

I like Nitro .. My guitar can get easy to be relic look ... :-)

AxeHappy · #30 06-30-2009, 01:30 PM

Poly for me.

Nitro yellows in about 10 years. It's 50 for Poly.

And I use High Output pickups, into a compressor(Stomp box) into my 5150. Any breathing that my guitar might have been doing is largely irrelvant. It's a solid body electric guitar people.

All these rules about finishes and paint and whatnot are for acoustic guitars. You can put a 20 mile coat of acrylic laquer on an Electric and the difference in sound you'd get from a French polish would be absolutely nil when coming out of your amp. There is just so much more going on in the signal path of an Electric guitar and the wood actually has very little to do with the overall sound. Sure an Alder guitar sounds different than a basswood. But take the same 2 guitars and switch them from A Fender Twin Reverb to a Mesa Triple Rectifier 4X12 stack and they'll sound different too.