What guitar brands use Nitro?

Which Guitars Have Nitro Finishes? These days, this type of guitar finish is used almost exclusively by Gibson and Fender's Custom Shop divisions. As these departments mostly produce premium time-honoured instruments, they therefore use nitro finishes to recapture the essence of their older vintage models.

What guitars use nitrocellulose lacquer?

Nitrocellulose is a century old lacquer used by guitar companies such as Gibson, Fender, Martin and many others. In the '50s and '60s nitrocellulose lacquer was almost exclusively used to finish guitars, but it is still in use today, well after the “golden era” of guitar building.

Does Gibson still use Nitro?

Yet despite the advantages of Poly, Gibson continue to only use Nitro as the finish on all their USA made electric guitars including the iconic Les Pauls, SGs and 335 / 339s. Given strict EPA controls in the USA, steadfastly sticking to Nitro must pose some significant challenges for the Gibson factories.

Does Fender still use Nitro?

Fender still uses nitrocellulose lacquer finishes on a select group of instruments (Road Worn™ and American Vintage series, various artist models).

Does Martin use Nitro?

yes Martin uses Nitro on the standard series , The X series uses a poly wipe on finish . The satin finishes are also nitro with an additive to kill the gloss.

Nitro vs Poly - The relic guitar debate explained in 5 minutes

What guitars have a nitrocellulose finish?

Which Guitars Have Nitro Finishes? These days, this type of guitar finish is used almost exclusively by Gibson and Fender's Custom Shop divisions. As these departments mostly produce premium time-honoured instruments, they therefore use nitro finishes to recapture the essence of their older vintage models.

What finish is used on Martin guitars?

martin uses a product called chem sheen , it is a satin finished lacquer. A gloss finish still requires buffing and polishing to get the gloss as shiney as they do . for a year or two, santa cruz french-polished (with shellac) the tops of a few guitars.

Will poly finish age?

Poly will age for sure, but not in the same way vintage nitro does. I have a white poly telecaster I've owned since '93, and the color has changed over time, particularly noticeable in certain spots. But no matter how long I beat the snot out of it it will never look like one of SRV's strats.

When did fender stop using cloth wire?

Here's the vintage cloth covered wire that Fender and a few other builders used up until the late 60s.

What finish did Gibson use in the 70s?

By in late 1975, the neck construction was changed from mahogany to maple, until the early 1980s, when the construction returned to mahogany. The body changed back to solid mahogany from the pancake design in late 1976 or early 1977.

How do you fade a nitro finish?

find a good window with sunlight comin in, put your guitar in the sunlight for a few days. sweat is also an enemy, and so is smoking. Its UV light mate, so it will fade the paint. If Nitro don't like sweat, try some salty water.

What is the finish on a Martin d28?

According to the 1935 Martin catalog both style 45 (000-45) and 28 models (000-28 and D-28) received 'hand polished lacquer finish' (full gloss), whereas style 18 came with a 'hand rubbed lacquer finish' and style 17 came with a 'semi gloss lacquer finish' .

How do I protect my nitro finish guitar?

The best thing to do if you have a nitro-finished guitar is to only use stands or hangers that specifically state they are safe for nitrocellulose finishes. When in doubt, simply place a cloth between your guitar and the stand or hanger.

Who invented nitrocellulose?

contribution by Schönbein

…was the first to describe guncotton (nitrocellulose). His teaching posts included one at Epsom, Eng., before he joined the faculty at the University of Basel, Switz. (1828), where he was appointed professor of chemistry and physics in 1835.

How do you break a poly guitar finish?

Poly finish is extremely durable and will not crack or wear out with regular use. However, accidentally dropping it or applying a strong enough force can definitely crack a guitar with poly finish.

Why are Martin Guitars so hard to play?

The problem is that every Martin I've played has been orders of magnitude more difficult to play than the comparable Taylors. The person at the music shop says that it's because Martin ships their guitars with high action and heavy strings opposed to Taylor who ships them with lower action and lighter strings.

Why are Martin Guitars so good?

In terms of recording, it has a full and deep lower end, which makes a very good bass sound. Martin makes wonderful acoustic guitars, and they are definitely an investment. They are a bit on the expensive end of the price range, but it is said that with age Martin guitars sound better and better.

Do Martin Guitars sound better with age?

Martin guitars use a lot less of their lacquer finish than most brands. More than enough to protect your guitar for many years, but not so much that your tone is lost. This is why a Martin guitar looks amazing and sounds better with age – it's allowed to breathe and age the way wood should!

What is Gibson VOS finish?

What is the Gibson VOS finish? Gibson's VOS finish uses several hand-sprayed layers of genuine nitrocellulose lacquer, followed by a proprietary hand buffing to give their Vintage Original Spec guitars a glowing, gently-aged patina that can be seen as well as felt.

How long does nitrocellulose take to cure?

Allow finish to cure 10-14 days

Wet sand with 800-grit and finer sanding papers, then buff to a high-gloss using sanding papers, polishes, and buffers.