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what guitars have a nitrocellulose finish

by Dr. Selmer Ratke Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Currently, Gibson still use nitrocellulose gloss and satin finishes for both the necks and bodies on most of their guitars, whilst Fender typically only use them on custom shop models. Nitro finishes are more time-consuming and labour intensive to apply.

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.Mar 21, 2022

Full Answer

Is nitrocellulose a good finish on a guitar?

Mar 30, 2022 · Nitrocellulose is an evaporative finish. The solvents flash off quite quickly initially, and subsequent coats can be applied with less delay. Because of these solvents, subsequent coats actually melt into previously applied coats and bond together. It's possible to end up with a thin finish, in easy fashion, from a spray gun.

Does Gibson use nitro finish on guitars?

Apr 03, 2020 · A lot of vintage guitars (and vintage re-issue guitars) have been finished with nitrocellulose lacquer. It’s usually applied fairly thinly, so you can still kind of feel the grain of the timber underneath. There’s an argument that not encasing your instrument in a thick layer of poly allows it vibrate more freely.

Is nitrocellulose the same as Nitro of the 1950s?

Aug 31, 2016 · That changed with the development of nitrocellulose lacquer in the early 1920s. The new lacquer dried even faster, and it could be applied using spray guns. Best of all, an infinite colour palette was opened up. Nitrocellulose was adopted quickly by the car industry and remained the finish of choice through to the late-1950s.

Are nitro-finished guitars still available?

Nitrocellulose finish buffs to a high gloss and has a softer sheen, which may, in turn, show more wood grain compared to thicker poly finishes. A brand new guitar with a nitrocellulose finish will be shiny and beautiful, but over time as the guitar is played the finish will begin to age – for example; swirl marks created by sitting the guitar on different surfaces or just holding it and …

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Does Fender still use nitrocellulose?

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

Do Gibson guitars have nitrocellulose finish?

Gibson instruments are finished with several coats of a high-quality nitro-cellulose lacquer. This finish is hand-buffed to a high-gloss, mirror-like surface. Unlike other less expensive finishes, nitro-cellulose does not detract from the tone of the instrument and ages beautifully.Nov 22, 2005

Does Gibson still use nitrocellulose lacquer?

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.Nov 13, 2018

When did they stop using nitrocellulose on guitars?

Pretty much every collectible acoustic and electric guitar made up until the mid-1960s left the factory with a nitrocellulose lacquer finish.Aug 31, 2016

What brands of guitars are finished with nitrocellulose lacquer?

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.Mar 21, 2022

What are Gibson guitars made of?

Gibson guitars are mostly made of rosewood, maple, ebony, and mahogany. These are high-quality woods, but they are also getting rare these days. Being rare means, they are also expensive. In addition, the small quantity of these types of wood that are available might not meet the high-quality standards of Gibson.

How do you paint nitrocellulose guitar?

DIY: How to Paint or Refinish Your Guitar With Nitrocellulose
  1. Day One: First 3 Coats of Colored Nitrocellulose Lacquer.
  2. Day Two : Even out the finish by sanding and spray 3 more coats of colored lacquer.
  3. Day three : sanding and spraying 4 coats with clear lacquer.
  4. Day four : sanding and an additional 4 coats of clear paint.

What paint does Gibson use?

Gibson's Original Firebird Custom Colors
Gibson ColorPaint TypeCar Make
Cardinal RedAcrylicOldsmobile
Polaris WhiteAcrylicOldsmobile
Golden Mist PolyAcrylicOldsmobile
Silver Mist PolyAcrylicOldsmobile
7 more rows

How do you care for a Les Paul?

Your Gibson's rosewood or ebony 'board should still get a light oiling at least once a year. You shouldn't need (or use) anything too abrasive on your fave Gibson guitar's body and neck. A bit of hard polishing with a dry cloth or, if it's really filthy, a slightly damp but not “wet” cloth will mostly do the trick.Nov 24, 2015

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 difference between cellulose and nitrocellulose?

is that cellulose is (organic compound) a polysaccharide containing many glucose units in parallel chains while nitrocellulose is (organic compound) a cotton-like material, made from cellulose by the action of nitric and sulphuric acids, used in the manufacture of explosives, collodion etc.

Does nitrocellulose need a clear coat?

Nitrocellulose finishes should have a total 6-12 coats — sealer, color, and clear coats combined. The total number will depend upon how thick your coats are, how much sanding you do, and what your final desired film thickness is. Beginners should spray 10-12 coats to avoid sanding or buffing through the finish.

Do they make nitrocellulose lacquer like they used to?

“They don’t make ’em like they used to” is a general-purpose truism that is often applied to nitrocellulose lacquer, and two things are certain. Firstly, all the big guitar companies in the 50s and 60s were using lacquer from various manufacturers and the formulations were slightly different. Secondly, the balance of ingredients used in modern nitrocellulose lacquer has changed substantially from what it was back in the day.

When was nitrocellulose lacquer invented?

A DuPont employee called Edmund Flaherty invented nitrocellulose lacquer in 1921. Nitrocellulose is dissolved in a solvent, which may comprise naphtha, xylene, toluene, acetone, various ketones, and plasticising materials that enhance durability and flexibility.

Where is cellulose found?

Found in the cell walls of plants and algae, it’s the most abundant organic polymer on earth. The human body uses cellulose as a dietary fibre, and cellulose-derived products have been used in the photography, clothing and explosives industries since the mid-19th century.

What is cellulose used for?

The human body uses cellulose as a dietary fibre, and cellulose-derived products have been used in the photography, clothing and explosives industries since the mid-19th century. In 1862, Alexander Parkes treated cellulose with nitric acid and a solvent to create the first man-made plastic – nitrocellulose.

Can you spray nitrocellulose lacquer?

You must bear in mind that spraying nitrocellulose lacquer exposes you to some really nasty toxins. Ideally, you should set up a booth with a proper extraction fan if you plan to do a lot of spraying. It is also essential to wear a breathing mask that can block out vapour as well as airborne particles.

Who made the first plastic?

In 1862, Alexander Parkes treated cellulose with nitric acid and a solvent to create the first man-made plastic – nitrocellulose. The process is virtually identical to the way in which trinitrotoluene (aka TNT or dynamite) is produced, which is not unrelated to the authorities’ keenness to limit its use in industry.

tkjtkj

the topic says it all .. A new 'stand' from Musician's Friend ('Guitar Gear' tag) warns not to use it for any

Dennis G

Don't quote me but, I think all Gibby's have a nitro finish. That said, I won't trust any stand that has foam on any of my guitars, regardless of finish. I've had "burns" in a tung oil finish neck, the back of my MIM Strat neck, etc. I wrap every piece of foam with a couple of layers of cotton gauze tape. Not really pretty, but it works.

crust

No, it does not have a Styrofoam (polystyrene) finish, I believe you meant a "poly urethane " finish, BIG difference!

Chris Browne

I thought I read somewhere that the Epi 339s are nitro, or nitro over poly maybe - could this be true?

capmaster

No, it does not have a Styrofoam (polystyrene) finish, I believe you meant a "poly urethane " finish, BIG difference!

wiggy

Agree on these statements, but I think it's bad when some expensive stands were offered as nitro-safe, and later appeared to be not, regardless what country of origin.

Ed Zeplin

the topic says it all .. A new 'stand' from Musician's Friend ('Guitar Gear' tag) warns not to use it for any

Is nitrocellulose lacquer good for guitars?

I'm not saying Nitrocellulose Lacquer finishes aren't good finishes, and aren't good for a guitar's tone, but they DON'T allow the wood to " breathe".

What is nitrocellulose made of?

Nitrocellulose is made from cellulose, which is also what all plant cells are made of. BUT, The manufacture of nitrocellulose rarely uses cellulose, or plant cell material, from trees, but rather cotton.. which is much more easily nitrated. But that's not the worst part of this statement.

What is the finish of an electric guitar?

The real truth is that the finish on an electric guitar will only play a very small role in the overall tone. The pickups, bridge, neck wood, neck thickness, nut material, body wood, body shape, string gauge and the player himself will each have at least as much to do with the tone as the finish, if not considerably more.

What is acrylic resin?

Acrylic resin is a synthetic, colorless, transparent thermoplastic, obtained by the polymerization of derivatives of acrylic acid. Polyurethane ( PUR and PU) is a polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links.

What are the advantages of polys?

The other advantage that the polys had, was that they were very durable and shiny. they were also impervious to the plasticizers in your hand oils, so they were much less sticky feeling to the touch, and they didn't yellow, weather check or chip as easily as Nitrocellulose.

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1.What Guitars Brands Are Finished With Nitrocellulose …

Url:https://bestelectricguitars.reviews/what-guitars-brands-are-finished-with-nitrocellulose-lacquer/

3 hours ago Mar 30, 2022 · Nitrocellulose is an evaporative finish. The solvents flash off quite quickly initially, and subsequent coats can be applied with less delay. Because of these solvents, subsequent coats actually melt into previously applied coats and bond together. It's possible to end up with a thin finish, in easy fashion, from a spray gun.

2.All About… Nitrocellulose | Guitar.com | All Things Guitar

Url:https://guitar.com/guides/essential-guide/all-about-nitrocellulose/

13 hours ago Apr 03, 2020 · A lot of vintage guitars (and vintage re-issue guitars) have been finished with nitrocellulose lacquer. It’s usually applied fairly thinly, so you can still kind of feel the grain of the timber underneath. There’s an argument that not encasing your instrument in a thick layer of poly allows it vibrate more freely.

3.Which Gibson 's have NitroCellulose finish

Url:https://forum.gibson.com/topic/112563-which-gibson-s-have-nitrocellulose-finish/

2 hours ago Aug 31, 2016 · That changed with the development of nitrocellulose lacquer in the early 1920s. The new lacquer dried even faster, and it could be applied using spray guns. Best of all, an infinite colour palette was opened up. Nitrocellulose was adopted quickly by the car industry and remained the finish of choice through to the late-1950s.

4.the plain truth about Nitrocellulose finishes. | Luthier Talk

Url:https://www.luthiertalk.com/threads/the-plain-truth-about-nitrocellulose-finishes.239/

21 hours ago Nitrocellulose finish buffs to a high gloss and has a softer sheen, which may, in turn, show more wood grain compared to thicker poly finishes. A brand new guitar with a nitrocellulose finish will be shiny and beautiful, but over time as the guitar is played the finish will begin to age – for example; swirl marks created by sitting the guitar on different surfaces or just holding it and …

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