Finish Issue (say that five times fast...)

paulv63 · Post by **paulv63** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 5:01 am

W, As you know, I refinished my 325 a year ago. It sits happily in my living room next to my other guitars. I picked it up to give it a quick polish when I noticed that where the body sits on the stand it sort of affected the finish as if it broke it down some. Prompting a wet sanding and polishing of the area. The two fingers that it sits on has rubber covering them. Any thoughts?

bitzerguy · Post by **bitzerguy** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 5:19 am

JH posted about this a while ago, and it works.

Replace or cover the rubber pads on the stand with surgical tubing (true 100% rubber with no silicone or odd off gassing). I found it at a medical supply store. The surgical tubing has nothing in it to react with finishes.

...Dean

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 5:43 am

Many of the guitar stands on the market exhibit this, due to cheap rubber/foam rubber. I believe there are stands out there with cushions that won't react with finishes, or replace the cushion with an inert material as Dean says.

I've always found it best not to leave a guitar in a stand long term anyway. It's best to store it in the case.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:40 am

I have found that new finishes and new guitar stands are most likely to have problems. My theory is that when a stand gets old, the off-gassing is done. Leaving a new or newly refinished guitar on a stand is asking for trouble. I recently found the finish on my new Gibson SG started to react after a only a few days in a stand that is over ten-years-old. This same stand has held many older guitars without incident. I also recommend storing guitars in cases when they are not being used.

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:27 am

Guitar stands are a place to put your axe when you take a short break. When you're done playing for the day (or even several hours), the guitar is much better off in the case. This keeps the kids (or anyone else) from knocking it over, the dog from lifting his leg and peeing on it, the wife from banging the vacuum cleaner into it, etc.

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:42 am

Kris, if those are your reasons, then I'm ok.
The kids know never to enter the studio under penalty of near death. The wife never enters. And all the housekeeper does is empty the wastebasket.

As stated in a previous thread on this subject -
a) it's nice to have a couple of 'em out to look at
b) I'm trying to get my MG light blonde to "age."

paulv63 · Post by **paulv63** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:55 am

Dean and Gang, Thanks. I thought that the gassing off of the rubber might do it (it's actually getting brittle now) but I needed to know for sure what caused it.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:19 am

Pardon me for jumping in this late. The guys have covered this well. I do need to add one thing--Genuine catalyzed conversion varnish finishes, though still somewhat susceptible to this offgassing, are FAR less susceptible than nitro or other air-dry finishes. As I recall, Paul, you refinned your 325 with nitro (correct me if I'm wrong.)

This is yet another area where CV has it way over any standard air-dry finish.

Did I hear someone in the back ask me about the new Fender "thin nitro" finishes?

Marketing hoo-hah, IMO. If anyone can tell the difference in sound on a solid-bodied guitar, they have my eternal amazement.

Saves paint, though, in an area sensitive to VOC emissions!

paulv63 · Post by **paulv63** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:32 am

One day when cash is there, I'd like to send it off to you and possibly have it done in Azureglo.

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:36 am

I own two Ultimate stands of which I have left an SG and a Rick bass on for over a year with no reaction. Is it the pads they use, their age , or luck? I figure the later. So after reading the prior threads on this I now leave them in the case.

octagon · Post by **octagon** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:39 am

Does it affect poly as much as nitro or CV?

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:30 am

You will have not problems whatsoever with Ultimate stands; it's the inexpensive imports that often use PVC tubing which will eat your finish. Anything with clear tubing should be avoided.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:48 am

If by "poly" you mean polyester, as is used on many guitars made in Japan, Korea, and Mexican-made Fenders, nothing will attack polyester once it's catalyzed (except for some very aggressive acids unlikely to be seen near any musical venues except some where Dane's played...).

If you mean polyurethane, there are many solvents which can damage this type of finish, notably the plasticizers in vinyl.

octagon · Post by **octagon** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:43 pm

What kind of finish is on my strat?It is a 1995 American standard.

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:58 pm

John, thanks for the info on the Ultimate stands it sure makes me feel good about my choice.

It just doesn't make sense to me to spend a $1000+ on a guitar and then put it on a $5 stand. In case anyone is interested I use the ULTIMATE XL29B AXCEL GUITAR STAND. I like it because it will fold flat for traveling or storage. They stay in one piece and have no loose parts or screws. It is very hard to tip over. I had a link to place that sold these but they are no longer carrying them. I paid between $25 and $30 each at my local music store.