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Re: Lacquering a 4003 fretboard?

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:40 pm
by jps
RIC_FACTORY wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:28 pm
jps wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:36 pm Probably the only place a nitro finish makes sense on relating to musical instruments is acoustic guitars.
Not really Taylor, pioneered the use of UV polyester on its guitars.

Even our old pal up the road from us, Kevin Ryan https://ryanguitars.com/, who sells his acoustics for more than $10k swears by poly.

But the point really is this: Those thin skin finishes you think you're getting... they still have all that supposedly tone suffocating material underneath that nitro top coat. And if I haven't burst anybody's bubble already, guess what? Grain filler is absolutely being used even before the polyester sealer coats go on.
Yeah, most builders use poly; I was just thinking of a traditional use of nitro in the acoustic world. Of the four acoustic guitars I have, only one (the Taylor MS-62ce) has a poly finish. But that does not make the instrument inferior compared to the Martin or the Yamamotos I own that have a nitro finish. I don't factor in the finish when considering the purchase of an instrument, there are far many more important criteria.

Re: Lacquering a 4003 fretboard?

Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2022 1:23 pm
by lumgimfong
Gibson still does Nitro.
But my 2016 4003 Ric bass sounds tremendously open with whatever it’s got on it.

I knew a guy who complained about nitro finishes wearing off easily where he would put his forearm on the top of his guitar when playing. I guess he had acid he sweat and it used to wear the nitro off or something. I think it was a Gibson.

Re: Lacquering a 4003 fretboard?

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 12:04 am
by Korladis
lumgimfong wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 1:23 pm Gibson still does Nitro.
But my 2016 4003 Ric bass sounds tremendously open with whatever it’s got on it.

I knew a guy who complained about nitro finishes wearing off easily where he would put his forearm on the top of his guitar when playing. I guess he had acid he sweat and it used to wear the nitro off or something. I think it was a Gibson.
Nitro is less durable than other finishes. Probably why Rickenbacker ditched it a looooong time ago.