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Old 12-11-2014, 01:21 AM
khimmy khimmy is offline
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Default Vintage look on Poly finish?

How do vintage guitars have the vintage look? (something like the picture below)

http://www.12fret.com/wordpress/wp-c...s-bridge-1.jpg

Most of the vintage guitars have this look (or rather finish).
  • Original lacquer, high gloss finish is usually gone
  • And lots of scratches. Must have got them when the gloss lacquer finish is gone?

Is it a nature of nitro lacquer finish to disappear over time to give these vintage look?

If so, what happens when polyurethane finish gets old? Will poly finished guitars ever have a chance to look like the vintage guitars like the picture above?
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Old 12-11-2014, 06:53 AM
AndrewG AndrewG is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by khimmy View Post
How do vintage guitars have the vintage look? (something like the picture below)

http://www.12fret.com/wordpress/wp-c...s-bridge-1.jpg

Most of the vintage guitars have this look (or rather finish).
  • Original lacquer, high gloss finish is usually gone
  • And lots of scratches. Must have got them when the gloss lacquer finish is gone?

Is it a nature of nitro lacquer finish to disappear over time to give these vintage look?

If so, what happens when polyurethane finish gets old? Will poly finished guitars ever have a chance to look like the vintage guitars like the picture above?
Poly finish will discolour over time. Ever seen a 'white' 70s Stratocaster that's been gigged in smoky bars all its life? This is Olympic White on a '77 Strat: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=70...tm%3B640%3B480

And this is a new one: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fe...%3B3888%3B2592
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Old 12-11-2014, 07:10 AM
zombywoof zombywoof is offline
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I had a poly finished early 1980s G&L Interceptor which showed quite a bit of checking and was covered with spider web lines. They looked more exaggerated than what you see on a lacquer finish. Not sure if it was a result of the thickness of the coat, whether a wood filler was used before the finish was applied or not, being subjected to more extreme conditions or what.
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