Toner Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 My bro just got this Epiphone ES-339 Pro from a major online music store. Expecting a standard poly finish, but what he got was this Pelham Blue finish. Is this Normal? It seems like they forgot to fill the grain, or put enough coats of finish on to fill the grain. Has anybody seen Epiphones come like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 My ES 355 is the same color has the same type of wood that has large pores in it that makes the grain, kind of grainy as it stands out much more than a smooth finish. I think it looks cool as all get out beautiful guitar your friend has there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 It looks like he bought the TV Edition... Epi ES-339 LE TE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 I don't know how that finish or the wood gets to be like that, so porous. It isn't from rough sand paper. Hmm. Anyone know ? Maybe the way the saw cuts through it like a "figured" type top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 You know that the wood is supposed to be Maple, and Maple wont have those kind of pores. It looks to me like Birch wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott0 Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 it looks fantastic on my es-355! but, i'm also about to have mine repainted non-translucent pelham blue on the top. work in progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 whoa, a naked guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott0 Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 nsfw, guitar pr0n. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 You know that the wood is supposed to be Maple, and Maple wont have those kind of pores. It looks to me like Birch wood. Here are pictures, sadly no hi-res, of my all-maple Gibson L6S with a high-gloss finish over a silverburst stain. They show that a thin opaque coat doesn't fill the graining: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 That doesn't look like maple either. I make guitars, and the Eastern US Maple I use has no pores to see through the finish. They must be using a porous species of Maple I haven't seen. My Bro has returned that TV 339 and ordered the Epi ES-335 Pro instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 That finish, not completely glass smooth is about the coolest finish available on any guitar...those porous grain marks make the pelham blue tv finish unique, and awesome looking...to each their own I suppose. The 335 will have a smooth finish..if that is what is preferred. What "finish" did he order ? I love my 335 pro (I love all my Epiphone's...as I stated previously...in a Platonic way). I appreciate them for what they are...simply nice guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 That doesn't look like maple either. I make guitars, and the Eastern US Maple I use has no pores to see through the finish. They must be using a porous species of Maple I haven't seen. My Bro has returned that TV 339 and ordered the Epi ES-335 Pro instead. looks like standard maple plywood to me. how long has he had it, and did he buy it from a retailer w/a 30 day (no questions asked) return policy? (finish issues of any kind are NOT warranty covered). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Yeah, he ordered the Pelham Blue, but I think he was surprised by the "TV" finish. He was expecting more of a 335 smooth finish, so that's what he returned the 339 for. That asian maple is something more like white ash in the pores dept., yet the 335 is supposedly maple also? It could be this "Maple" Sycamore Maple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Yeah, he ordered the Pelham Blue, but I think he was surprised by the "TV" finish. He was expecting more of a 335 smooth finish, so that's what he returned the 339 for. That asian maple is something more like white ash in the pores dept., yet the 335 is supposedly maple also? Epiphone's maple laminate is always porous. The thin TV Pelham & Silver finishes are supposed to let the grains come through for the most part. The regular gloss and satin finishes will fill the pores because they are applied thicker. This is by design, not a flaw. Epiphone's Pelham Blue (non-TV finish) had a gloss clear coat that filled the pores. I think they came out a year or so before the TV finishes. Some might have been concurrent for part of the model year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph F. Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 My 339 Pro has a brown sunburst. It is by far the best sprayed 'burst I've ever seen, and I've been to several goat ropings. Ralph F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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