pandarocket Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Hi all I am going to be buying a 2106 LP Studio Faded T (Worn Cherry) and I was thinking about making the body and head stock gloss (I am keeping the neck satin for it's playablilty). Gibson assure me that the satin finish is still a nitro coat. I have two choices here: 1. Use Virtuoso Guitar Cleaner & Polish. I have seen this stuff in action and you can get a really good shine going on, but I don't know how durable it is and if the stuff stinks (Highly smelly products cause migraines for me). or 2. Getting a clear gloss Nitro spray which will mean I have to sand the satin coat lightly to give the gloss coat a key. If I go this road I could even create a black cherry burst effect by getting a black Nitro spray as well... What do you all think and why? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Hello! The results You can get with Virtuoso not only durable, but it's irreversible. But do not expect the guitar to become like a full-gloss finished Gibson. Those are finished with a different sheen grade lacquer! The Virtuoso Polish smells like bubblegum. That's what I could achieve on my Studio 50s Tribute: Before. After. Bence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 A few close-ups (polished): Bence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I think faded and satin aren't the same. But I could be wrong. Anyway I did gloss up a satin finished LPJ, now it looks more like a faded finish. Maybe a tad shinier. I think with a good amount of elbow grease and Virtuoso you should get a pretty gloss-like result. About the smell, it has a light bublegum-ish odor but it lasts only while you apply it. My guitar/case still has it's natural nitro smell. I'm on my phone right now, I will upload later some pic's of mine. Sanding a new guitar, especially with such a thin finish doesn't seem like a good idea to me. If you must have gloss, get yourself a Studio with full gloss, maybe you could go for another model year. Or find a used one. Personally I love the feel of my satin finished LP, feels better than my full gloss Traditional. And it looks kind of bada$$ without binding and all the other bling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I think faded and satin aren't the same. ... Hello Marcos! If You check out the Gibson product pages, You will find that both the "Satin" and the "Faded" models have 1-1.5 mils of satin top coat. The only difference I found, that a few of the "Faded" models have no filler applied. Bence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 pandarocket, I personally wouldn't sand-down and paint a perfectly new guitar. There are just too many ways to botch the job (unless you have serious painting skills), and then you would have serious regrets. Best to either purchase a different guitar, or use a benign-smelling polish on the one you want. It'll wear-in nice and smooth over the years with regular playing, and it'll hold it's value much better in OEM condition. Nice gold-top by the way, Bence. Really nice, sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Hello Marcos! If You check out the Gibson product pages, You will find that both the "Satin" and the "Faded" models have 1-1.5 mils of satin top coat. The only difference I found, that a few of the "Faded" models have no filler applied. Bence. Grain filler? Well I don't know bout the Faded's but my LPJ has no filler. And when I bought mine there was a Faded SG and to me it looked a bit shinier. No doubt that they use the same amount of coat, but could it be that they polish the Faded's lightly? I remember my LPJ did not reflect light at all, it was really dull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Here's a pic, reflecting! No match for the look's of Bence's beautiful GT, but I love it. Another one, I like how the sides reflect the zebra stripes of the sheets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ess Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Hi all I am going to be buying a 2106 LP Studio Faded T (Worn Cherry) and I was thinking about making the body and head stock gloss (I am keeping the neck satin for it's playablilty). Gibson assure me that the satin finish is still a nitro coat. I have two choices here: 1. Use Virtuoso Guitar Cleaner & Polish. I have seen this stuff in action and you can get a really good shine going on, but I don't know how durable it is and if the stuff stinks (Highly smelly products cause migraines for me). or 2. Getting a clear gloss Nitro spray which will mean I have to sand the satin coat lightly to give the gloss coat a key. If I go this road I could even create a black cherry burst effect by getting a black Nitro spray as well... What do you all think and why? Thanks Don't do it! Satin/worn finishes are awesome... feel great, look great and you don't look like you are just a poser. Glamorous, glossy finishes are just for collectors and if it is a cheapie Gibson, no amount of polish/paint will make it collectable. Enjoy them for what they are... awesome players guitars. Gibson should charge MORE for worn/satin finishes and provide them with all the top line guitars. Having experienced both, I would pay more for it... even tho it would cost Gibson less. I laugh when I read ppl call those finishes cheap and crappy (posers not players). They clearly haven't tried playing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Hello Ess! I respect Your opinion, and I do like satin finishes on some models too, but - I am afraid - You belong to a minority of players/enthusiasts who prefer them over high-gloss finishes. Calling people posers is a bit rude, especially when it comes to lovers of Gibson guitars, which are more than just instruments, in my opinion. These guitars are beautifully crafted pieces of art, beyond their elementary function. Bence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 . AFAIK - Satin finish - finish thickness like that of a a gloss, but with a stain sheen. Faded/Worn - Thin satin finish. The first coupla of years these finishes came out there were some complaints about how quickly the finish worn down to wood showing through. Gibson seems to have been taken care of that since then. Still, be aware if you polish/buff a worn/faded finish that's on stained wood, you might possibly go right through to the wood, especially on edges. . On a faded/worn finish that's on a paint, the there's the additional thickness of the paint under the finish. Looking forward to your "after" pics. Bence and COJ - very nice work. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny V Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Maybe just figure out what you really want and buy it. I would rather play the guitar than tinker with it. Having said that, both btoth76 and C.O Jones LP's look fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I left all of my Faded and Vintage Gloss Gibsons as they are. No Satins here, but in fact these have a smoother texture. I'm not sure about a possible clear coat though. Faded and Vintage Gloss guitars have none, at least not mine. I love the "natural binding" on this one, Bence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I saw a cool vid on this subject recently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandarocket Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 I saw a cool vid on this subject recently These videos are what initially peaked my curiosity about polishing it. Although I have to question adding a white selector switch cover, but to each their own I guess. To answer the few posts that suggest I buy a shiny one, the simple answer is I can't afford it. Scraping together the price for the Studio Faded is a monumental task, so doubling that is out of the question. Does anyone have any experience of using a Nitro Spray like these: Nitro Cellulose Paints Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesWeasel Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 I posted the following in another thread. To me, it sounds like nitro aint that easy to apply properly, but I may be reading it wrong. An interesting quote from Frank Ford on Frets.net : “Nitrocellulose lacquer varies in formulation, so if you get lacquer that is either not made for our purposes (McFadden, for example, is a good one) or a "bad batch," all manner of problems may arise. That said, nitrocellulose lacquer will check spontaneously if it is applied too thickly. A good example here is Gibson - famous for old cracked lacquer finishes. The finish on those instruments is often twice as thick as Martin's or even significantly more that that. The generally accepted "target" is .006" film thickness. In order to avoid checking, Collings aims for half that, with a solid UV cured undercoat. And, the thicker the finish, the more likely it will respond to humidity, temperature, and other influences by cracking. Really thin nitrocellulose lacquer doesn't check at all, but it's so thin it can't be leveled and polished with abrasives.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Does anyone have any experience of using a Nitro Spray like these: Nitro Cellulose Paints Yeah ive used something like that a few times. These ones http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/nitrocellulose-lacquer/ And these ones http://www.rothkoandfrost.com/guitar-lacquer/ What do you want to know... They did the job well... You should cover your body and wear a proper face mask that has the relevant type of air filter(cos the stuff is lethal you want to avoid any skin contact), you cant spray in temps lower than about 12/15 degrees C (and shouldn't be too humid either) and you need to leave it to cure for several weeks before you buff it (depending on how thick you go)... Apart from that its the normal spraying technique like start off the surface and move on to it (that way you avoid some spitting).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandarocket Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 Thanks for the input on this everyone, it has certainly helped me. I think that a Nitro spray is a step too far for me at the moment. I do like the look of the gloss finish on the Worn Cherry, so I'll probably go for the Virtuoso finish. Great photos by the way guys, it's nice to see people making their guitars their own. Yes I appreciate that the resale value will be less if it's not in factory condition, but I'm not looking at this purchase as an investment, I'm looking to get a guitar that will last me for years. Anyway Jimmy Page, Mick Ronson and Marc Bolan all modified their Les Pauls! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Thanks for the input on this everyone, it has certainly helped me. I think that a Nitro spray is a step too far for me at the moment. I do like the look of the gloss finish on the Worn Cherry, so I'll probably go for the Virtuoso finish. Great photos by the way guys, it's nice to see people making their guitars their own. Yes I appreciate that the resale value will be less if it's not in factory condition, but I'm not looking at this purchase as an investment, I'm looking to get a guitar that will last me for years. Anyway Jimmy Page, Mick Ronson and Marc Bolan all modified their Les Pauls! After a few weeks of daily playing some spots will become shiny anyway, it's impossible to keep them in factory condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 After a few weeks of daily playing some spots will become shiny anyway, it's impossible to keep them in factory condition. Especially the neck. It buffs out to beautiful gloss amber color. Bence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Especially the neck. It buffs out to beautiful gloss amber color. Bence. Yes sir, that was the first spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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