NGD (Blemished) L-00 Walnut Studio

[jricc]

I just took ownership of a new (blemished) L-00 Walnut Studio and I'm really liking it.  Honeymoon period yes, but it plays so nice.  The blemish appears to be a ripple  in the finish on lower bout where your arm would rest.  It doesn't bother me and I saved $250.   Anyway, it was built in April 2021, and the neck is sticky after a few mins playing.  Is this due to it still being relatively newly built?  I've never had a nitro finished guitar.

Thanks for any comments.

Joe

Edited July 9, 2021 by jricc
Added photo

[Jinder]

46 minutes ago, jricc said:

I just took ownership of a new (blemished) L-00 Walnut Studio and I'm really liking it.  Honeymoon period yes, but it plays so nice.  The blemish appears to be a ripple  in the finish on lower bout where your arm would rest.  It doesn't bother me and I saved $250.   Anyway, it was built in April 2021, and the neck is sticky after a few mins playing.  Is this due to it still being relatively newly built?  I've never had a nitro finished guitar.

Thanks for any comments.

Joe

Congrats on the new baby! Not even 3mths old, that really is fresh out of the door…nitro takes a few months to settle and even a year or two to fully cure. My SJ200 was a 2015 NOS guitar when I bought it in 2016, and the neck finish didn’t fully cure off until mid 2017. 

[Leonard McCoy]

17 minutes ago, Jinder said:

Congrats on the new baby! Not even 3mths old, that really is fresh out of the door…nitro takes a few months to settle and even a year or two to fully cure. My SJ200 was a 2015 NOS guitar when I bought it in 2016, and the neck finish didn’t fully cure off until mid 2017. 

Nitro never cures, it only ever dries.

Sweaty hands can make the neck sticky or high temperatures.

 

[jricc]

7 hours ago, Jinder said:

Congrats on the new baby! Not even 3mths old, that really is fresh out of the door…nitro takes a few months to settle and even a year or two to fully cure. My SJ200 was a 2015 NOS guitar when I bought it in 2016, and the neck finish didn’t fully cure off until mid 2017. 

Thnx Jinder...like I said, I  never had nitro finished guitar.  At least I now know the reason for the sticky neck...thnx sgain.

[Jinder]

9 hours ago, jricc said:

Thnx Jinder...like I said, I  never had nitro finished guitar.  At least I now know the reason for the sticky neck...thnx sgain.

You’re welcome! Absolutely nothing to worry about. Gorgeous guitar by the way, I’ve been GASing for one of these for a while!

[zombywoof]

As I like to say I don't build them I just play them.  But yeah, generally just playing the guitar will make it go away.  How long it takes to dry can depend on things such as it being shot in less than ideal  environmental conditions.  My repair guy once put off re-finishing a guitar for me for several weeks because he was not comfortable with the humidity level or dew point or something in his shop.  Then again I assume Bozeman has a far better HVAC system then he did.   Others say the  kind and amount of plasticizers  they now use can contribute to sticky neck syndrome.   This ain't your granddaddy's nitro.    They are though what allows Gibson and others to shoot thin skin finishes whereas in the old days Gibson had to apply lacquer in thick even coats because it would lose 1/2 its thickness as it dried in the first year alone. 

Edited July 9, 2021 by zombywoof

[fortyearspickn]

Don't leave tuners or capos attached for extended periods of time for a few months.   CONGRATS !  

[QuestionMark]

Congrats on getting the guitar!  I’m a big fan of 00 guitars!

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

[zombywoof]

2 hours ago, QuestionMark said:

Congrats on getting the guitar!  I’m a big fan of 00 guitars!

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

I spent a couple hours last night with my 1932 L1 in hand working on Etta Baker's "One Dime Blues" and Blind Boy Fuller's "Rag Mama Rag."   And while I love this guitar beyond description I have to admit I do find myself wishing that what I string it with was purely a matter of choice rather than the guitar's survival.  

[MorrisrownSal]

Congrats Joe! Great burst too.

[jricc]

6 hours ago, Salfromchatham said:

Congrats Joe! Great burst too.

Thanks much Sal.  I've followed your Gibson adventures in some of your videos...

[Leonard McCoy]

The neck feels sticky on the back after some playing because the moisture in your sweat found on your palms sticks to the finish of the guitar. Sometimes I use Gibson Guitar Polish to wipe down the neck before playing, to make it perfectly clean and smooth, but then again my palms are not sweating much while playing.

If you have got a lot of sweat build-up, the neck can become quite sticky and you won't be able to easily slide up and down the neck the longer you play in a single session (without wiping down the neck and washing your hands in between). One way to reduce that neck stickiness, while keeping the finish looking good, is to wipe down the neck with 1000- and 2000-grit micromash or, better yet, Mirka Abralon Silicon Carbide Sanding Pads. Start out with 1000 grit first and see how it feels. If you are not satisfied, switch to 2000, but remember that the higher grit you go, the closer you get to that initial stickiness of the neck.

I hope this helps.

Edited July 14, 2021 by Leonard McCoy

[jricc]

Thanks Leonard, will check these out.

[fortyearspickn]

I wouldn't leave capos or tuners on until the nitro cures, dries, hardens or whatever...  OR sand it down.   If you've not had this 'stickiness' issue with other guitars, it is clearly the new nitro.  Let it age  as JInder suggested for a year or so.  Gibson Polish with a flannel cloth will be safe.  Or, just a couple of drops on water on the cloth and some elbow grease.  I assume you'll have the same issue with your forearm and the lower bout unless you wear long sleeves.  G'Luck.