egoidealmusic Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) So, still totally loving this new 50s 45 they sent me (the sound really is even better than the last I had to send back--see other post), but I've noticed that after only a couple of days it looks like I've been baging on it for a year. I'm a strummer, and often a hard strummer, and play with at least a .60 pick (though often a .72) and I'm seeing some pretty good marks in the finish--even serrated matching the wood grain. Honestly I couldn't care less as it's looking like an older guitar than it really is (and I bought this to play, not to keep in a case and sell down the road), but I'm wondering if I should ease off on the harder stuff in case the nitro isn't fully cured (set? hardened? whatever) yet. Like I said, I don't care about it getting scarred from playing, but if I should ease up for a couple of weeks I can. Otherwise, I'll keep banging away. Thoughts from my wiser Gibson peers? Edited August 20, 2021 by egoidealmusic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 Hmmm, , , there's a chance you may scratch marks even if the nitro was hardened. That's what happens if you bang away. Maybe take it a bit easy here in the intro of your relationship and then turn the heat up during autumn. All in all it's a good sign you stay so calm about it - it tells that you really feel close to this guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoidealmusic Posted August 20, 2021 Author Share Posted August 20, 2021 Thanks, E-minor. And I'm toally connecting with this guitar even more so than the first I had (so it's not like I'm even remotely thinking about wanting to send it back or anything) and, as I mentioned, couldn't care less if she gets scarred in the process of our bonding (that sounds like I need a shrink, but I'm sure hard strummers get it). Like I said, I don't care about the cosmetics of it at all--and even love the look of a guitar that has been thoroughly played--but just didn't want to cause a problem down the road. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 I have a friend who says if a guitar is not getting scratched it is not being loved. Lacquer, however, can take weeks and even months to dry. Not bad considering at one time Gibson shot it on in thick even coats as it would lose half its thickness in the first year alone. But whether fresh lacquer is more susceptible to scratches I do not have a clue never having owned a new guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoidealmusic Posted August 20, 2021 Author Share Posted August 20, 2021 I definitely agree with your friend, Zomby! And I've heard that laquer does take that long to really cure, which is totally fine with me. One of the best looking vintage 45s I've seen (early mid 50s) had a huge and deep scratch above the soundhole that definitely looked like it happened before it was totally solid, and yet gave it amazing character, Kind of like the scar on my forehead from where my sister shoved me into a door when I was 3. Agian, I may need a shirnk for those issues.... 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard McCoy Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) Unlike any of the poly finishes nitrocellulose lacquer is a rather soft and thin finish, as all lacquers are. It protects the guitar underneath it just enough, but you can easily scratch or otherwise damage the finish if you are not careful enough handling the instrument. Nitrocellulose lacquer only dries but never cures, which is why damaged spots can be repaired seamlessly by melting the old with new lacquer. Edited August 20, 2021 by Leonard McCoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 (so it's not like I'm even remotely thinking about wanting to send it back or anything) As EM7 suggested, you may want to ease off on the heavy strumming because it takes a few months for the nitrocellulose to 'cure'. Nitro is used by many major guitar makers including Martin. As you might guess, Gibson would not accept a return because of pick marks, nitro or not. Leaving a capo on for too long will also leave an impression in the neck. And a tuner left on the headstock will too. Although you don't plan on selling it - the cumulative effect of those marks would certainly affect the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) 10 hours ago, egoidealmusic said: I definitely agree with your friend, Zomby! And I've heard that laquer does take that long to really cure, which is totally fine with me. One of the best looking vintage 45s I've seen (early mid 50s) had a huge and deep scratch above the soundhole that definitely looked like it happened before it was totally solid, and yet gave it amazing character, Kind of like the scar on my forehead from where my sister shoved me into a door when I was 3. Agian, I may need a shirnk for those issues.... 🙂 Lacquer does not cure. That would require a chemical reaction. It simply dries. What really amazes me is just how well the hand rubbed finishes Gibson used up to the mid-1930s have held up. On the two I own even the crazing and checking is so fine you can only see by looking at the guitars closely under a strong light. My '32 L1 has a transitional finish. While it has a hand rubbed burst like older guitars it also had a thick clearcoat sprayed on like later guitars. Much of that thick sprayed coat though has worn off. But this is why as the years passed you would start seeing the wood grain through the blackest black of the edge of the burst. Edited August 20, 2021 by zombywoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoSoxBiker Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 egoidealmusic, was the lacquer sticky or tacky at all? I've had one very sticky guitar and one somewhat tacky guitar in my hands the past 6 weeks. Never had that before. Curious if yours was the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJB Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 I recently had a L-00 Blues Master 12 fret that was some kind of special run of guitars that had an ‘aged vintage finish’ that seemed to age quick. It had finish subtle finish checking too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) On 8/20/2021 at 3:58 AM, egoidealmusic said: (that sounds like I need a shrink, but I'm sure hard strummers get it). On 8/20/2021 at 4:08 AM, egoidealmusic said: Agian, I may need a shirnk for those issues.... 🙂 egoidealmusic - I don't believe you realize that this Board is your shrink, , , and its threads platforms for group therapy. You are in serious consultation every time you type. . Edited August 21, 2021 by E-minor7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoidealmusic Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 Haha very good to know, E-minor, and very much appreciated! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoidealmusic Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 And BoSox, no, it wasn't sticky at all and when tapped on with a pick sounded solid. In looking more and more I think it's just a beautifully thin coating which, while allowing for more scratches and accelerated aging, really lets the top sing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoidealmusic Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 So. . .despite being warned I accidentally left my tuner on the headstock while I was at work today (about 6 hours), and this is the result. . .unless you look at it from just the right angle it's not really noticeable, but I'm wondering if there are any suggestions on how to fix, or if it can be fixed. Each of the lines is actually indented, so it's not just on the surface. Damn darn dang. . .I've done this a hundred times on my non-nitro finish (i.e. cheaper) guitars and never had an issue. Accidentally do it once to the new expensive one and here we go. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 Ahhh, , well, , , guess the word is BUFF, , , and buff some more. But a little secret waffle print is no disaster - just don't continue pressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoidealmusic Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 Haha no, no disaster at all, E-minor7--I remember a buudy of mine many years ago had gotten a brand spanking new Les Paul and the very first show he played with broke the headstock, so I'm definitely not in disasterville. And I'll get to buffing! So is that level of softness normal in nitro? Again, this is my first experience with a finish like this (and why I asked the question when I first started this post), but is it always this soft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 20 minutes ago, egoidealmusic said: So is that level of softness normal in nitro? Again, this is my first experience with a finish like this (and why I asked the question when I first started this post), but is it always this soft? I believe it varies. My 2010 J-45 Std. was so soft the first summethat the nitro came off the neck like greasy black slime - actually scary. Never experienced it with other guitars - neither new Gibson more or less straight from the plant. I don't doubt they still may have been somewhat unhardened though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoidealmusic Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 Very interesting. I've been playing her every evening for the past week and a half since I got her, and I can start to see and feel the wood grain at the bottom of the soundhole a little bit (where you see the most wear on a vintage guitar). She's sounds amazing--played the other night with a guy who's got a moster of a vintage Martin who said "can you strum a little softer" as I was drowning him out (I didn't--haha)--but she looks like she's been played hard for many years! I'll stress, though, that the sound of this 45 are absolutely to die for, so short of the nitro coming off like greasy black slime like you mentioned, I'm never getting rid of her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 1 hour ago, egoidealmusic said: She's sounds amazing--played the other night with a guy who's got a moster of a vintage Martin who said "can you strum a little softer" as I was drowning him out (I didn't--haha)--but she looks like she's been played hard for many years! Assume you mean monster - over here a moster is typically an older often slightly boring fx knitting woman within the family. Already aged - speaks louder than words ❗ Soon it must be time to post pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egoidealmusic Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 Haha yes, definitely meant monster! And I'll get some pictures posted soon--the small file limit makes it tricky but I'll figure it out! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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