The first article of this blog we would like to dedicate a hotly debated topic in forums on the different finishes on guitar, nitrocellulose, polyurethane, water, polyacrylic etc.
“There is a technical explanation for a guitar with the passage of time to find out why sounds better, is that in ancient guitars finished in nitro lacquer is becoming thinner as the nitro never stops dry and over the years it loses solvent, reducing its thickness and elasticidad.Para it will do first reference to an interview with a reference in the country luthier Juan Brieva:
Nitrocellulose, the years always affect the sound, and supposedly better is a matter of taste and touch those nuances is the Vintage. What the woods and settlement is another issue, which also influences, but when you paint / barnizas a guitar, you’re changing the sound. A guitar of the ’60s may sound again with a good job modern lacquered, incredibly.
This does not happen with polyurethanes: are assumed to be stable, although there is an improvement in sound over the years, of course not as pronounced as with nitro. Varnishes, as elsewhere, there is no good or bad lacquer, but good and bad methods when working.
The hard part of nitro is to get a thick, it takes a lot more work. Furthermore, even if you go a little thickness, the drying process helps to level the final thickness because it evaporates.
With catalyzed varnishes such as polyester, the hard part is doing fine.
The nitro I like luthier because new layers repairs with the old fuse and repairs are almost invisible.
People often think of the nitro as a key piece Vintage sound but not always. A John Suhr or PRS, modern classical guitars spirit, polyurethane and lead guitars are very good. ”
To summarize, we as manufacturers recommend using nitrocellulose, polyurethane varnishes and water for varnishing musical instruments, each has its strengths and weaknesses:
Nitrocellulose and waterborne finishes are the most respected vibration of wood to be more elastic and eventually left to dry wood releasing water and resin that host, leaving aging better instruments and improving the sound with the years.
Polyurethane is a harder and unalterable finishing the nitro and finishes the water can get very fine finishes and respecting the instrument but it is an unalterable in time finish, is used in standard fashion by guitar manufacturers of high quality .
