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Post by kevmc1180 on Apr 15, 2014 11:31:00 GMT
What is the general feeling with differences in guitar bodies particularly back and sides.
Satin vs Gloss
Also the whole guitar body being satin or gloss.
There is no question the neck has to and must be satin..
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 15, 2014 11:38:08 GMT
No strong feelings either way aesthetically. The thing that matters is how well the finish is applied and, well, finished! Decent satin finishes are gloss finshes finely abraded back a little on completion, eg Lowden. Some cheap non-gloss finishes can be a bit rough to the touch and cause surface noise when playing amplified. Gloss finishes become less glossy with time. Non-gloss finishes tend to become shinier with time. So maybe there's not going to be too much difference after 25 years or so!  Keith |
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Post by kevmc1180 on Apr 15, 2014 11:42:43 GMT
You would encounter a lot more surface scratches on gloss ? Would you not?
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Apr 15, 2014 11:45:46 GMT
I think a guitar can look great with either finish, as long as it's well done. A gloss finish can make a guitar look better initially, and can be hard wearing, protecting a guitar against minor bumps and scrapes, whereas a lot of satin/matt finishes can seem a little more fragile. Personally, I prefer the feel of a satin finish, but since my guitars happen to have gloss finishes I suppose I don't practise what I preach  Incidentally, I also have a gloss finished neck on my guitars, and it's just fine. |
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Post by scorpiodog on Apr 15, 2014 12:49:54 GMT
Oh, shiny, shiny things. Oh yes, shiny, definitely shiny.  |
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Post by slasher on Apr 15, 2014 13:02:07 GMT
My guitars are gloss. Some makers seem to propose the idea that satin/matt finish allows the wood to move more than gloss and thus sound better. Anyone have experience of the same model of guitar in different finishes? An English luthier (Ken Powell I think) french polishes his guitars. Again anyone experienced this finish?
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Post by bellyshere on Apr 15, 2014 17:18:23 GMT
Matt finishes can be noisy when recording if you move about.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
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Post by sigmadel on Apr 15, 2014 19:02:56 GMT
My satin has opened up quicker but will mark easier than the gloss . Gloss looks gorgeous when its new but picks up swirly marks when polishing . I honestly don't think it matters that much as Lowden is satin and Fylde are mainly gloss and both are incredible sounds .
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Post by vikingblues on Apr 15, 2014 20:06:51 GMT
Having recently had the option of going for a glossy finish and generally more eye catching version of a guitar, but decided to stick with the plainer looking satin version, I guess I must be happy with satin. When younger I used to bother more about the appearance of the guitar, but now I'm creaking into older age it seems I'm mainly just bothered how it sounds. Matbe I'd be more bothered if I did video recordings instead of audio ones.  Mark |
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Apr 16, 2014 7:30:03 GMT
not bothered either way. I have both versions (on different guitars, obviously - except for Naomi who, due to 35 years of constant abuse has a gloss finish everywhere except where my right arm has lain across her lower bout and worn it away to a satin finish)  |
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Wild Violet
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Post by Wild Violet on Apr 16, 2014 7:38:11 GMT
I prefer the feel of satin but agree they can be very noisy. I tend to polish them a bit - not so they are gloss- but have a bit of a glow. Seems to take care of the noise problem.
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missclarktree
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Post by missclarktree on Apr 16, 2014 15:38:10 GMT
I wonder if there's more than one type of gloss. The Seagull smells strongly of chemicals but the Guild didn't smell at all - both glossy.
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walkingdecay
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Post by walkingdecay on Apr 17, 2014 11:20:47 GMT
I don't mind either way as long as they sound good, but as I'm a pinkie planter a satin job should really have a scratchboard. A mahogany Vintage I have has suffered from the lack of one by developing a shiny polished area under the soundhole.
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Wild Violet
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Post by Wild Violet on Apr 17, 2014 19:36:49 GMT
I wonder if there's more than one type of gloss. The Seagull smells strongly of chemicals but the Guild didn't smell at all - both glossy. The two I know of are "poly" and "nitro", with nitro often being associated with higher quality builds. This from Luthiers Merchantile International: "Nitrocellulose lacquer, however, has been the primary wood finishing material, and American guitar factory preference, for over eighty years. More recently polyurethane, polyester, and other catalyzed coatings have been used in guitar manufacturing and the quality of water-based finishes has increased steadily so that now the best of them equal or exceed the quality of nitrocellulose finishes . The more exotic synthetic or catalyzed finishes are best suited to factory situations, not to the average small-scale guitar maker." |
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Jo whoever he is.
