I have a Strat i bought new in 1997 and its Poly Finish is bullet proof. Still looks brand new... The new Poly finishes in comparison are much much thinner. I have both Poly and Nitro Strats and they are both great.
got two guitars with the combination of a nitro neck with a poly body and that is a winning combination. The neck wears in nicely and the body maintains it's finish
@@DBSG1976 one is a blue sparkle telecaster (the j mascis signature tele) and the other is the jimmy page signature telecaster. My other guitars are all poly finished (both neck and body)
I have a new poly finish guitar after playing nitro for years. I can't stand the poly finish. It drags on my forearm on my picking hand and it looks crap. Great guitar, but I'm going to strip the poly off and spray with nitro
There's the third option: tung oil. A lot of smaller boutique builders use an oil based finish, even MM used it on their maple necks because it's less sticky than gloss.
I am not a relic fan, just to be clear. I love authentic nitro classics that age. It is a part of history. I prefer a survivor 70 Chevelle vs. a restored one every day of the week. I love new nitro guitars that are intended to recreate what was made years ago (I can't afford either, so it doesn't matter). I really like poly because I know it will be pretty similar to the day I fell in love with the guitar.
Some facts: Urethane or "poly" fades, yellows, and degrades, it just takes longer than lacquer. A urethane or poly guitar finish doesn't stay the same forever. Nitrocellulose (Duco) lacquer and acrylic (Lucite) lacquer are lacquer. Lacquer clear top coats are typically nitro. Color coats, or "Custom Colors" in Fender nomenclature can be nitro (Duco) or acrylic (Lucite) depending on the color. Since the '50's Fender has always used both together or at the same time. As a practical matter acrylic and nitro lacquers are chemically compatible and can be combined/mixed together. In the case of Fender Custom Shop they may very well mix colors of the two to formulate a FCS-specific color e.g. "Super Faded Tahitian Coral"--appears essentially to be very faded Fiesta Red. PLUS, Fender going back to the 1950s has virtually always pretreated wood guitar bodies with a poly-type sealer coat before any lacquer was applied, regardless of whether the lacquer was nitro or acrylic.
I will first just say I had a pretty good year for myself. So I was fortunate enough to get the new John5 Tele, the Brett Mason Tele with the B bender, and the Kingsfish Tele. All of them are urethane or satin urethane. So I assumed that they would look pretty new even after playing them. And I do play them, all of them. I’m not a collector. I just really like Tele’s. 😅 So I was a little surprised when I noticed just how much wear from my picking arm and hand and how much finish checking the Brett Mason Tele got on it just from normal everyday use! It’s not a big deal or anything to me, I actually like how it looks with the wear on it. But it was unexpected, only because I assumed the urethane finish would protect it from finish cracks and stuff like that. 🤷🏻♂️ Ultimately though, they’re all amazing guitars that I love to play. And that’s really what matters most to me.
A couple of thoughts. First, I have a favorite guitar, a late 90's Strat Deluxe Plus. I've owned it since new, and it looks as good as the first day I got it (with the exception of some light scratches from regular use). That's the way I like it, and I would be upset if it had checking or fading going on. The pearl guard has yellowed, but the Crimson burst finish looks great. Score 1 for poly. Next, I don't want anybody to risk cancer to give me a finish on my guitar. I've seen what cancer does to people, it isn't worth it. I don't care one bit about about vintage guitars, I've played many and in general there really isn't anything special about them. I don't believe in all this magic about wood "breathing", the tones people loved on those classic albums came from what at the time were 10 year old guitars. So I don't want my guitars to look like they are falling apart for the vintage look. I love your channel, and you guys are cool, fun people I'd love to hang out with, buy I disagree on both the Nitro and Vintage question. Have a great day!
Hey guys, I've been at this a long ,long time. I was young once, and I listened to everyone and believed what I was told. After 35 years of working on guitars, years and years of refinishing, and making many mistakes, I am here to tell you poly is better. And not just a little better, it's way better.
I had flashbacks to a motorcycle rally a few years ago. Some mad man plowed through a group of "old ladies" from different clubs on a golf cart while we were finishing our night with Snortin Whiskey. The rest of the band was grooving, I was ripping a solo. Woman just goes pancake spinning up in the air... the other guys don't see it and everyone in the crowd starts freaking out. We finished up the song and the whole rally was in an up roar. I couldn't get my gear out of there fast enough. No one was seriously hurt to my knowledge. Good times lol
I have a Fender American Pro 2 Tele and they have a satin finish on the neck which I love. I have one of the roasted pine body variations, and I would recommend that guitar to anyone. The body is a polyurethane finish, but I don’t care. It’s one of the few non-custom shop telecasters that you can get at, or even under 7 pounds.
@@Scaredycat-dad Twisted Tele in the neck and a custom 64 bridge pickup that Tim Shaw says is wound like a 60’s P Bass pickup., which is weird but sounds spectacular.
I have ten Gibsons and a '74 Guild in my nitro collection. I have ten assorted other guitars that are poly. I don't hesitate to buy a guitar if it's poly, but I would love to have a Road Worn '50s Tele as it has a relic'd nitro finish. I love pizza.
The best thing about poly is that I don’t have to worry about what stand I put in on. My only poly guitar is my J Mascis Telecaster. The neck is nitro.
I prefer Nitro over Poly. But good guitar or bad guitar is just that no matter the finish. I have some AM Pro II Strats and consider them being better guitars than most of my Fender Nitro Strats
A huge reason is it takes about a month less time to cure so shortens the manufacturing time by like 3 weeks / that’s a huge reason they switched aside from the durability
Have never owned a nitro guitar but mostly because they’re typically out of my price range. If money wasn’t part of the equation I think I’d still go poly for the durability (and maybe a little for the environment) but maybe at some point I’ll see an old/relic guitar I really like and I have no problem with that
Just buy a cheap $100 pawn guitar, and get nitro spray cans it’ll probably cost another $100 for sealer, primer, color and clear. I’m doing it now on a homemade tele, and I’m finding it a little easier than painting with poly paint. If you aren’t confident in your painting abilities, a lot of shops will paint your guitar, but for a premium price. The only thing that really sucks is nitro requires patience. It’ll take at LEAST 4-6 weeks to cure before you can put it all back together.
I’ve painted quite a few guitars and I really do prefer Nitro so I will always use that on my own but poly is fine too especially if you’re looking for a more durable finish.
I knew a guy who did refinishing and touch ups on grand pianos and he feels poly limits the ability to refinish whereas the older pianos could be redone. His environmental concerns were about wasting the materials to build pianos that couldn't be maintained. My jazz bass poly has remained minty but a couple chips came off in ways that create divets which seem unnatural, that said it looks good overall.
“Old P basses…I love them” Mike Lull (RIP) , in 1997 Mikes shop did a refret on early 60s veneer board ,plek and thin coat sunburst poly finished body, Mike gigged with a band and wanted his guitars to look good and sound good on stage, anyway Mike liked poly for road use player grade instruments and on his new models as well
7:08,.'Smells like Vanilla Cheerleaders" is either the album title we didnt know we loved, or the band name we didnt know we needed. And as far as eh video subject matter is concerned. Poly most surely WILL RELIC if you drop it . Then lt some moisture get into that crack inside and underneath the finish and you've got a whole new adventure in relicing
I bought my Fender Stratocaster new in 1989, it has some scratches and dents, but for the rest it looks like new so I guess it has Poly. I live on a boat in a climate that has lots of cold and rain so the crack story is a bit not so realistic. I have a 1958 Hofner jazzbox that is not used since 1975 orso, was stored in a gigbag after the neck came off. The nitro on that is gone for the most part and it is now mat. I wish my Gibson Les Paul had poly, it still looks great but I hope it stays that way. I do not like beat up guitars, I like them shinney (and yes, they must play super )
Having worked with nitrocellulose resins for almost 40 years, I can tell you with certainty that NC is odorless. Whatever makes your guitar case smell, it is not dry nitro.
I think that when it comes to the sound (only the sound) of a guitar, both the woods and the finish play an important role and that it cannot be said in any case that one is better than the other. Those that will give more attack and sustain will give less body. It's a matter of taste.
I have both and The nitro finish Jazzmaster is my main guitar for a reason so if I were to get another guitar it’s gonna be nitro. However I will say my poly MIJ mustang is just as resonant and I believe it’s because of the basswood body cutting through the finish. Also wtf would not want their guitar to age like fine wine.
I am not too picky about this kind of thing and I have a few LP standards that are all nitro. I even have a 1990 LP classic and despite being nitro it does not appear to have aged much. I do like how some of the custom shop "lightly aged" LPs are less shiny. I am not into the whole relic'd thing so much but they look cool when they are less shiny.
I prefer nitro. I like the way it looks and the way it feels. I try to avoid poly finished guitars when shopping for one. I have 2 Warmoth bodies and had them shipped to a company that sprays nitro. To each their own, though.
I bought a Limited Ed. Player Tele last week and the night after I bought it I removed the satin poly finish on the back of the neck.. ..wet sanded it and applied four coats of Dutch Oil with more wet sanding between coats. I really don't like poly on the back of the neck.
If there is a choice between the two, Nitro every time without hesitation. For me a nitro finished guitar completes the connection, much like an electrical circuit, allowing the instrument to resonate through me when playing. With poly finishes on electric guitars nullifies this connection, feels like I'm holding a dense piece of wood which doesn't respond the way it was meant to. Nitro allows the instrument to live to its fullest potential and takes the player along for the journey.
I own guitars with both and I personally prefer Nitro hands down. Personally I think it sounds and feels better. Its not a factor in purchasing a guitar for me but given the choice Nitro all the way baby.
I used to think Nitro was for snobs, but ended up selling my poly guitars to buy just one nitro guitar. I don't think it sounds better, but just feels better to me.
I have guitars finished with Nitrocellulose, Polyester and Polyurethane. There are many formulas of Nitrocellulose. Polyester is not the same as Polyurethane.
I have guitar necks with nitro, polyester, polyurethane, oil and even exotic woods with no finish. I find that I don't really care what the finish is as long as the guitar plays and sounds good. I think people get to hyped over finish, but that's just me.
I have guitars with both and have to say, it's not something I think about when playing. I know that my Les Paul will age while my 1986 Yamaha SG will continue to look much like it has for the past thirty seven years! Thickness of finish is probably equally important to how a guitar ages. A thin poly finish will attract dings and cracks much more readily than a thick finish. It's difficult to tell, but I think Gibson use very thick Nitro when gloss finishing but it's a soft feeling finish. I've had other Nitro guitars that felt a lot harder.
I have 2 Nitro & 2 Poly. I prefer the feel of the Nitro, but I don’t mind poly & they all sound awesome. The older Nitro Strat (42 years) has dings, the newer one hasn’t but if I ding it I wouldn’t mind much. Maybe poly doesn’t age, but I’ve seen poly guitars with chips, splits, cracks & lacquer lifting worse than some bad 70’s Strats. Strangely, I seem to be more careful with the poly guitars because of it.
Biggest problem with nitro is that it's extremely sticky. A sticky guitar neck is not the most pleasant thing in the world, plus it makes you a slower player. I've got some nitro guitars which I love, but if I want a more comfortable playing I go with poly.
Poly does feel quite right. Its like the difference between a really good fake leather and actual leather. Its hard to explain why but you can just feel the difference.
I prefer poly, but the biggest draw back is when it gets damaged and starts to chip. I've had some bad nitro experiences and I'm kinda over it. Unless its thin finish, I don't really want a nitro finish any time soon
I have a number of bass guitars i.e. Fender, Music Man, Alembic, Sadowsky. I am pretty sure that they are all polyurethane finishes and two basses by Jake Serek out of Chicago which I believe are finished in nitrocellulose. As far as basses go, I think the finish is the least important factor in tone if any.
My Fortus Falcon is poly too. Only thing I'd change about it. Unfortunately you have to go masterbuilt for a true nitro finish from Gretsch. Nitro is more like skin to me, and wears over time. Poly is like a hard, unchanging shell in comparison. I prefer the feel of nitro. Don't care about fading or wear.
Not all nitro is the same. Not all poly is the same. The thickness of the finish is what matters, unless you're talking about aesthetics, durability, etc.
Hi everyone! First of all any guitar is great! Second for this discussion I don’t really find fair that high end us made guitars need to save cost and come in a poly finish. Also I really dislike that when poly breaks it shows that the wood partner that you think you had on the guitar was just a painted layer of plastic. Some dings are bound to happen if guitars are used and on nitro they add character, on poly they just show how plasticky is that finish …
On the subject of Pizza, look up Pizza by Attila and listen to the entire thing. I try to listen to new music and that came on in the car randomly the other day. It's not good, but it's worth a full listen.
That drummer got plowed. Good reason to not play parties. My T-Style body is reclaimed pine from an old barn, so water based barn red stain with linseed oil finish felt most authentic.
I like lacquer, I like the feel and the sound and the way it ages, and I like the depth that's fairly inherent to a pristine lacquer finish. I rip off older styles of music, blues and early rock&roll, surf, garage, shit like that... My brother likes death metal and prefers poly. He likes his guitars to look new forever, he prefers the feel of poly, he likes the sound of a poly finished guitar. I also own poly finished guitars that I love but I do frequently consider refinishing them People talk a lot about poly being plastic, which it is... Nitrocellulose is also plastic... It is the first man-made plastic... This is something that drives me fuckin nuts, you see manufacturers talking about how they don't use any plastics in their finishes because they're 100% nitro and it can't be both nitro and plastic-free 🤷
Wood darkens, dye fades, esp. red. There probably are dyes that aren't as affected by UV rays, but fading goes with checking, if that's your thing. I have poly, nitro, and enamel (my 1980 Eddy guitar, when paint was paint, a happy time), and nitro seems to differ the most: my refinished '75 LP used Watco spray can lacquer, and is fantastic -even with a gloss surface, it's as slippery as a Tru-oil finish, but my 1980 LP Heritage's nitro is sticky AF, and for years I've been on the fence about just sanding it back a bit -really, really bad finish :(
im having an SG brought back from the dead and i dont have a gtr w a nitro finish so i was like yo....can we do nitro on this one? bro. 35$ a can!!! i had to order 3 of em!
if you look at it from the auto refinish business, Laquer, whether it be nitrocelulose or acrylic was phased/forced out by the epa. modern acrylic is acrylic urethane which is a 2 part catylized which hardens. it is epa friendly. laquer off gasses forever. that is why the epa nixed it in the auto industry.
@@grahamkelsey8687 I’m not a professional musician, are you? Nitro looks and feels different, sort of soft and with a different luster. Poly feels and looks like hard modern plastic.
@@powbobsI get what you’re saying but you’ve lost me how it’s a counter to my first point….there are artists and amateur’s alike that have a personal preference either for Polly or Nitro and I just gave an example of pro artists that prefer Polly. I personally prefer Polly, however I’ve plenty of nitro and Polly, I buy individual guitar based on their merit.
I hate that my Gibsons need to be polished so the neck doesn’t feel sticky. My Mexican strats don’t ever feel that way. Poly is fine if it’s not overly thick I think
Pizzzzaaaaa! and... my les paul is starting to chip around the access plate on the back, grrr and my S-Type has a chip already on the front, yay! Whatev's
Using nitro is like sticking to the stone age. Wooden slabs don't "breath" (they do get wet or dry if they're nitro finished). Finish does not affect tone on a solid body instrument unless you have a VERY vivid imagination. Nitro looks better though (at least if you're a boomer like yours truly 😊). Also there's no pure nitro finish in our days; first hand is always poly, it would be idiotic otherwise. So it's a matter of how much you're ready to pay for your next guitar. I guess nitro will be totally eclipsed when all the elderly move on to greener pastures.
I want to paint a guitar with nitro lacquer and here’s what I learned.. if the temperature is not between 70f and 80f, it will fail. If ANYTHING makes a spark in a shop with those fumes, your shop will explode. It cost about $300 in paint, fillers, etc to do a good job.The more I look, the less I want to do it!
I never really cared. Most of my instruments have poly, one has nitro. I personally cant really tell the difference. I do like the new forever look, but a relic look can look fantastic as well. I like the idea of nitro mostly due to the perception that nitro is associated with higher quality, but it doesnt matter to me. If the guitar looks nice, feels nice, plays well, sounds fantastic, and the instrument is stable, then im a happy camper.
Don’t really care but nitro is preferred. I have a strat with poly and a LP with nitro and love both. The LP is slowly wearing in the right places. The strat looks new, except for some chips around the edges, rusty screw heads, and fret wear; so I guess not new 😂
Unfortunately all but one of my guitars are polly. I would however, given the choice, want nitro on any guitar i want to age. Strats,Teles, SGs for example. I also want nitro on any guitar i have to strip. lol. I want polly on anything i want to stay beautiful. Les Paul, PRS, Parker, ect.
The tops on all my acoustics have aged and darkened nicely. Some of them are '60s and '70s vintage, others modern. My 2019 D35 has changed the most of the recent ones, beautiful bands of dark and lighter grain with some diffuse bear clawing and shimmer over the whole top. The '71 J50 has banded almost as much. All of them live on the wall now, so exposed to indirect reflected southern sun regularly. NO case queens unless no open hooks. I really like the aging and color in the wood but I know some people want their guitar to stay baby-butt white for a lifetime. Personally don't get that. Tone grows with the color in my experience.
One day I hope we're having this conversation about different finishes.... ones that aren't both absolutely terrible for the environment, and laughable to other instrument makers.... choosing between nitro and poly is like choosing between Formaldehyde or Asbestos insulation for your house... while hempcrete is now a viable option and blows them both away in every conceivable way.... everything people like about Poly and Nitro can be done better by a superior finish that doesn't destroy our environment, we're seriously using technology that lived right along side Asbestos and lead paint... anyone who has an affinity for Nitro but wouldn't consider using Asbestos or lead based paints needs to take a moment to reflect on why and consider that they're being a party to behaviors they'd rather not be involved with.... you can pretend not to notice cancer and asthma are basically a pandemic right now if you want, but it doesn't mean spraying Nitro doesn't contribute to the problem and you're free from blame... I know I'm the asshole here but if being the asshole means not hurting anyone else, I'm good with that.... fuck poison... seems weird that people wanna defend poison that kills people but here I am... fuck poison....
I mean a good guitar is a good guitar. I tend to like nitro finishes more than poly, just because of feel. That being said, if you want to see interesting finish work, look at what boutique acoustic builders are doing.
I've owned many nitro guitars and poly guitars. I've come to the conclusion that it isn't a sound thing. It's a feel thing. Nitro feels more comfortable.
I once told my nitro guitar I was considering a poly relationship and it said "oh, you think you're a player now?"
A good guitar is a good guitar… the end 😊 enjoy what you enjoy and love the music and the joy that comes with it.
Yeah, but a good guitar with a thin Nitro finish is even better!❤
I used to be a nitro snob in my youth. I’ve grown since then.
I have a Strat i bought new in 1997 and its Poly Finish is bullet proof. Still looks brand new... The new Poly finishes in comparison are much much thinner. I have both Poly and Nitro Strats and they are both great.
got two guitars with the combination of a nitro neck with a poly body and that is a winning combination. The neck wears in nicely and the body maintains it's finish
What color?
@@DBSG1976 one is a blue sparkle telecaster (the j mascis signature tele) and the other is the jimmy page signature telecaster. My other guitars are all poly finished (both neck and body)
I think I'd rather have the opposite, a consistent neck finish and a body getting its mojo over time
The J Mascis Tele is the only Poly guitar I own.
That neck is so good.
I have a new poly finish guitar after playing nitro for years. I can't stand the poly finish. It drags on my forearm on my picking hand and it looks crap. Great guitar, but I'm going to strip the poly off and spray with nitro
There's the third option: tung oil. A lot of smaller boutique builders use an oil based finish, even MM used it on their maple necks because it's less sticky than gloss.
"Nitro. The way God intended" 😂
Factual statement
so real lol
Weak, thin, and temporary?
“He ain’t lying” coming to America
@@rmaxtpmx diamond is a bit expensive
I am not a relic fan, just to be clear. I love authentic nitro classics that age. It is a part of history. I prefer a survivor 70 Chevelle vs. a restored one every day of the week. I love new nitro guitars that are intended to recreate what was made years ago (I can't afford either, so it doesn't matter). I really like poly because I know it will be pretty similar to the day I fell in love with the guitar.
Some facts: Urethane or "poly" fades, yellows, and degrades, it just takes longer than lacquer. A urethane or poly guitar finish doesn't stay the same forever.
Nitrocellulose (Duco) lacquer and acrylic (Lucite) lacquer are lacquer. Lacquer clear top coats are typically nitro. Color coats, or "Custom Colors" in Fender nomenclature can be nitro (Duco) or acrylic (Lucite) depending on the color. Since the '50's Fender has always used both together or at the same time.
As a practical matter acrylic and nitro lacquers are chemically compatible and can be combined/mixed together. In the case of Fender Custom Shop they may very well mix colors of the two to formulate a FCS-specific color e.g. "Super Faded Tahitian Coral"--appears essentially to be very faded Fiesta Red.
PLUS, Fender going back to the 1950s has virtually always pretreated wood guitar bodies with a poly-type sealer coat before any lacquer was applied, regardless of whether the lacquer was nitro or acrylic.
how much longer? i have polys from the early 90s that look brand spanking new lol. i prefer nitro, smells nicer, ages nicer
I will first just say I had a pretty good year for myself. So I was fortunate enough to get the new John5 Tele, the Brett Mason Tele with the B bender, and the Kingsfish Tele.
All of them are urethane or satin urethane. So I assumed that they would look pretty new even after playing them. And I do play them, all of them. I’m not a collector. I just really like Tele’s. 😅
So I was a little surprised when I noticed just how much wear from my picking arm and hand and how much finish checking the Brett Mason Tele got on it just from normal everyday use!
It’s not a big deal or anything to me, I actually like how it looks with the wear on it. But it was unexpected, only because I assumed the urethane finish would protect it from finish cracks and stuff like that. 🤷🏻♂️
Ultimately though, they’re all amazing guitars that I love to play. And that’s really what matters most to me.
Yeah I assume it's the gloss overcoat that really does the protecting.
The Brent Mason Telecaster does seem to have a particularly thin finish -- I suppose it's the poly equivalent of 'flash coat'.
A couple of thoughts. First, I have a favorite guitar, a late 90's Strat Deluxe Plus. I've owned it since new, and it looks as good as the first day I got it (with the exception of some light scratches from regular use). That's the way I like it, and I would be upset if it had checking or fading going on. The pearl guard has yellowed, but the Crimson burst finish looks great. Score 1 for poly.
Next, I don't want anybody to risk cancer to give me a finish on my guitar. I've seen what cancer does to people, it isn't worth it.
I don't care one bit about about vintage guitars, I've played many and in general there really isn't anything special about them. I don't believe in all this magic about wood "breathing", the tones people loved on those classic albums came from what at the time were 10 year old guitars. So I don't want my guitars to look like they are falling apart for the vintage look.
I love your channel, and you guys are cool, fun people I'd love to hang out with, buy I disagree on both the Nitro and Vintage question.
Have a great day!
I didn’t know any better in my youth. I’ve now grown into an old Nitro snob. 😂
Hey guys, I've been at this a long ,long time. I was young once, and I listened to everyone and believed what I was told. After 35 years of working on guitars, years and years of refinishing, and making many mistakes, I am here to tell you poly is better. And not just a little better, it's way better.
Definitely. People buy the Nitro for the gimmick. It's typically the guys who enjoy relics too
No
I had flashbacks to a motorcycle rally a few years ago. Some mad man plowed through a group of "old ladies" from different clubs on a golf cart while we were finishing our night with Snortin Whiskey. The rest of the band was grooving, I was ripping a solo. Woman just goes pancake spinning up in the air... the other guys don't see it and everyone in the crowd starts freaking out. We finished up the song and the whole rally was in an up roar. I couldn't get my gear out of there fast enough. No one was seriously hurt to my knowledge. Good times lol
What is your thought on Suhr, they use a “thin skin” poly process.
I have a Fender American Pro 2 Tele and they have a satin finish on the neck which I love. I have one of the roasted pine body variations, and I would recommend that guitar to anyone. The body is a polyurethane finish, but I don’t care. It’s one of the few non-custom shop telecasters that you can get at, or even under 7 pounds.
The silver sparkle Brad Paisley Telecaster is even lighter.
Mine is under six pounds.
Amazing pickups too.
@@powbobs I am seriously considering getting one of those.
@@Scaredycat-dad
Twisted Tele in the neck and a custom 64 bridge pickup that Tim Shaw says is wound like a 60’s P Bass pickup., which is weird but sounds spectacular.
Hate to say it I am a nitro snob I love how the guitar becomes a part of me! And I do think it sounds better.
I have ten Gibsons and a '74 Guild in my nitro collection. I have ten assorted other guitars that are poly. I don't hesitate to buy a guitar if it's poly, but I would love to have a Road Worn '50s Tele as it has a relic'd nitro finish.
I love pizza.
The best thing about poly is that I don’t have to worry about what stand I put in on.
My only poly guitar is my J Mascis Telecaster.
The neck is nitro.
“Nitro” The way god intended😂😂 Hell Yeah 🤘🏻🎸🤘🏻I needed a laugh today so Thanks Johnathon🤘🏻
I prefer Nitro over Poly. But good guitar or bad guitar is just that no matter the finish. I have some AM Pro II Strats and consider them being better guitars than most of my Fender Nitro Strats
A huge reason is it takes about a month less time to cure so shortens the manufacturing time by like 3 weeks / that’s a huge reason they switched aside from the durability
Oh, and my 2011 TS Firebird which I keep cased when not playing, still has that sweet, sweet smell. Intoxicating.
I like both: also satin and gloss. But a well worn lacquer with some exposed wood is great
Thanks! Have both and like each but nitro if i had to pick one.
Have never owned a nitro guitar but mostly because they’re typically out of my price range. If money wasn’t part of the equation I think I’d still go poly for the durability (and maybe a little for the environment) but maybe at some point I’ll see an old/relic guitar I really like and I have no problem with that
Just buy a cheap $100 pawn guitar, and get nitro spray cans it’ll probably cost another $100 for sealer, primer, color and clear.
I’m doing it now on a homemade tele, and I’m finding it a little easier than painting with poly paint.
If you aren’t confident in your painting abilities, a lot of shops will paint your guitar, but for a premium price.
The only thing that really sucks is nitro requires patience. It’ll take at LEAST 4-6 weeks to cure before you can put it all back together.
I’ve painted quite a few guitars and I really do prefer Nitro so I will always use that on my own but poly is fine too especially if you’re looking for a more durable finish.
You are closer together again...I like it....looks less awkward
I knew a guy who did refinishing and touch ups on grand pianos and he feels poly limits the ability to refinish whereas the older pianos could be redone. His environmental concerns were about wasting the materials to build pianos that couldn't be maintained. My jazz bass poly has remained minty but a couple chips came off in ways that create divets which seem unnatural, that said it looks good overall.
“Old P basses…I love them” Mike Lull (RIP) , in 1997 Mikes shop did a refret on early 60s veneer board ,plek and thin coat sunburst poly finished body, Mike gigged with a band and wanted his guitars to look good and sound good on stage, anyway Mike liked poly for road use player grade instruments and on his new models as well
7:08,.'Smells like Vanilla Cheerleaders" is either the album title we didnt know we loved, or the band name we didnt know we needed.
And as far as eh video subject matter is concerned.
Poly most surely WILL RELIC if you drop it . Then lt some moisture get into that crack inside and underneath the finish and you've got a whole new adventure in relicing
I bought my Fender Stratocaster new in 1989, it has some scratches and dents, but for the rest it looks like new so I guess it has Poly. I live on a boat in a climate that has lots of cold and rain so the crack story is a bit not so realistic. I have a 1958 Hofner jazzbox that is not used since 1975 orso, was stored in a gigbag after the neck came off. The nitro on that is gone for the most part and it is now mat. I wish my Gibson Les Paul had poly, it still looks great but I hope it stays that way. I do not like beat up guitars, I like them shinney (and yes, they must play super )
Great subject, well done. I own both. Poly has way less worries! Yet....
Poly may be more durable but when you do inevitably damage it, it’s less aesthetically pleasing than damaged nitro.
In my opinion.
Having worked with nitrocellulose resins for almost 40 years, I can tell you with certainty that NC is odorless. Whatever makes your guitar case smell, it is not dry nitro.
I think that when it comes to the sound (only the sound) of a guitar, both the woods and the finish play an important role and that it cannot be said in any case that one is better than the other. Those that will give more attack and sustain will give less body. It's a matter of taste.
Great video...but I still miss the old background.
Finish still looks fine on my nitro guitar ten years later.
I have both and The nitro finish Jazzmaster is my main guitar for a reason so if I were to get another guitar it’s gonna be nitro.
However I will say my poly MIJ mustang is just as resonant and I believe it’s because of the basswood body cutting through the finish.
Also wtf would not want their guitar to age like fine wine.
I am not too picky about this kind of thing and I have a few LP standards that are all nitro. I even have a 1990 LP classic and despite being nitro it does not appear to have aged much. I do like how some of the custom shop "lightly aged" LPs are less shiny. I am not into the whole relic'd thing so much but they look cool when they are less shiny.
I prefer nitro. I like the way it looks and the way it feels. I try to avoid poly finished guitars when shopping for one. I have 2 Warmoth bodies and had them shipped to a company that sprays nitro. To each their own, though.
I bought a Limited Ed. Player Tele last week and the night after I bought it I removed the satin poly finish on the back of the neck.. ..wet sanded it and applied four coats of Dutch Oil with more wet sanding between coats. I really don't like poly on the back of the neck.
I definitely prefer nitro, it almost always feels better to me
If there is a choice between the two, Nitro every time without hesitation. For me a nitro finished guitar completes the connection, much like an electrical circuit, allowing the instrument to resonate through me when playing. With poly finishes on electric guitars nullifies this connection, feels like I'm holding a dense piece of wood which doesn't respond the way it was meant to. Nitro allows the instrument to live to its fullest potential and takes the player along for the journey.
The top on the first Gibson in this video is on the best top’s I’ve ever seen I bet it would reach out and slap you in person in natural light
I own guitars with both and I personally prefer Nitro hands down. Personally I think it sounds and feels better. Its not a factor in purchasing a guitar for me but given the choice Nitro all the way baby.
I used to think Nitro was for snobs, but ended up selling my poly guitars to buy just one nitro guitar. I don't think it sounds better, but just feels better to me.
And the smell.
@@powbobs that’s the best part
Speaking of identifying stolen guitars... the "fingerprint" of mother of pearl is a "win"
I have guitars finished with Nitrocellulose, Polyester and Polyurethane. There are many formulas of Nitrocellulose. Polyester is not the same as Polyurethane.
I have guitar necks with nitro, polyester, polyurethane, oil and even exotic woods with no finish. I find that I don't really care what the finish is as long as the guitar plays and sounds good. I think people get to hyped over finish, but that's just me.
I have guitars with both and have to say, it's not something I think about when playing. I know that my Les Paul will age while my 1986 Yamaha SG will continue to look much like it has for the past thirty seven years! Thickness of finish is probably equally important to how a guitar ages. A thin poly finish will attract dings and cracks much more readily than a thick finish. It's difficult to tell, but I think Gibson use very thick Nitro when gloss finishing but it's a soft feeling finish. I've had other Nitro guitars that felt a lot harder.
Nitro is dangerous because it’s so explosive 🧨.
That made me smile!
I have 2 Nitro & 2 Poly. I prefer the feel of the Nitro, but I don’t mind poly & they all sound awesome. The older Nitro Strat (42 years) has dings, the newer one hasn’t but if I ding it I wouldn’t mind much. Maybe poly doesn’t age, but I’ve seen poly guitars with chips, splits, cracks & lacquer lifting worse than some bad 70’s Strats. Strangely, I seem to be more careful with the poly guitars because of it.
As an acoustic player I prefer nitro. Of course I also think the big 3 are Martin, Gibson, and Taylor.
If you have a vintage tele (65), do you go with poly if you like poly better ?
idk
The right way, amen!
Biggest problem with nitro is that it's extremely sticky. A sticky guitar neck is not the most pleasant thing in the world, plus it makes you a slower player. I've got some nitro guitars which I love, but if I want a more comfortable playing I go with poly.
Poly does feel quite right. Its like the difference between a really good fake leather and actual leather. Its hard to explain why but you can just feel the difference.
I prefer poly, but the biggest draw back is when it gets damaged and starts to chip. I've had some bad nitro experiences and I'm kinda over it. Unless its thin finish, I don't really want a nitro finish any time soon
I have a number of bass guitars i.e. Fender, Music Man, Alembic, Sadowsky. I am pretty sure that they are all polyurethane finishes and two basses by Jake Serek out of Chicago which I believe are finished in nitrocellulose. As far as basses go, I think the finish is the least important factor in tone if any.
My Fortus Falcon is poly too. Only thing I'd change about it. Unfortunately you have to go masterbuilt for a true nitro finish from Gretsch. Nitro is more like skin to me, and wears over time. Poly is like a hard, unchanging shell in comparison. I prefer the feel of nitro. Don't care about fading or wear.
Not all nitro is the same. Not all poly is the same. The thickness of the finish is what matters, unless you're talking about aesthetics, durability, etc.
Hi everyone! First of all any guitar is great! Second for this discussion I don’t really find fair that high end us made guitars need to save cost and come in a poly finish. Also I really dislike that when poly breaks it shows that the wood partner that you think you had on the guitar was just a painted layer of plastic. Some dings are bound to happen if guitars are used and on nitro they add character, on poly they just show how plasticky is that finish …
Polyurethane can get cloudy when exposed to moisture, it will go back to normal after a day or two.
Can’t stop licking and biting my new vintage ii Strat love the taste of Nitro
I have a 74 P-Bass and it has a Poly finish, but I have some spots worn down to the wood.
Congratulations! 🎉
Poly fades as well. I have an 06 Squier hardtail Strat and it darkened over the years. When you remove the pickguard, it’s very obvious.
Was that one of you guys driving that cart?
On the subject of Pizza, look up Pizza by Attila and listen to the entire thing. I try to listen to new music and that came on in the car randomly the other day. It's not good, but it's worth a full listen.
That drummer got plowed. Good reason to not play parties. My T-Style body is reclaimed pine from an old barn, so water based barn red stain with linseed oil finish felt most authentic.
So many one liners in this one. “Vanilla Cheerleaders “ and “nitro the way god intended “ lmao
I like lacquer, I like the feel and the sound and the way it ages, and I like the depth that's fairly inherent to a pristine lacquer finish. I rip off older styles of music, blues and early rock&roll, surf, garage, shit like that... My brother likes death metal and prefers poly. He likes his guitars to look new forever, he prefers the feel of poly, he likes the sound of a poly finished guitar. I also own poly finished guitars that I love but I do frequently consider refinishing them
People talk a lot about poly being plastic, which it is... Nitrocellulose is also plastic... It is the first man-made plastic... This is something that drives me fuckin nuts, you see manufacturers talking about how they don't use any plastics in their finishes because they're 100% nitro and it can't be both nitro and plastic-free 🤷
I prefer Nitro. Whether it’s my CS or AVRI P basses or my Road Worn 50s Tele.
Wood darkens, dye fades, esp. red. There probably are dyes that aren't as affected by UV rays, but fading goes with checking, if that's your thing. I have poly, nitro, and enamel (my 1980 Eddy guitar, when paint was paint, a happy time), and nitro seems to differ the most: my refinished '75 LP used Watco spray can lacquer, and is fantastic -even with a gloss surface, it's as slippery as a Tru-oil finish, but my 1980 LP Heritage's nitro is sticky AF, and for years I've been on the fence about just sanding it back a bit -really, really bad finish :(
Nice
im having an SG brought back from the dead and i dont have a gtr w a nitro finish so i was like yo....can we do nitro on this one? bro. 35$ a can!!! i had to order 3 of em!
if you look at it from the auto refinish business, Laquer, whether it be nitrocelulose or acrylic was phased/forced out by the epa. modern acrylic is acrylic urethane which is a 2 part catylized which hardens. it is epa friendly. laquer off gasses forever. that is why the epa nixed it in the auto industry.
When artist from Clapton to John5 prefer poly who am I to argue ;)
They see guitars as tools though
Do you?
@@powbobsand so do all the artists that use nitro….so you lost me?
@@grahamkelsey8687
I’m not a professional musician, are you?
Nitro looks and feels different, sort of soft and with a different luster.
Poly feels and looks like hard modern plastic.
@@powbobsI get what you’re saying but you’ve lost me how it’s a counter to my first point….there are artists and amateur’s alike that have a personal preference either for Polly or Nitro and I just gave an example of pro artists that prefer Polly. I personally prefer Polly, however I’ve plenty of nitro and Polly, I buy individual guitar based on their merit.
I hate that my Gibsons need to be polished so the neck doesn’t feel sticky. My Mexican strats don’t ever feel that way. Poly is fine if it’s not overly thick I think
"Golf Cart Man should have been aiming for the singer! Happy Owel...happy owel" ~ Anonymous UA-cam Commenter 🤣 classic footage!
I love my nitro but a truetone finish is pretty nice
Pizzzzaaaaa! and... my les paul is starting to chip around the access plate on the back, grrr and my S-Type has a chip already on the front, yay! Whatev's
Using nitro is like sticking to the stone age. Wooden slabs don't "breath" (they do get wet or dry if they're nitro finished). Finish does not affect tone on a solid body instrument unless you have a VERY vivid imagination. Nitro looks better though (at least if you're a boomer like yours truly 😊). Also there's no pure nitro finish in our days; first hand is always poly, it would be idiotic otherwise. So it's a matter of how much you're ready to pay for your next guitar. I guess nitro will be totally eclipsed when all the elderly move on to greener pastures.
Don't think so, jeans and leather capture your story too. They are still around, even though we got "better" fabrics.
I want to paint a guitar with nitro lacquer and here’s what I learned.. if the temperature is not between 70f and 80f, it will fail. If ANYTHING makes a spark in a shop with those fumes, your shop will explode. It cost about $300 in paint, fillers, etc to do a good job.The more I look, the less I want to do it!
I never really cared. Most of my instruments have poly, one has nitro. I personally cant really tell the difference. I do like the new forever look, but a relic look can look fantastic as well. I like the idea of nitro mostly due to the perception that nitro is associated with higher quality, but it doesnt matter to me. If the guitar looks nice, feels nice, plays well, sounds fantastic, and the instrument is stable, then im a happy camper.
Don’t really care but nitro is preferred. I have a strat with poly and a LP with nitro and love both.
The LP is slowly wearing in the right places. The strat looks new, except for some chips around the edges, rusty screw heads, and fret wear; so I guess not new 😂
Unfortunately all but one of my guitars are polly. I would however, given the choice, want nitro on any guitar i want to age. Strats,Teles, SGs for example. I also want nitro on any guitar i have to strip. lol. I want polly on anything i want to stay beautiful. Les Paul, PRS, Parker, ect.
The tops on all my acoustics have aged and darkened nicely. Some of them are '60s and '70s vintage, others modern.
My 2019 D35 has changed the most of the recent ones, beautiful bands of dark and lighter grain with some diffuse bear clawing and shimmer over the whole top.
The '71 J50 has banded almost as much. All of them live on the wall now, so exposed to indirect reflected southern sun regularly. NO case queens unless no open hooks.
I really like the aging and color in the wood but I know some people want their guitar to stay baby-butt white for a lifetime.
Personally don't get that.
Tone grows with the color in my experience.
7:03 I'm going to convince Sean to start a new band with me called Vanilla Cheerleaders now.
Baxter strikes “The Smolder” on the way out. 😁🤘🏻
Nitro, like hide glue and cat gut. will pass into history one day as an expensive, ineffective ancient substance that the kids will make fun of.
lol not at all
I feel like nitro is typically thinner and vibrates more pleasantly than poly
I like both.
Yamahots is a band name for a band with a female singer and the band members only play Yamaha instruments
One day I hope we're having this conversation about different finishes.... ones that aren't both absolutely terrible for the environment, and laughable to other instrument makers.... choosing between nitro and poly is like choosing between Formaldehyde or Asbestos insulation for your house... while hempcrete is now a viable option and blows them both away in every conceivable way.... everything people like about Poly and Nitro can be done better by a superior finish that doesn't destroy our environment, we're seriously using technology that lived right along side Asbestos and lead paint... anyone who has an affinity for Nitro but wouldn't consider using Asbestos or lead based paints needs to take a moment to reflect on why and consider that they're being a party to behaviors they'd rather not be involved with.... you can pretend not to notice cancer and asthma are basically a pandemic right now if you want, but it doesn't mean spraying Nitro doesn't contribute to the problem and you're free from blame... I know I'm the asshole here but if being the asshole means not hurting anyone else, I'm good with that.... fuck poison... seems weird that people wanna defend poison that kills people but here I am... fuck poison....
A very valid opinion!
I mean a good guitar is a good guitar. I tend to like nitro finishes more than poly, just because of feel. That being said, if you want to see interesting finish work, look at what boutique acoustic builders are doing.
What about satin Nitro? Does it wear the same way?
Yes pizza is great and leftover pizza in the box on your counter is a fantastic breakfast!
I've owned many nitro guitars and poly guitars. I've come to the conclusion that it isn't a sound thing. It's a feel thing. Nitro feels more comfortable.
Baxter, hair looks great .. just tackle the fly-away on our left side
correction - your left
This is like the 3rd time in a few months you've made a video explaining what I google about... Weird lol.