Members wu ming Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 I really go for satin or an unfinished look on my guitars. I don't really like lots of gloss or varnish/polish. this is my kind of look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fred Fartboski Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 Aged vintage sunburst. Not too satiny, not too glossy. After that, natural, after it's darkened with age a bit. Not too satiny, not too glossy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members masterbuilt Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 I like satin finished better, too. They look better on stage, and I think the sound is more vibrant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarist21 Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 I like the satin better too, but only for aesthetic reasons. Though hotly debated, I personally haven't seen any huge difference sound-wise between satin and gloss. For some reason, glossy acoustics never really appealed to me. Not a big fan of how sticky they get when my hands/arms are sweaty. Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 I do not like satin. It is often used to "hide" lower grade wood, it will gloss in spots from wear then it looks really funny, and to me it says "price point". However, I understand why manufacturers use it. I prefer thin lacquer - nitro preferably but lately I've been using waterbased for both environmental, safety and health reasons. Btw - I am one of those folks who buffed my satin Taylor to "semi gloss". You know, I've never heard of anyone taking a nice gloss guitar and "satinizing" it. obviously. milage and opinions should and will vary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jimmy Chaos Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 Satin is better for tone i think (the wood can vibrate more freely)... But I'm a bit of a clumsy git... so It'll probably get more dings. But yeah... Satin all the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 Satin is better for tone i think (the wood can vibrate more freely)... But I'm a bit of a clumsy git... so It'll probably get more dings.But yeah... Satin all the way. So if that is true why would top of the end guitar makers compromise by putting a glossy finish on their gits? How about a satin D35? It actually is significant that for most manufactures, satin and gloss finishes are the same material, satin just doesn't get the final polishing. Sometimes satin has more solids to better fill the pores in the wood and cut down the amount of coats and sanding steps. And of course different manufacturers use radically different materials in their finish - nitrocellulose, waterbased, French Polish, UV cured poly, catalyzed poly - and all can be either gloss or satin. How about some proof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Samilyn Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 My preference is definitely a satin finish. The gloss finish on my Guild really brings out the character of the hog, but it's hard to keep free of smudges and in this humid climate, the gloss on the neck feels tacky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Simon76 Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 How could you dull down a gloss top? Jewelers' rouge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BROLEX Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 whichever is the thinnest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Palmer Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 Satin neck and gloss body for both feel and easy maintenance. Freeman's spot on regarding finishes, buffing, satin finishing and how wear will tend to polish satin to a gloss finish.Microfibre clothes work well on finger smudges/gloss body finishes, but satin can sometimes prove problematical in terms of finish maintenance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T.B. Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 I thought I would never buy a satin finish guitar but I loveum. I really don't care satin or nitro. Though, I wish Guild would switch to satin finish necks. As Sami said, "gloss on the neck feels tacky". Yuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panhandler Posted July 24, 2008 Members Share Posted July 24, 2008 Matte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members totamus Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 Definitely gloss. I prefer no finish on the back of the neck. Satin is Ok, but I have found that as you play them the satin becomes polished over the years by use and cleaning - which leaves glossy spots in the satin finish. Glossy, to me at least, looks like the finished work of an artisan. Satin, in my opinion and taste, looks like the process was cut short. I liked satin until I had a DM long enough for it to start getting glossy in spots. I fixed that by buffing the whole thing to a gloss (well probably semi gloss) finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guit30 Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 Hi Gloss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 Definitely gloss. I prefer no finish on the back of the neck. Satin is Ok, but I have found that as you play them the satin becomes polished over the years by use and cleaning - which leaves glossy spots in the satin finish.Glossy, to me at least, looks like the finished work of an artisan. Satin, in my opinion and taste, looks like the process was cut short. I liked satin until I had a DM long enough for it to start getting glossy in spots. I fixed that by buffing the whole thing to a gloss (well probably semi gloss) finish. agreed. Satin is cheap looking and takes less time to do. I have satin back and sides on 2 of my martins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members happy-man Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 I like the look of satin finish. Fortunately for me it is the finish on my three solid top guitars. I didn't buy them for the looks, I bought them for sound and playability at a certain price point. Since my price point has never been above $500, as a bonus I got the finish I like since it is aparently cheaper to produce. Scott O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valentsgrif Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 First choice is always for me gloss nitro. FK above is right. Manufacturers are gonna put the same finish thickness on satin guitars as gloss (for weather and wear resistance). The difference in in the final polish and buff. I suspect the shining process actually thins out the thickness on gloss to some small degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members joshmac Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 personally I like satin finishes, or like a thin gloss. I dont like ones that are very glossy and stick to my arms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DonK Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 Aged vintage sunburst. Not too satiny, not too glossy. After that, natural, after it's darkened with age a bit. Not too satiny, not too glossy.Pretty much how I roll too.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bubbalou Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 Definitely gloss. I prefer no finish on the back of the neck. Satin is Ok, but I have found that as you play them the satin becomes polished over the years by use and cleaning - which leaves glossy spots in the satin finish.Glossy, to me at least, looks like the finished work of an artisan. Satin, in my opinion and taste, looks like the process was cut short. I liked satin until I had a DM long enough for it to start getting glossy in spots. I fixed that by buffing the whole thing to a gloss (well probably semi gloss) finish. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 I prefer a satin finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bernie P. Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 I prefer satin on unstained wood but gloss looks better on burst or other colored finish's.Don't care for colors that hide the wood at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Queequeg Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 gloss for me. I bought a 000-15s several years ago and buffed it out. I especially like the nice patina a natural top gets after many years. This yellowing in the wood is also mirrored in the ivoried binding. I have a couple of tobacco sunburst Larrivees, too. I really like this on the mahogany top, but they charge an arm and a leg for their sunburst, and as we all know, this does nothing for the sound [although one guy said he would never get a sunburst because it deadens the tone] I don't think so, but I have to carry these 55 year old ears around all day long so what do I know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members outdoorgb Posted July 25, 2008 Members Share Posted July 25, 2008 a happy one! but for guitars I have both satin (Seagull/Larrivee's) and gloss (Yamaha). Can't decide...guess I'll just keep buying more unitl I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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