NS Finish Wear Through

GSFV

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So I was playing my NS Starfire V recently and noticed some gunk on the finish from sweat and the like (it's hot here in Florida, and fairly warm even this time of year). Which got me thinking, "how long would it take to wear through or wear down the finish on this guitar so that it looks old and played through in certain spots?" Guild's website has it listed a Gloss Polyurethane finish. Which my limited experience tells me is quite thick and very tough. But curious if anyone has been able to naturally show any wear on it, especially in places where your arms and or hands are in constant contact with the guitar.

I'm not super interested in the worn look, and don't want to 'relic' a guitar to achieve it. Just curious what I should expect out of it.
 

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In the Nashville flood, there were poly guitars that were underwater for days that looked cherry, so I would not expect to get wear without a sander.
 

shihan

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I don’t think poly will ever wear like that naturally, especially the relatively thick finishes on modern import guitars.
Poly is much, much harder than nitro, and doesn’t respond the same way to the heat and friction generated by vigorous playing.
I’ll step aside and let someone who knows more about this weigh in.
 

GAD

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Poly doesn’t have to mean thick, but the replies above are correct - it will not wear like nitro.
 

GSFV

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Kinda what I thought. Thanks for the quick replies.
 

adorshki

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So I was playing my NS Starfire V recently and noticed some gunk on the finish from sweat and the like (it's hot here in Florida, and fairly warm even this time of year Which got me thinking, "how long would it take to wear through or wear down the finish on this guitar so that it looks old and played through in certain spots?" Guild's website has it listed a Gloss Polyurethane finish. Which my limited experience tells me is quite thick and very tough. But curious if anyone has been able to naturally show any wear on it, especially in places where your arms and or hands are in constant contact with the guitar.

I'm not super interested in the worn look, and don't want to 'relic' a guitar to achieve it. Just curious what I should expect out of it.

When sweat degrades NCL it becomes soft and gummy. It's because the acids in sweat act like a solvent for NCL and you can't just clean it off. You have to let it dry out again on its own time frame or risk damaging it permanently.
Sweat has no such effect on poly finishes whether polyester or polyurethane.
It's one of the reasons they're known for durability but also difficulty of touching up dings.
 

davismanLV

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Al, maybe you're not sweating enough?? Oh wait, you don't have a poly finish guitar. Well, get one and then sweat more and then report back, okay? I have to be careful with my NCL guitars with my arm on them but my poly guitar looks like new, no matter how sweaty I get...... not that I monitor that kind of thing. :devilish:
 

Guildedagain

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Anyone who's ever tried to strip a poly finish guitar (not me) knows how tough this stuff is. I think the accepted method for getting it off old Fender bodies is a heat gun to get under it and peel it off.

Sandpapers and strippers are virtually useless...
 

adorshki

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Oh wait, you don't have a poly finish guitar. Well, get one and then sweat more and then report back, okay? I have to be careful with my NCL guitars with my arm on them but my poly guitar looks like new, no matter how sweaty I get...... not that I monitor that kind of thing. :devilish:
Pics (you playing up a sweat) or I don't believe it.
:devilish:
 

adorshki

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Anyone who's ever tried to strip a poly finish guitar (not me) knows how tough this stuff is. I think the accepted method for getting it off old Fender bodies is a heat gun to get under it and peel it off.

Sandpapers and strippers are virtually useless...

Wonder if horse sweat'd do the trick?
Tom's got access to horses.
 

Rich Cohen

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When sweat degrades NCL it becomes soft and gummy. It's because the acids in sweat act like a solvent for NCL and you can't just clean it off. You have to let it dry out again on its own time frame or risk damaging it permanently.
Sweat has no such effect on poly finishes whether polyester or polyurethane.
It's one of the reasons they're known for durability but also difficulty of touching up dings.

Al, thanks for your knowledge about the effect of sweat on NCL. So, applying naphtha to NCL clouded by sweat won't work until you let in sit for a good long time?
Rich
 
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