# Paint and Tone



## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

i've heard a few people on here talk about how the more paint on a guitar can effect the tone/sound of a guitar...

how many people really believe this?

ever tried sanding down your guitar a bit to see IF it was true? or added paint to colour the tone some?

interested is all...


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Get back to practicing.... had a painted guitar .. stripped it and lacquered it... no change


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Red ones sound the best. :wave:


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

sure I believe it. I think the question is does it really matter? I'm pretty sure my Strat is poly, but it still sounds like my Strat. Maybe it would sound a tad different in nitro. But I don't really care.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

You know, if you play a guitar painted rainbow everyone hearing you will just know your playing to be so very very gay!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The consensus is that thick paint, whatever the type, is generally not going to contribute positively to the instrument. Of course, it will ultimately depend on the wood and other construction materials. I can't imagine plexiglass Dan Armstrong guitars sound any different with one or ten coats of paint on them. If it's a budget Chinese-made instrument from laminated "trash-wood", it is unlikely that gobs of paint detract from the sound because that's not the sort of wood that responds to such things. If it's a wood that "breathes" in some manner, then the received wisdom is that thinner paint is likely to help it do that.

Of course, no finish configuration will overcome a bad neck/body joint, mismatched neck/body densities/mass, or a crappy bridge. If everything else is lined up flawlessly, then too much paint CAN take away, but thinner paint does not improve in and of itself.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

All these vintage snobs that say old Strats sound better because they used nitro which allows the wood to "breathe" seem to forget that they were all slathered with Fullerplast before they hit the paint booth.

9kkhhd

I do hate the thick plastic coating I've seen on some guitars though. I remember a friend's description of a new Tele with a think white poly finish... "It's like playing a Chiclet".


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Sneaky said:


> I do hate the thick plastic coating I've seen on some guitars though. I remember a friend's description of a new Tele with a think white poly finish... *"It's like playing a Chiclet"*.


Brilliant !! ....some folks have the ability to express thing in such a cool manner (and accurate at the same time)...I envy them.

Cheers

Dave


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## riff (Oct 10, 2010)

Mick Ronson did it, he swore by a differnece...so yup...i'm a believer....I stripped the paint of one and it totally changed....


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## riff (Oct 10, 2010)

Sneaky said:


> All these vintage snobs that say old Strats sound better because they used nitro which allows the wood to "breathe" seem to forget that they were all slathered with Fullerplast before they hit the paint booth.
> 
> 9kkhhd
> 
> I do hate the thick plastic coating I've seen on some guitars though. I remember a friend's description of a new Tele with a think white poly finish... "It's like playing a Chiclet".



Vintage Snobs...LMAO....with you there...I have had Vintage gits, and do have 1 Vintage Resonator and a semi Vintage 1979 matsumoku Lefty VP Vantage 795...but I've blown MANY Vintage Strats away, with my modded 96 Mexi Strat...many, many, many times...
A good guitar is a good guitar...no matter what it is......Vintage guys, Brand loyal guys....HAS to be THIS kinda guys, Gibson only guys, Epiphone sucks guys.... have all been Poseurs in my experience. Don't get me wrong here, I have American Strat's, have had Vintage Strat's...but it's the way they play...and my go to right now, is my 96 Mexi Strat...and if anyone wants to play Chopping (cutting) Heads...no problem!...LOL..
I say Chopping cuz that's what it is..CHOPS that KILL!


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## YJMUJRSRV (Jul 17, 2007)

gone fishing


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## Lowtones (Mar 21, 2006)

I've heard a lot of reasoning as to why nitro sounds better than poly. I don't buy it but then again my hearing is not that great. I do believe however that some of the vintage guitars do sound better with their thin coatings of lacquer but I also think it has more to do with the quality of the wood used than the finish. Much of the older slow groth wood which is no longer availabel is denser and heavier than the wood available today. And that will certainly make a difference in tone. On the other side of the coin, todays modern electronics are far superior to those used in in the past and can certainly overshadow any advantage the older instruments might have because of the wood they are made of. Regardless of wood or finish, if it plays good and sounds good then it's a good guitar. If it looks good as well, then that's pure gravy.


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## MaxWedge (Feb 24, 2006)

I don't know what to think of this. My Squier is embalmed in poly. It sounds good to me. It seems to me pickups (not to mention fingers) are where the tones reside. The variety of materials used over the years should prove the point. Lucite, aluminum, all manners of woods. A good guitar no matter what, is a good guitar. Take it with a grain of salt, my hearings not so good either. About 20% left.


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## YJMUJRSRV (Jul 17, 2007)

gone fishing


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## MaxWedge (Feb 24, 2006)

I can't disagree with you. And maybe that's the point. So much can be changed on an electric guitar to shape it's tone. And starting from a sound foundation, the guitar itself, ends in what tone you want.


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## Lowtones (Mar 21, 2006)

[ I beleive that mahogany just happened to be perfect. Having talked to a few guys that worked at Gibson back then and still make guitars today - they will tell you that mahogany is gone.[/QUOTE]

Amen to that. I still have some decent mahogany in my possession but I can sure see the difference in what is available now as apposed to even five years ago. It's lighter , softer and has a much pinker hue than what I was getting before. Fortunately for me, The people I buy most of my mahogany and maple from know what I am after and what I use it for. Whenever he finds some really nice mahogany or flamed maple in his shipments he sets it aside and gives me a call. It took quite a while to get him to do this for me and the only reason he continues to do it is because I actually buy the wood from him when he calls. Not unusual to drop $1000 or better when he gives a call. Even when I'm away from home for an extended period of time I will buy it on his judgement (sight unseen) Then pick it up when I get home. Typically he will give me a call about three times a year. I seldom actually go into his shop just to look for wood anymore unless it for something special like bloodwood or cocobola. These days I always have enough maple and mahogany on hand to last for a couple of years.


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## jeff66 (Jan 21, 2010)

I have been told by some that I should always clear with nitro or poly, not 2K..... As it makes a tone difference. Then I talked to some really respected guitarists. They all told me the clear material does not make any difference. Sure the amount of clear you use can make a difference!

The old nitro and poly was really lashed on. Two fine coats of 2K gives a nice clean hard wearing finish, that does not yellow or crack. So I only use 2K clears on guitars now.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

I am also a believer in the thinking that it isn't what finish is used, but how heavily it is applied. And the polyester is/was applied heavy. Which is why it has such a bad rep.

Any finish applied thin should let the wood resonate.

AJC


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

ajcoholic said:


> I am also a believer in the thinking that it isn't what finish is used, but how heavily it is applied. And the polyester is/was applied heavy. Which is why it has such a bad rep.
> 
> Any finish applied thin should let the wood resonate.
> 
> AJC


I think you just nailed it pretty much there Aj, things from the past always seem to be better.. specialy the 50's and 60's.. Cars, music, the society...woman......


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

dwagar said:


> sure I believe it. I think the question is does it really matter? I'm pretty sure my Strat is poly, but it still sounds like my Strat. Maybe it would sound a tad different in nitro. But I don't really care.


Ditto.

Although in some ways I do care, but not necessarily sound wise.
It probably makes a bigger difference in acoustic guitars.

One way it makes a difference other than sound, is condition of the body.
My classical has a thicker finish and my S&P 12 has a stain finish.
The classical is much older, but the top is in better shape due to a tougher finish--both of them look like cedar tops to me. (The S&P definitely is--the classical probably is, but could be something cedar like. It's been coloured by the finish though so sometimes in pictures it doesn't look as cedar-esque as in person.)


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## Shiny_Beast (Apr 16, 2009)

I buy it. How big is the difference? ehh...I don't like guitars entombed in plastic though.

I htink one of the good things about old nitro is that is was usually on thin and dried rock hard.


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