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Hard lacquer

Dr. Green

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
683
is there any chance that the particular guitar being talked about got checking by being shipped during the recent bout of extreme cold - and NOT because it has a special new hard finish ?
 

Patek

Active member
Joined
Dec 4, 2015
Messages
415
My 2018 R8 has a harder nitro coat than my 2009 R8.
Finish cracks already appear from the bridge posts towards the bridge pickup ring and from under the pickuprings where the screws go in on the 2018.
It also has 2 paintchips on the side, when that happened the chipped of finish looked like splintered glass.
Also, a friend of mine played it and when he put the cable behind the strap before plugging in he let the cable go and the tip of the jackplug hit the top, leaving what looks like a mini bullethole-trough-glass.
On the the 2009 R8 when that sort of things happen it just dents the finish instead of splintering or cracking.

Excellent news! So they’re using the proper stuff now so it will age correctly like the originals
 

Victory Pete

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
254
Mine is a 2018 R0 with no signs of any checking whatsover. I touched up the screw holes from removing the pickguard with standard StewMac Nitro and see no evidence of any laquer that is harder than usual. Removed pickguard rings and replaced strap buttons also with nothing unusual happening. I am hoping to never see any checking just like I dont want any scratches or dents on my new van.
 

MeHereNow

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
677
Mine is a 2018 R0 with no signs of any checking whatsover. I touched up the screw holes from removing the pickguard with standard StewMac Nitro and see no evidence of any laquer that is harder than usual. Removed pickguard rings and replaced strap buttons also with nothing unusual happening. I am hoping to never see any checking just like I dont want any scratches or dents on my new van.

Both of my R8's are played and handled everyday and taken tot gigs/jams/everywhere in divers conditions, be it hot/cold/high humid/low humid sometimes all those conditions in a short time.
I guess that is one of the reasons my 2018 is already starting to finish craze on areas where there's some pressure, like screwholes on the pickguard, mountingrings, jackplate, pots etc.
Having 18 nitro finished guitars like you have i could imagine that the playing is divided over the 18 and there's maybe one or two that are workhorse guitars you gig with.
If your 2018 R0 is a workhorse subjected to above named conditions i bet there will be crack appearing very soon on above named areas.
 

Victory Pete

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
254
Both of my R8's are played and handled everyday and taken tot gigs/jams/everywhere in divers conditions, be it hot/cold/high humid/low humid sometimes all those conditions in a short time.
I guess that is one of the reasons my 2018 is already starting to finish craze on areas where there's some pressure, like screwholes on the pickguard, mountingrings, jackplate, pots etc.

That may be the only reason.
 

Arnold M.

Active member
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Messages
296
My 2018 R8 has a harder nitro coat than my 2009 R8.
Finish cracks already appear from the bridge posts towards the bridge pickup ring and from under the pickuprings where the screws go in on the 2018.
It also has 2 paintchips on the side, when that happened the chipped of finish looked like splintered glass.
Also, a friend of mine played it and when he put the cable behind the strap before plugging in he let the cable go and the tip of the jackplug hit the top, leaving what looks like a mini bullethole-trough-glass.
On the the 2009 R8 when that sort of things happen it just dents the finish instead of splintering or cracking.

Funny you should mention that, I have found the exact same observation with the top finish on my TH, it will crack/shatter just like glass. it seems that the sides and back is not quite the same formulation, a little softer and more forgiving upon wet polishing with a 12000X Micro-Mesh pad the top becomes indistinguishable from actual glass, the sides and back just won't shine up to the same degree
 

AA00475Bassman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2016
Messages
3,769
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:rofl

I've got a '58 epiphone zephyr and an es125 and a handful of other guitars from that era... None of them have CRAZY over the top checking.... but they all have some weather related lines, crazing etc. They certainly haven't been babied by me.

My 92 J100 has the most pronounced checking of any of my guitars, and it's not nearly as pleasant looking as the "aging" on the older guitars. It's not always true. But as far as nitro goes...the old way is the better way.

My 1945 Epiphone Emperor is full of fish cracks !
 

Victory Pete

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
254
You just said you don’t like blemishes and dents. Make your mind up...

I don't like dents or blemishes, my mind is made up. Many of my older guitars have had dents and scratches fixed by myself, what remains after years of buffing with cotton cloths is a very nice satin "patina". I find the ultra gloss of brand new guitars to be "sterile" looking. Deliberately trying to make a guitar look old and beat up is quite foolish and phony.
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
It's Friday fer God's sake!

WE ALL NEED SOME HARD LAQUER!

Jes tee to many! Hehe!
 

ONEHERO

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2016
Messages
219
This is from Mark's Guitars on the beautiful Guitar of the Week.
" NOTE: It appears that Gibson is now using harder lacquer with less plasticizers which is great news!"


Seems more like his personal assumption than anything....
 
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