How do you age finish on a guitar?

A quick and easy way to get the process going is to leave your guitar exposed in the sun for a couple of days. Over time, all lacquer finishes will yellow and age, which will create that vintage patina so many players crave — leaving it in the sun can help speed up that process.

Does polyurethane fade over time?

The poly is clear and will not fade. A better question is if it will fade when it’s a solid color. My guess is yes. Everything will fade with enough sun light.

Can you finish a guitar with polyurethane?

Poly Guitar Finish. Polyurethane and polyester guitar finishes are considered the industry standard; the modern norm if you will. In mass guitar production, poly finishes largely replaced nitrocellulose lacquers from the late ’60s onwards.

How do you age a nitrocellulose finish?

Use fluorescent lighting to age the nitrocellulose lacquer finish. UVB 313-fluorescent lighting can be used when sunlight is not available. Expose the guitar to the lighting, which quickens aging.

How long does polyurethane coating last?

Polyurethane: How Much Do You Need & How Long Will It Last? 12 months – The length of time a poly should be usable after you open the can.

What happens if you breathe in polyurethane?

When left uncured, polyurethane can cause asthma and other breathing problems. Those who spend time in rooms that have uncured polyurethane floor treatments may also experience health issues like throat and eye irritation, nausea, vomiting, headaches, coughing, and shortness of breath.

How good is wipe on polyurethane?

All but two of the finishes tested fared well, but the Minwax Wipe-On Poly was particularly impressive, drying in three hours to a light satin sheen and offering excellent water resistance. It’s a thin finish that requires more coats to build when brushing, but it still yields good results.

Does polyurethane make wood shiny?

Polyurethane wood finish is used to coat surfaces, protecting them from scratches and helping to resist water damage. Learning how to apply polyurethane can give wood furniture and flooring a glossy, smooth finish while improving its durability.

How does fender finish their necks?

Fender continues to use urethane finishes on many of its instruments (American Standard Series, various artist models), with variants including flatter satin urethane (necks on Deluxe, Standard, Highway One, American Deluxe and American Standard models) and thicker, shinier gloss urethane (American Specials, Ritchie …

Is it bad to age an acoustic guitar?

Just bear in mind it’s a bad idea to do this with the neck attached because you might bend it, which could be potentially expensive to fix. Be wary of acoustic guitars where the neck is fixed, so you might want to skip this step when aging an acoustic guitar.

What does the art of ageing guitars mean?

Directly in line with the current fashion for shabby chic interior décor, ageing guitars is all about making new or relatively recent instruments look like beautiful old, used and well-loved vintage guitars. The idea is to make the instrument look like it’s been heavily used for forty or fifty years, and the effect is often called ‘road worn’.

What’s the best way to distress a guitar?

When you’re happy with the level of distressing, rub the instrument down with a damp cloth. While the un-lacquered parts will soon get grubby through natural wear as you play, you can use a dirty cloth to give the finish instant personality. You don’t have to distress the metal parts. But it goes a long way towards creating an authentic relic look.

How much does a road worn Fender guitar cost?

New road worn guitars usually cost more than standard guitars. But they’re still a lot less than the ancient originals, which are worn naturally over many decades. Obviously a Fender relicing job is an expensive business when carried out by the masters themselves.