Finish Molestation.

[Slowy]

No, this thread is not about the drunken antics of Kimi Raikkonen.
Getting way ahead of myself here but there's a new toy in my future and I'm excited!

The one thing that I have real trouble with on new guitars is a mirror shine. I want to see the wood, not the reflections from the windows. I'm much happier with satin, especially if there's some lightly polished wear bits.

Anyway:

The Eastman I have yet to meet is allegedly finished in polished Nitro. If I wanted to just break the shine, no relicing but if we managed to crack the finish it would be a fine thing, how would I best go about this? The brief remember, is breaking the shine not relicing the instrument.

[robthemac]

A very light bit of work with 1500 grit wet and dry will get rid of the shine. Need to be careful to not sand through though, it is is genuinely nitro.

I've got a bottle of compressed air that needs spraying if you want to try a little bit of cracking?

[IMOCD]

No, this thread is not about the drunken antics of Kimi Raikkonen.
Getting way ahead of myself here but there's a new toy in my future and I'm excited!

The one thing that I have real trouble with on new guitars is a mirror shine. I want to see the wood, not the reflections from the windows. I'm much happier with satin, especially if there's some lightly polished wear bits.

Anyway:

The Eastman I have yet to meet is allegedly finished in polished Nitro. If I wanted to just break the shine, no relicing but if we managed to crack the finish it would be a fine thing, how would I best go about this? The brief remember, is breaking the shine not relicing the instrument.

Nice. HNGD (pending). I took the shine off one of my poly finished guitars just the other day using 0000 grade steel wool. Worked a treat. It's poly, mind you, not nitro.

[Lyle]

0000 grade steel wool works well to lightly dull the finish. 3M do a synthetic version so you don't have to worry about metal bits getting on the pickups.

[codedog]

Another vote for the synthetic 3M stuff. Works wonders with multiple light passes with the finest grade.

[bender]

Yeah, that synthetic 3m 0000 grade stuff is what I use.

[Slowy]

Thank you. Gentlemen. I didn't know about the 3M stuff.

So, straight strokes or circular?

[Candeevr4]

So, straight strokes or circular?

Combination?

[jeremyb]

Thank you. Gentlemen. I didn't know about the 3M stuff.

So, straight strokes or circular?

Straight and follow the grain!!

[jeremyb]

So, straight strokes or circular?

Combination?

Aroused.

[Molly]

3M Trizact pads go all the way to 5000 grade. Start with a super fine one and work towards one that leaves the finish you're after. I'd avoid wire wool. That stuff gets everywhere.

[GrantB]

If you want to crack the finish, don't shoot it with compressed air. That gives spider web blotches.

The only way to effectively crackle an instrument, assuming the nitro is hard enough to do this (most aren't), is the deep-freezer.

[robthemac]

If you want to crack the finish, don't shoot it with compressed air. That gives spider web blotches.

The only way to effectively crackle an instrument, assuming the nitro is hard enough to do this (most aren't), is the deep-freezer.

Veganism really limits my freezer needs. Can't fit a Strat body in mine, let alone a set-neck.

[GrantB]

A freezer job

[robthemac]

Grant is right though. Compressed air will crack the finish, but not in the lovely parallel horizontal lines that vintage guitars have.