What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Nitro Guitar Finishes?

As a Nitrocellulose Manufacturer, share with you.

Nitrocellulose is believed to be more porous than polyester or polyurethane, and has a thinner, smooth and slightly slippery texture, not as solid or shrinking. Therefore, many purists and luthiers believe that the nitro coating allows the wood of the guitar to breathe, resulting in a more open sound and greater sustain.

Nitrocellulose Solution

Although nitrocellulose paint can bring a lighter sound to the guitar, its soft texture does make it vulnerable to appearance damage. This means that on guitars with nitro surface treatment, scratches and scratches are more obvious and easy to cause. Nitrocellulose paint will also wear out over time, darkening the areas where you often touch the guitar; such as the hem of your forearm. Nitrocellulose will also turn yellow over time, especially when there is too much sunlight.

In addition, after a few years, small cracks will appear in the nitro coating. This happens when the guitar is regularly exposed to different temperatures, because climate change can cause the wood to expand and shrink. And, as we explained, the nitrocellulose paint is thin and slightly porous, which means that the wood it uses is more prone to this problem.

Since most of these departments produce high-quality time-honored instruments, they use nitro veneers to reproduce the essence of their old models. Nitro varnish is also often used on more expensive guitars because the application process is time-consuming and requires multiple layers. In the final stage, they must also be carefully polished and polished by hand to ensure consistent professional quality.

However, it is interesting that many high-end guitars are deliberately damaged and worn to produce a stale appearance. In the industry, this is called "dumping"; as the demand for vintage guitars grows, this practice becomes more and more common. Since nitrocellulose is easily damaged and manipulated, most legacy guitars you will encounter will have this effect. Our company also has Nitrocellulose Solution for sale, please contact us.