Polyester finish
A catalysed polyester coating, the hard, thick, high-gloss finish of most modern factory guitars.
Catalysed polyester cures by chemical reaction rather than by solvent evaporation, so it sets hard quickly and can be sanded and polished to a very level gloss. It is the standard factory finish because it is fast, tough and resistant to sweat, alcohol and the knocks of a production line. It is commonly described as sealing a body more completely than lacquer, which some players feel damps the wood slightly while others hear no difference at all. Its practical drawbacks are the film thickness needed to build a finish and the difficulty of repair, since polyester does not burn in or blend as readily as nitrocellulose.
Example: A thick polyester finish keeps a modern production guitar looking new for years, at the cost of a slightly plastic feel and awkward spot repairs.
typical use: Bodies and necks on mass-produced instruments.
See also
Related
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