UV-cured finish

A finish that hardens in seconds under ultraviolet light, standard in modern factory production.

UV-curable coatings contain photo-initiators that react as the instrument passes under banks of ultraviolet lamps, so a sprayed body is tack-free in seconds instead of drying overnight. That speed is why a factory line can finish and polish hundreds of instruments a day, and it also allows a very hard, level film to be built quickly. It is commonly described as a very hard, smooth finish that seals the wood and adds little damping of its own, though players rarely distinguish it from a good polyester. The limits are practical: it needs expensive lamp equipment, it cures only where the light reaches, and an over-thick film can crack under impact.

Example: A production guitar finished under UV lamps can be sanded and polished minutes after spraying, which is exactly why the technique dominates factories.

typical use: Bodies and necks in large-scale production.

UV-cured finish

See also