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  #1  
Old 04-22-2017, 07:57 PM
ARiley ARiley is offline
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Default Satin or gloss finish?

So I had a chance to browse the acoustic room of one of the local GC's today (I have to get out in the 'burbs to find a GC, so it doesn't happen often) and noticed the finishes on their floor models: either satin or high gloss.

Which do you prefer? And why?

Personally, I like the satin finish. I don't know if it makes any difference sound-wise, but it looks & feels all hippie-granola natural to me, and well, y'know. How 'bout you?
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:02 PM
silvertonebetty silvertonebetty is offline
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Default Satin or gloss finish?

Gloss
I like the feeling of it Better. Put a thick Polly on a acoustic may effect how the wood vibrated inso effecting the sound

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Old 04-22-2017, 08:03 PM
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TBman TBman is offline
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I like both. The satins have a more woody sound to them for some reason, but my 45 sounds good (mellow) inspite of the gloss.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:07 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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I am always surprised when I hear anyone prefers a satin finish. I've been surprised quite a bit too because anything other than gloss has always felt, well, cheap to me and i never seem to remember that not everyone feels the same way.

Satin finishes are cheaper to do, so I understand, but that was something learned well after my preferences were formed. Satin does not show fingerprints or marks so easily and has no effect on the sound. I do prefer satin for necks as it is often more smooth and slippery, but that is the only place i prefer it.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:10 PM
Kerbie Kerbie is offline
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I've owned both and like both just fine. I've had a couple satin-finished, all-Mahogany guitars and I thought the satin was a very appropriate finish on those.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:11 PM
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Gloss for me please. I especially like the Vintage gloss finish on the VTS Authentics.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:17 PM
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I vastly prefer satin. No fingerprints to worry about, no forearm stickiness, no gummy necks. My Waterloo is the perfect example, and I love the way it looks.

My Gibson and my Guild are both gloss, and they're okay since the tops are natural and their backs & sides are light. But high-gloss nitro on a dark or a sunburst finish ends up looking terrible almost as soon as you pick it up.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:24 PM
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Ed-in-Ohio Ed-in-Ohio is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kerbie View Post
I've owned both and like both just fine. I've had a couple satin-finished, all-Mahogany guitars and I thought the satin was a very appropriate finish on those.
+1. I vote both, and think that my preferred finish for a particular guitar would vary based on the appearance of the tonewoods, the style of the build, and the skill of the finish applier. I also agree that all-mahogany guitars look wonderful with a skillfully applied satin finish.

That said, my favorite finish of all may be the in-between semi-gloss. One often sees this finish on vintage Martin all-mahogany 00 guitars and on some luthier built hand applied oil varnish finishes. You can also see this semi-gloss on old, well traveled, nitro finished guitars where the finish has "patina'd" to a semi-gloss. Beautiful.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:26 PM
Steadfastly Steadfastly is offline
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I prefer a high gloss satiny kind of finish with a highly polished top gloss coat.

Why? I like shiny things.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:26 PM
vindibona1 vindibona1 is offline
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To me.... Satin on an acoustic body always looks cheap. Just does. Sorry.

Years ago I was doing a lot of professional photo print finishing. The ones for competition were ALWAYS glossy because it brought out the depth, but took tons of time and effort and skill to get right. I don't see any difference in guitar finishing. You want to bring out the natural beauty and depth in the grain and satin just doesn't cut it. There's no getting around it. Gloss takes more time and skill to do it right.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:35 PM
rgregg48 rgregg48 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
I am always surprised when I hear anyone prefers a satin finish. I've been surprised quite a bit too because anything other than gloss has always felt, well, cheap to me and i never seem to remember that not everyone feels the same way.

Satin finishes are cheaper to do, so I understand, but that was something learned well after my preferences were formed. Satin does not show fingerprints or marks so easily and has no effect on the sound. I do prefer satin for necks as it is often more smooth and slippery, but that is the only place i prefer it.


Oh "laa dee dah"
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:41 PM
flaggerphil flaggerphil is offline
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It makes no difference to me.
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:49 PM
Greg Ballantyne Greg Ballantyne is offline
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I've got one guitar with a satin finish, got to say I like gloss on the body and semi-gloss on the neck. Hand usually shines up the neck anyhow....
But I like that Seagull NE just fine all the same....
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Old 04-22-2017, 09:09 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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I own both high gloss and satin finish guitars, plus a couple of instruments that were French polished and are about halfway in between.

They all look fine to me.

If I spent endless hours gazing adoringly at my guitars I'd probably insist on them all being high gloss, as I do think that brings out the wood grain better, but I can't really gaze at them when I'm playing them, and when they're not getting played they're in their cases. So I can't gaze at them THEN, either!

Seriously, both finishes are fine with me.


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Old 04-22-2017, 09:10 PM
saxonblue saxonblue is offline
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Horses for courses, I have both & think I prefer the gloss of my Martin but would not use the finish as a dealbreaker if I liked the way a guitar sounds.

Just be aware that anywhere the hand regularly contacts the surface it will buff up to a shiny patina after a while. As a previous poster says the neck will gloss up & in my case the side of my right hand polishes up around the soundhole & the forearm does it a bit too on the lower bout.

I have a Maton 6 string & a Cole Clark 12 string both finished in satin nitrocellulose where this has occurred.
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