EIR de-lamination from finish? Please help!

[silverspear]

Hi all:

Recently, I noticed a new whitish color appearing under the finish of my guitar, where the cutaway is. Under the sunlight, I noticed that a much more faint grey streak seems to be running along that grain of rosewood.

Pictures are below.. can anyone who can identify what it is, share with me what is happening under the finish exactly, and how do I solve it, or at least try to prevent it from worsening?

Many thanks in advance!!
This is a pic of the white color upfront:


This is the whitish color that I see, with the grey streak below it:


This is the grey strip that is running along the grain of rosewood.

[mirwa]

It looks like trapped moisture

Steve

[silverspear]

Originally Posted by mirwa

It looks like trapped moisture

Steve

I don't think it's likely.. because I have a dedicated humidity controlled cabinet for my guitars. it's always at 50% humidity. plus, this is not a new guitar...

[Seagull S6]

I would agree with Steve. R/H would not effect moisture or contaminants under the finish from trying to escape.

[silverspear]

oh my goodness. why wouldn't moisture try to escape from the other side of the wood, out from the inside of the guitar?

[runamuck]

I've seen something like that in a french polish where the players skin acids left that effect.

[mirwa]

It really could be anything, we are all making guesstimations based on a computer photo upwards of 4000 miles away

Steve

[B. Howard]

without knowing what type of finish materials we are looking at all bets are off..... What would haze a nitro wouldn't phase a UV poly..... Could be binding cement creep for all we know

[silverspear]

Originally Posted by B. Howard

without knowing what type of finish materials we are looking at all bets are off..... What would haze a nitro wouldn't phase a UV poly..... Could be binding cement creep for all we know

I've checked it. it's a full pore UV coating high gloss finish... is it detailed enough?

[mirwa]

If that’s a uv finish, then it’s likely that could be the finish disbonding with the rosewood, what reason is causing the disbond I cannot answer without seeing the guitar in my hands

Reasons for dsbonding are

Water entrapment
Storage in high or low humidity
Damage to the guitar
Different expansion rates of woods in the area
Different expansion rates of wood and binding
Uncured sealer gel
Uncured top coats
Wood sides contracting or flexing

Steve

[mirwa]

I just pm’d you a link showing how I paint with uv.

Steve

[Ned Milburn]

Could be artifacts from glue beginning to show through. Unless the finish begins de-laminating, the best is not to worry about it. Especially since it is on the bottom rib of the guitar, you and others won't see it when playing. If it is a new guitar and you are seriously concerned, talk to your vendor or the builder. UV cured poly finish is hard to repair. Nitro and French polish are the most repairable finishes, since later coatings can truly bond with original coatings.

[B. Howard]

Does not look like a typical UV delamination in the pic to me. Once the finish looses its bond and "pops" it usually gets a lot whiter looking than that. My bet is on binding cement creep or some other manufacturing defect that has been present all along but only recently noticed. But again not seeing it on my bench either.

[silverspear]

Originally Posted by B. Howard

Does not look like a typical UV delamination in the pic to me. Once the finish looses its bond and "pops" it usually gets a lot whiter looking than that. My bet is on binding cement creep or some other manufacturing defect that has been present all along but only recently noticed. But again not seeing it on my bench either.

I think I know what you mean.. the leftover glue that creeped out from gluing the binding was not removed completely, thus not allowing the coat to bind to the wood. am I correct?

it makes sense to me,..

[mirwa]

I have seen guitars that have had reactions with glue used during the assembly/manufacture of the instrument. The glue had not prevented adhesion, the glue did however discolour over time and show up in subsequent weeks /months / years, as a yellowing of the finish, most noteable on spruce tops, that being said anything is possible.

I think maybe some more clarification is required, what year of make and manufacture, it looks like a taylor to me.

That being said, I agree with above, it’s not really an issue and is highly unlikely to get bigger.

Steve