Checking / cracking a nitro guitar finish - Nitrocellulose relic tutorial

[@hatbpto5180]

One method that's been used is to first spray a few coats of clear shellac, before spraying your normal finish coats. The shellac supposedly provides a layer between the guitar body and the nitro finish which allows the finish to "slide" a bit. Then you only need use the canned air or cold-in-a-can to crack as you please. I have done this a couple of times and it seems to work well. I did this finish on an SRV Stratocaster build and gave it to the customer along with a couple of cans of cold air so he could do the cracking himself and he was thrilled to see the finish crack before his eyes! (I don't know if it's really called cold in a can but it's the stuff sold for troubleshooting electronic components). I've also done many nitro finishes without the shellac coats that cracked naturally over a few years. So I would not do the shellac method unless doing a relic job. Shellac method might be good for an acoustic guitar finish relic since there is no heating involved.

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Thanks for that!

[@hatbpto5180]

@@michael4196 Yeah I done it a couple times. It's a pain in the ass getting the shellac sanded well. I did put it over the sanding sealer, then sprayed color and clear coats over the shellac. I'm going to get back into guitar finishing some day and I might make a video. Whether the video is quality enough to put on KZbin is another thing.

[@hatbpto5180]

@@michael4196 I sprayed it on with my spray gun. I used the shellac flakes and you got to soak them in denatured alcohol to dissolve them. Pain in the ass but it was how the guitar shop I did work for wanted it done. I think I still have some of those flakes from many years ago When I did that stuff. Good luck with your nitro spraying 👍

[@AdamSJarrett]

Canned air wasn't working so I used an ice pack which instantly got results. In fact, it's probably better because you buy one and then you can re-use it indefinitely.

[@jamesdean2103]

how did u do it? ice pack, like ice in a pack? I'm confused... help

[@AaBb-nu6jg]

@@jamesdean2103 He means like a cold compress pack.

[@SpencerP96]

This method has its down sides, because of the temperature shock you get a lot of spider web checking and not the straight line checking that's desirable on a lot of relics. Getting the straight line checking seems very difficult though, and there's not a lot of good info out there on how to do it properly.

[@cedarraine7829]

MJT relic guitars does a good straight line checking, but it’s a mystery as to the technique

[@TerryMasri]

GUYS, DON'T DO THIS ON AN ACOUSTIC! I can't tell you how many guys permanently ruined their acoustics because they didn't know any better! It's common sense that since acoustic guitar wood is very thin, it is clearly very susceptible to warping if subjected to high heat and then freezing temperature. It's not rocket science! You notice that the guy in the video demonstrated the cracking that occurs naturally over time on an acoustic but applied his technique on a SOLID BODY electric.

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Terry Masri Exactly. The Gibson acoustic shown in the video aged naturally. I only use this method on solid body electrics.

[@reijerlincoln]

Indeed.

[@twootters7433]

GUYS!! Don't do it at all!!!

[@demomusikindo]

@@LoneStarGuitars i think you should pin this comment

[@ken.martin]

How should I do this on my Nitro acoustic without it being damaged?

[@74dartman13]

Thanks for showing how you do this. I'm working on a body now and thinking about finishing it the same way. You took a new body and made it look 40 years old in a few minutes! Cool!😎🎸🎶

[@kickpublishing]

I bet your local store thinks you are huffing all those cans of air cleaner

[@kjv-public-domain]

I have a 1980 Gibson 335s tobacco sunburst nitro finish. It is naturally crazing and it looks absolutely stunning. I can see why it is a desirable effect.

[@lesblack413]

I'm so pleased my pristine 1957 ES335 TDN doesn't have any induced crazing or checking on it. Why would anyone want to check and craze a beautifully finished guitar ahead of time. Just playing it will achieve a road worn look over time.

[@absolving]

Great video thanks! Contemplating doing this on my SG Reissue bass.

[@TerryMasri]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you!

[@allendodd4844]

I brought my guiter in from the car in sub zero temps. Opened the case immediately and cracked all the finish on my acoustic by accident circa 1974. You could hear the cracking and popping. An accident.

[@andrewgregoryhansen1209]

Great video. My early background was in chemistry, physics, and of course guitar, so I feel obliged to say that you should be able to both strengthen the effect and do it more efficiently with an industrial heat gun and some strong homemade nitrocellulose lacquer, made to a greater molarity by addition of more nitrocellulose, relatively speaking.

[@Miltoncity]

How could I make my own nitro laquer?

[@herickvar8608]

How?

[@IamtheActionman]

Super cool technique and thanks for sharing.

[@RaphaelNano]

Excellent! I'm not sure if I wanna do this on my Gibson LP Custom. I don't mind new looking guitars, but LP customs look MUCH better when aged IMO. Thanks for the video!

[@LoneStarGuitars]

You're welcome! LP's sure do look great when aged. Nothing beats natural aging though.

[@stacksack6060]

you should let it age naturaly, it will be better in the long run. and if you crack up the finnish well, theres no undoing it

[@GIBKEL]

I have a dog hair dog finish that turned out a bit too perfect. Only a bit rougher on side profile of a swamp ash. Because I scraped the grain with a brush, I got some nice grain showing through, even after the nitro which paused me from a sand and polish. It came out so nice and shiny that I think that going right into to this relic (heat and cold) is the right move for the finish. Where it’s rougher on the sides, especially the harder curves where I was hesitant to hold the spray gun could stand a high grit sand. I’ve been paralyzed a bit because I didn’t think it would lay down that flat and shiny…..a bit too shiny on the large surfaces and lost some of that dog hair effect that it had when it was bare. A quandary I didn’t expect…….the maple neck turned out the same with very little orange peel. The most perfect atmospheric conditions of temp and low humidity. Any thoughts?

[@jesussavesrick]

Would putting it in freezer be just as good and cheaper? And then hit it with the hair dryer?

[@mylogify]

Wow looks very nice! Do you know how does Fender, or Gibson do their Relics do you think the same process? And do you know if the old guitars nitro finish were different than todays nitro finish? If it is, what are the differences and why there is difference today?

[@bertonedes]

Nice. Is air compressor on cold wheater also an option, In combination with a hairdryer?

[@Trashpanda_404]

Thanks for the video! Couldn’t you just freeze the body first, then hit it with rapid heat?

[@georgemack4399]

If you live in a cold area like me you put it outside. Its 17° right now here in Ohio I put my 2018 Gibson silverburst out at 3am around 7:30 am I will go out with a industrial heat gun and blast it outside. I am doing a full video today.

[@Carlo_Grande]

still waiting for the video.. xD

[@georgemack4399]

@@Carlo_Grande its on my public channel That guitar guy. moonlight with gibson silverburst 17 degrees

[@georgemack4399]

@@Carlo_Grande i'm sorry its moonlight with gibson les paul studio deluxe

[@brunocejas]

@@georgemack4399 Didn't found that video.

[@georgemack4399]

@@brunocejas kzbin.info/door/4OeJnTVWLkylMFsVwDBjjQ

[@TeensierPython]

I put a nice coat of car wax on my nitro finish. Looks amazing. Think I’ll keep it looking great as long as I can.

[@garyeckel8876]

I stripped a brand new Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro V with Lacquer Thinner it has a beautiful natural wood. I like it a lot better, but I may tone the wood and put a very thin coat of clear to seal it. Shellac maybe? what would you recommend?

[@allthings1150]

Nitrocellulose from stew Mac the lacquer won’t do this

[@avm2889]

Great tutorial. Can i also crack a nitro finish with a poly undercoat finish beneath it?

[@zzubuzz]

You should send this to Historic makeovers, they do it all wrong, they end up with checking that looks like an old vintage guitar, not like the spider webbing you get from that method of using freeze spray. I'm wondering why you'd tell your trade secrets to everybody, can you tell us how to get rub thrus that look like I used a bench grinder with a wire wheel?

[@evanceremony7145]

Great video, thank you!

[@wesleychef]

I just sprayed with minwax lacquer About 4 weeks ago . I tried the hair dryer and ice method and even used electrical cleaner sprayed upside down and I got no checking . I have heard that this will check but it has to cure for a few months ? What do you think . I have a deep freezer that goes to negative 20 should I just use that ?

[@LoneStarGuitars]

The lacquer is probably too 'young'. It needs to harden quite a bit before this will work. Give it a couple of months and try again. The body in this video had been drying for quite a while as well. Best of luck!

[@KTGHATS]

Possible to do this without disassembly? Or will I melt the plastic binding?

[@howardsternssmicrophone9332]

Does anyone know what is the best Nitro lacquer you can buy? I went down that rabbit hole, and I read different things. Some say most of the formulas aren't the same as the old stuff, but Fender and Gibson relic their guitars, so they're bound to be getting something that's accurate. Is Stewmac any good? I don't know. I'm really just thinking I might get some rattle can stuff as I don't have a spray gun. Trouble with that is you can't customize your color. There are some people out there saying that the Mowhawk Furniture lacquer is actually more close to the original lacquer than their instrument lacquer. I don't know, thats why I ask. EDIT: One more thing I'd like to add....I read all the specs on most of the modern lacquer that is available, and they all say the same thing...."Resist cold checking"....That's a big no-no if you want a vintage finish, right?

[@flapjack413]

Thanks for sharing this, good info here! Just one question... Can you do this on a freshly sprayed finish, or do you need to give it a month or so to cure more before doing it?

[@Makuz1988]

Good question, I´ll try

[@billyc6678]

This was quite interesting. Thank u

[@julianhoogendoorn3114]

Question: can you use this method after you follow your 3 part nitro finish videos? I am curious if you also need to polish it (part 3) before you do this. Curious what you recommend

[@jimmyjimmy951]

Great tip. Looks very convincing. 👍🇦🇺

[@waveshapes251]

Hi. This is awesome. How do you finish a guitar for a good checking effect? I'm thinking what types of coats and what amount of layers do you usually prefer? Also, ever tried doing this with something like a freezer and a sauna/oven on low temp/hot spot in the sun to save on the air cans?

[@artor1309]

can i do it without disassembling the guitar or there's risks of damaging electrical components? of course not that near the amp jack etc.

[@shelo0828]

guys, in case i want to remove the cracking effect. what should be done?

[@matcustom]

hey great !!!!!!!!! I tested on my Gibson L-00 standard, and it did not work, the finish is nitro, yet it works on my other guitars. what do you think? I don't know what to do anymore 😭

[@brunocejas]

Giving heat to a acoustic guitar top is dangerous.

[@AreWeGuilty]

hello, i’ve tried this method with nitro finish from northwest guitar on my strat projects, didn’t work at all... i’ve let the nitro cure 2 months before trying on one guitar and did the other at 2weeks and then 1month. Sprayed 4 coats of color over 3 coats of white no clear gloss on top. wood is alder. Should I do something different? or try another nitro brand? I was thinking of dartfords can? Could you recommend one brand? (I’m living in europe) Also for the head stock, i’ve used vintage amber (northwest guitars) and 2 layer of clear nitro gloss (northwest) did not check either, should I put clear coat after checking?? Thanks! great video though Axxl

[@jerrymorganjr]

You're finish could possibly be too thin. Also having the grain filled keeps the lacquer from absorbing into the wood, making the lacquer check easier. Just my experience anyway.

[@AreWeGuilty]

Jerry Morgan JR Thank you very much! i ve tried with more clear lacquer coat from dartford (one guitar with 5 layers of clear coat and one eith eight) and it checked but only slighty with a strange pattern. I’m gonna try the wood filler technique ! thanks!

[@jerrymorganjr]

@@AreWeGuilty No problem! I have learned the more coats of lacquer, the easier it cracks. I've use minwax, deft, and mohawk. Are you located in the USA?

[@AreWeGuilty]

@@jerrymorganjr No ! I'm located in switzerland, therefore it is really difficult for me to find the right product... I rely mostly on the internet and shipping and tax from US are too high for me unfortunately. I've tried to check one of the neck I refinished yesterday without sucess. I hope someday i'll get it right ! May I ask, do you go for gain filler then 2-5 coats of primer then 4-5 coats of color then 4-8coats of clear lacquer ? with light sanding between coats?

[@jerrymorganjr]

@@AreWeGuiltygrain fill first, then I actually make my own primer by mixing a matte lacquer with white colortone pigment, then maybe 1 or 2 color coats. Just enough to completely cover it, then a couple clear coats, then level sand, and more clear coats with sanding as needed. I honestly don't count my coats. I try not to sand color coats if I don't have too. It's very possible that the lacquer in your country is different. If you ever need a custom color lacquer, I could send you some. I order clear not plastizied lacquer in bulk and mix my own colors. Check out @jerrymorganmusic on Instagram and you can see some of my colors.

[@Jasonhostetler_]

Does the paint have to be nitro or can you just do Nitro clear coat?

[@quijadriss7650]

So I'm interested in doing this and I have a question I haven't been able to find a good answer for. Do you do the checking under the pick guard and hardware? I could see it being a personal choice, but if I want to look as natural as possible and all. Thanks.

[@blakecurry3461]

What nitro lacquer did you use? I got some from StewMac and this method does nothing.

[@larrylunkerman3946]

can you achieve the checking effect this way with a normal lacquer? non nitrocellulose.

[@bosticcustomguitars3249]

Where did you purchase your nitro lacquer? Thanks!

[@danielpguitar]

Great video. I have seen this on a website before but i never saw it done on a video. Do you think it will work on a guitar finished w tru oil?

[@brunocejas]

Nope.

[@yoisu7689]

good vibes!!! I would like to run the crack sideways. Are there any techniques and tricks?

[@LoneStarGuitars]

+yoji morisawa Thanks! In my honest experience it kind of tends to do its own thing... Usually it will go more or less in the direction of the grain. You can influence the direction of the cracks somewhat by creating some marks yourself before going at it with the compressed air. I will be doing some experiments using tape next week by the way. If I find anything of interest I'll post it here!

[@blake2456]

The relic guys at Gibson do it by hand with a razor and other tools.

[@blake2456]

@@HIWATTSteve Oh I fully agree. I don't have the money for "trial and error" with razors bahaha (cries inside)

[@ufopilotFPV]

Man i've taken a hack saw to one of mine lol.. i was a teen though

[@david.lamour]

It doesnt work on my gibson les paul with nitrocellulose. I don't know why because I am doing the same process as you.

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Unfortunately not all nitro finishes are the same. Some have a slightly different composition that make them more flexible, scratch resistant, etc. There's always the razor blade method though.

[@david.lamour]

@@LoneStarGuitars Thanks

[@PedroLucas-go6ye]

@@LoneStarGuitars what kinda of varnish would you tell us to buy? What kinda of composition of nitro? The maritim ones? Do you use a polyester paint after the nitro varnish or lacquer?

[@PedroLucas-go6ye]

If i use polyester paint and after the nitro lacquer should it also work????

[@therealjeroen]

Thanks for this great tutorial! Do you check / crack / relic into the colour coat and then finish with a transparant top coat, or do you check / crack / relic into the final (transparent) top coat? Thanks!

[@waterwoodguitars6871]

therealjeroen you want the check the finished guitar body. Do your color coats top coat/clear coat and then check it. Think of how this would happen on an old guitar. All the painting/finishing would be done already before it checked.

[@TheJamminBen1]

Does anyone have tips on how to produce this type finish on an acoustic? I know you can't hit them as aggressively as a solid body electric. Thanks

[@mufidzzukhruf3497]

how about using ice instead of Air duster ?

[@plasticspoon839]

Very clever! Thanks

[@gab7386]

Thank you for sharing this but i would like to know if it’salso working for poly finish?

[@Ab.gs3]

Nope

[@gab7386]

@@Ab.gs3 thx mate

[@Ab.gs3]

@@gab7386 no problem!

[@richardmalar9380]

Is important to do "dents" before of after checking the finish?

[@mrfester42]

You imply that this works with new nitro finishes meaning a finish that hasn't totally hardened yet. After applying a new nitro finish what is the longest you could wait to get a good result? I'm assuming that it can't be done after a certain time period after which the nitro has hardened

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Actually it is easier to do on older nitro finishes. A nitro finish will continue to 'dry' for its entire lifetime, meaning that it will shrink and become more brittle as the years pass. At a certain point it will usually 'break' and show those checking patterns. A fresh or young nitro finish will be much softer and thus harder to 'crack'. Sometimes a young finish will actually self-heal, meaning that the cracks you create will slowly dissapear. Usually I will wait about a month before sanding and polishing a new nitro finish. After that I'll wait at least another month before relic'ing it. That way it'll be at least two months old. But you can wait as long as you want to do this, it'll just be easier on an old nitro finish.

[@chrishershey5033]

Does this method only work with lacquer?

[@Thisisrance]

I had an idea and I’ll probably try it on my next guitar relic project. Basically, I want to bake the body in my oven at a hot but safe temp then pour liquid nitrogen over it… there’s no way it’s not going to do something cool 😂. I’m hoping some of the finish will actually flake off

[@DonLemelin]

I"ve got an original buck owens harmony that I'm about to replace the headstock overlay. It's a sort of plastic and I'm planning to spray it with a tinted amber clear to match the original finish of the guitar body. Do you think this process would work on lacquer that has been applied over plastic? Would it degrade the plastic if not too much heat is applied. What lacquers do you use? I'm looking at the Stew Mac. Thanks and wonderful video I may try this on the original lacquer finish on my '64 corvette!

[@LoneStarGuitars]

+Don Lemelin Getting this to work on plastic shouldn't be a problem. In my experience very thick finishes are much harder to 'crack', so try to keep it on the thin side. I would recommend not using a heat gun, but to use a hair dryer just like in the video. The risk of overheating will be much lower. I like to use nitro by Manchester guitar tech, but since he's located in the UK that might not be an option for you. He does have some excellent aerosols. The stewmac aerosols will do just fine as well. Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@DonLemelin]

Thank you so much!!

[@luminawarren8132]

I understand that the cracked finish takes a certain amount of skill however the cracked or damaged look is just a smoke dream really.

[@lalodiaz3886]

Do you have to first apply the nitrocellulose and then heat and leave the paint cracked as if it were old? that nitrocellulose where is it obtained?

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Yes, you basically first apply a full nitrocellulose finish and sand and polish it as if it were a high gloss (non-relic) finish. As soon as it's had a couple weeks to properly cure you can apply this method to 'crack' the finish. You can buy nitro from many stores. If you're in the US I can recommend the Stewmac nitro. If you live in Europe a good source is Manchester Guitar Tech. I will upload a full nitrocellulose finishing tutorial somewhere in the next week. Check it out if you're interested.

[@TerryMasri]

I have the feeling from the way Lalo Diaz asked the question that he is far below the skill level to apply a Nitro finish on a guitar body, which is much harder than actually relicing the damn thing! I could be wrong!

[@wamgoc3637]

I used to undo this kind of thing with amalgamator. We wanted them nice back then.

[@twootters7433]

Seems there's a new breed that want them trashed now. You don't see top players doing this. You see wanna be's who want their guitar to look like the top players guitar which got that way from years of touring and playing.

[@patrii9100]

Looks great!!

[@LoneStarGuitars]

+patrii9100 Thanks!

[@blainemurphy1351]

What kind of clear coat is on that guitar what can that work with any clear coat? Enamel, acrylic, lacquer, etc.?

[@mavrim7]

Guy said lacquer. Clear lacquer. Years ago I remember using rustoleum enamel paint. They cautioned to recoat within 2 hours. Well, I recoated later and the finish crackled.

[@Namiaki777]

冷却スプレーとドライヤーを交互にかけたら、ラッカー塗装にウェザーチェック が出るって動画ですね。

[@Aviator9012]

Nice job - what about Les Pauls ? Can I put it also over night in the freezer? Doesn‘t it damage the neck ?

[@LoneStarGuitars]

+Aviator9012 I'd recommend not doing this. In most cases the compressed air method will do the job.

[@nickrook5519]

Engine oil works I’m an aircraft mechanic and this is one way to determine if older aircraft have nitrocellulose paint

[@scottlaurenceguitarist]

Do you need a respirator when you use the condensed air?

[@timothyegann6685]

My strat is starting to do this around my arm rest area.. does this just mean the paint is starting to wear down? I have only had this paint job for about a week

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Did you have it refinished? Nitro usually doesn't show any checking until it's at least a few years old. Has your guitar been exposed to major temperature or humidity changes? It could also mean the primer or base coat is not compatible with nitro.

[@Kianacoustic]

can i use iron for this?

[@okioktamiyuda3205]

Can i use heat gun to replace hair dryer?

[@MrDblStop]

Very carefully! They are a lot hotter than a hair dryer and will burn off the paint.

[@okioktamiyuda3205]

@@MrDblStop ok, thank you

[@mavrim7]

They sell cans of freeze it spray that is used in the electronics industry to find cold solder joints. Same principle as using compressed air can upside down I guess. Has anyone tried freeze it to do this relicing?

[@zezohc]

PU paint works?

[@jesussavesrick]

Couldn’t you put it in the freezer first overnight and then take it out and then hit it with a heat gun? Wouldn’t that crack it as well?

[@iVironment]

You don't even need to heat it. Just keeping it in the freezer for half an hour should be enough to get some nice checking with sufficiently dry lacquer

[@edadpops1709]

Man I’ve gone true 4 cans and got nothing on 5he front and only minor on the edge on the back.I give up,don’t know what I’m doing wrong.

[@PickupsAreNotTrucks]

This only works if you have a nitro finish. You may have a poly finish.

[@soapboxearth2]

does it work on Gibson nitro? they use a plasticizer to prevent checking. thanks!

[@LoneStarGuitars]

+soapboxearth I'm sorry, I haven't tried this on newer Gibson finishes yet. It sure would be more difficult to do.

[@craggy1969]

Doesn't work on my 2019 Gibson SG and Gold Top, I'm most annoyed.

[@tsmith4068]

How do you do it on a poly finish?

[@CNCTEMATIC]

I tried this on a small part of the back of my guitar. It's a handmade Strat copy with really thin nitro lacquer. It came out very spider-web like, doesn't look natural to me. There's too many very small cracks making very small squarish shapes. Real checking has longer lines wider apart. I won't do it any further.

[@LoneStarGuitars]

It really depends. I have vintage guitars that have the checking very widely spaced, but also ones that have a very fine 'mesh' of checking. Both are naturally aged, so both are completely 'natural'. I guess it all depends on the exact composition of the nitro (different companies might use different placticisers, for example) and on the conditions in which the guitar is stored. You are right about this method creating a checking that is on the 'fine mesh' side of the spectrum. In the end it's all a matter of taste.

[@CNCTEMATIC]

Hey, thanks for your reply. I would be really interested to see real vintage guitars with that same 'fine mesh' style cracking. I've been looking up close at every picture of old guitars I come across to see if that happens, and the only thing that came close was a very worn 52 Goldtop, but its cracks were much deeper and wider. I just want it to look realistic. I wonder if this heat/cool method reveals how a particular guitar's lacquer would crack naturally. Like maybe if I waited 50 years I'd end up with that sort of checking on this guitar anyway. cheers

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Maybe we're not referring to the same thing. The Gibson acoustic shown in this video aged naturally. The checking pattern on it is very similar to the checking I created on the Tele in the video. But maybe the pattern on your guitar is even finer? Anyway, it would be interesting to know if your guitar would also show the finer checking pattern if aged naturally. I guess you can let me know in about 50 years? ;-)

[@CNCTEMATIC]

Yeah on the corner of my guitar it wasn't a whole lot finer than what you got, but it was a little, and it was also extremely like a tiny spider web, is the only way I can describe it. Lots of very fine cracks making small, similar oblong shapes. Not that different to yours in density (though different some); main difference was with yours the cracks varied a bit more in size and shape - there are bigger cracks extending for several inches across the wood, mixed in with some finer ones. On mine they'e all the same size, none extend more than a few mil before crossing another, so all the shapes are uniformly only a few mil wide. Definitely will drop you a line in 2068 to let you know how its going :)

[@REDFOOT79]

So theoretically as long as its that type of laquer. I could pull off the same effect on other objects ?? Like say a hockey mask. Maybe 🤷‍♂️

[@stratmanjoe]

Will this work on minwax too?

[@CentaurusRelax314]

I have a new/2021 Gibson ES-335. It's beautiful, but pristine, so it has no character. But, i'm not sure i have the stones to do this on the most expensive guitar i've ever owned....

[@JerryRiceBall]

So I used a duster can to get some checking on my nitro strat and it worked great. So i did the whole guitar..body, neck, face of headstock and it went fine. So i put the guitar back on the rack, a day or so later i grab the guitar to play it and all the checking has mysteriously disappeared.. literally not a single crack anywhere. Im extremely confused as to how this is even possible. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

[@Brent-Nelson68]

If the nitro isn’t 100% cured it will melt back together.

[@JohnSmith-ym4sl]

I can’t get my nitro to crack tried this method even left it in the freezer overnight still not cracks

[@deebee8935]

Many years ago a Gibson rep left 6 or so guitars samples in his trunk overnight..Michigan winters can get into the teens..He brought them out to show clients at guitar stores the next morning, laid them out, you could almost hear the finish cracking..CRAZING LIKE OLD CERAMIC..HE ruined all guitars..But now we'd call that cool..I've seen guys that are ' pros' use exacto knives..Looks like hell..Nothing like the real deal..My 56 STANDARD has the look...

[@homelifechannel8631]

Does it work without being nitrocellulose or does it only work when it is nitrocellulose?

[@LoneStarGuitars]

It only works on nitrocellulose. Poly is not affected at all.

[@homelifechannel8631]

Lone Star Guitars Do you think that the Fender American Standard Stratocaster has nitrocellulose?

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Home Life Channel The American standards usually have a poly finish. I believe there have been some limited run American standards with a nitro finish though.

[@homelifechannel8631]

Lone Star Guitars Thank you for your help!

[@joezambrano1149]

Right on

[@CentaurusRelax314]

Might be important to add: not to let water condensation stay on the body for very long. When I tested this technique on the back of a Strat, I got bubbles in the finish. Not good.

[@FriendM2010]

I want to remove the checks showing up on my 77 Martin HD28. Wrong video… 😳😂

[@tokiorain9151]

Noob question. How do I tell if a guitar is finished in nitrocellulose or poly?

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Not a noob question at all, actually a very good question! First of all, nitro has a very distinct smell. You can still smell it when you open the guitar case, even when a guitar is years old. Secondly, you can often see it, since poly finishes are usually quite thick. It's almost like a layer of plastic. But this is not always the case. You can also tell by the way it ages. Poly is very durable (meaning that it will hardly wear down) and nitro will wear down quite easily (just look at relic guitars). Of course, if you want to know for sure, remove a pickup and apply a cotton swab with some acetone to a small area in the pickup cavity (or another invisible area). If the finish comes off, it's nitro. If it doesn't, it's probably poly. Just make sure you don't get any acetone elsewhere on you guitar because if it's nitro it will definitely ruin your finish! Best of luck.

[@tokiorain9151]

Lone Star Guitars many thanks! Have a great weekend 😊

[@Twanger..]

Didn't work on my 2019 Jimmy Page Tele today.

[@martincorrea4031]

Does it work with w40?

[@iVironment]

yes, I did it with that

[@gmmakesmehurl]

Lol. I'm trying to get RID of checking/crazing.

[@twootters7433]

@THE ACOUSTIC CAGE I'm #2. Let's ruin a good guitar for no legit reason. Wanna age a guitar? Play the crap out of it. It'll age. This stuff is just lame. Why would anyone wanna trash their guitar on purpose? What's the reason? Is it cool? Does it make the player feel special in some way? Is it a way to show off? "Dudes, look how aged my guitar is".

[@user-oy7gz5bf2h]

@@twootters7433 It's a bit weird that they make new guitars super relic'ed. But I do find them more nice looking. It's one of the reasons I want a nitro finished strat. I want it to age. And even if you play it every day, that aging process is long. I wouldn't scratch it voluntarily, but that's just me. I like aged paint jobs.

[@orbitaljellyfish808]

How to get higher than a kite and dain bramage

[@bluesguy62]

Takdo kojo lain ko?

[@STAY-GOLD-VINYL]

You should just get a refillable co2 tank

[@iVironment]

@@HIWATTSteve how long do you keep it in the dry ice for?

[@geet77777]

compressed air makes thw pttern tandom and soeant chill it to the core. the temp change needs to be more gradual and total.I can spot an fake one instantly unless someone did it correctly with a freezer.

[@neon_one]

Geez people would pay for that? I absolutely hate it on my dark red gibson lp studio. I'm hoping it can be fixed a little. Though it's excessive like a glazed donut or something. I wouldn't mind if it were like that

[@frankiebella7808]

Easier to stick it on the rooftop an forget about It"...😋😂😅

[@Eyeofdajjal]

I’d actually like to reverse this 😂 but nay, I can only find how to ruin it!

[@MB-fu9rw]

Not one clip on buffing out crazed finish.

[@scavomancunia]

if you gently head the finish with a hairdryer it should reverse the process.

[@stacksack6060]

why would you do this?

[@LoneStarGuitars]

Because a customer requested it. I know there are a lot of people who don't like this kind of thing, but there are also a lot who do. I built and finished this body myself, so I'm not messing with anybody else's work. Hence, if this is what the customer likes I'm fine with it.

[@esmeulonsouzadeoliveira3636]

💫⚡💡⚡💫 .

[@carlosvillegas8775]

I'll try with my heat gun and air compressor

[@Peron1-MC]

its not the compressed air he is using to cool it. when he turns the can upside down it comes out as a super cold liquid rather than as a gas when used as intended. ps it might still work with an air compressor. it might cool it off enough :)

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

didn't need the blow dryer cus it's texas lol

[@Outdoorshuntingshooting]

It does not look right, the lacquer looks like it’s expanded not shrunk, the look should be very subtle, the cracks in the lacquer should catch the light for it too look natural.

[@morrisonreed1]

off the subject .but what is your accent

[@LoneStarGuitars]

It's Dutch (my shop is located in The Netherlands).