This Risky Guitar Mod Paid Off HUGE!

Today, I’m putting the Nitrocellulose vs Polyurethane debate to rest: does a guitar REALLY sound better in a Nitro finish? I took my Eric Clapton Strat to Tony Schroom to get refinished in nitrocellulose, and recorded the guitar before & after the refin to see what the real differences between nitro and poly are. The results are SHOCKING!
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Table of Contents:
00:00 The Nitro vs Poly Rabbit Hole
00:54 What Are We Doing Today?
03:00 Refnishing My Stratocaster
06:36 First Impressions of the Refnished Guitar
08:04 Poly VS Nitro (Clean Test)
10:43 Poly VS Nitro (Edge of Breakup Test)
13:14 POly VS Nitro (Dirty Test)
15:54 Final Thoughts on This Test
18:07 Thanks for Watching!
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CREDITS
Host/Co-Production: Mason Marangella
Co-Host: Gabriel Bergman
Videographer: Ricky Chavez
Video Editing: Mason Mejia
Co-Production/Design: Mason Mejia
Audio Engineering: Thea Prevalsky, Ricky Chavez, & Mason Mejia
Audio Editing: Hunter Harrison
Articles & Documents: Isaac DeFee
#nitrocellulose #guitarfinish #guitarmod #polyurethane

[@intrikatone4057]

I think that one variable that was overlooked here was a control element,meaning a 2nd guitar that was unchanged in both before and after recordings.If the control guitar sounded identical in both before and after recordings then you know that something in the recording process hasn't changed and caused an apparent difference.Because i can clearly hear a difference in the 2nd recording itself other than the guitars sound.

[@void_snw]

Yup. In the dirty example, the distortion from the drive suddenly is much duller. In no way, shape, or form, can any part of the guitar itself change that so much. Bumped a mic or knob 100%. Hell, could even be cold tubes vs warmed up tubes.

[@joespadaro361]

No need for this for me as a custom painter, from my experience the sound differences are repeatable, I have painted many guitars in both and the sound differences are always similar. The more Poly you put on a guitar the tub-ier it sounds with a bit of a dong ring. My first electric guitar SG I refinished it many, many times over the years, first in nitro in the late '70s, then nitro cleared with polyurethane, then more and more... each time it had a very noticeable difference that was consistent the more poly you spray on it... I have gone back to Nitro for all my color work for many reasons but on guitars because of this...

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

Would like to have heard it with no finish vs nitro and poly.

[@JosePineda-jn8jk]

I was just gonna say it is kind of a missed opportunity!

[@sixfix79]

Totally agree. Really a missed opportunity

[@bryanhamner]

Yeah me too

[@AroolBirnur]

Yep. That would’ve been interesting to compare.

[@kevnote]

So why hasn’t someone done that yet?

[@danielegray666]

People always do these tests by ear. We need spectral frequency graph and wave form comparison to see what's really happening. That being said the poly had more bass and I didn't hear any difference on the top end between the 2 finishes. Again spectral frequency results would confirm this or not. When it comes to signal you want as much information from the guitar as possible, because you can always EQ it out. it's much harder if not impossible to EQ it back in. So poly for me in this case

[@spencerfreed6947]

I actually thought the poly finish was a little snappier if that makes sense...gritty? The nitro sounded warmer and a bit more open. There's definitely a difference between the two! I think there's a place for both sonically. Great comparison video Mason!

[@insertguitaremoji]

Your more recent videos have been great to watch. Like what your doing with your resources and it makes for great content that is relevant to us all.

[@Ten80pete]

Someone could post a 4 hour loop of Schroom peeling that poly finish off of that guitar to r/oddlysatisfying and my day would be over.

[@Impractical_Engineer]

Sounded like when the microphone positions changes on the speaker. which I believe you kept the same between the two. Crazy how how it changed. Would have been cool to get a DI of each to do a frequency analysis on, eliminate as many variables as possible.

[@zaldvalencia]

Also different players have different pick attacks. They should've A-B from the same person.

[@jamesp5408]

Yes, it could be the difference between nitro and poly. Or it could be the 4% difference in weight. Or it could be the process of taking the guitar apart, desoldering pickups and electronics, stripping it, cleaning it up for refinishing, reassembly, re-soldering pickups and electronics, and doing what I imagine is a top-notch setup on the guitar to get it ready to play again. Honestly, folks, I used to be a die-hard advocate for finishes and tone woods, but I've seen so many tests that have stripped these influences away and found that the ONLY significant influences on electric guitar tone involve direct changes to pickups, electronics, and strings. Because there's SO much that happened to the guitar as a part of refinishing, I'd be far more inclined to suspect messing with electronics and doing a setup than any real impact of nitro v. poly. If you're interested in some pretty thorough testing of these elements, check out Jim Lill's YT channel.

[@chrisv2557]

Yep... apart from the instrument its the human element as well. Anyone can try this simple experiment: Record a guitar part. Then next day, take the same guitar and record the same part again. Compare the 2 recordings....they will NEVER sound exactly the same.

[@GerryBlue]

Maybe the room was hotter/colder on one of the days, this is like the light/heavy string debate. I think we should concentrate more on studying and improving playing the instrument. Of course I understand the logic for these video$ exi$tence.

[@LilOlFunnyBoy]

Exactly. Guitar players beard stroking like hifi enthusiasts is cringe.

[@jeremyhelm2833]

Agreed... I ask this next sentence be read aloud in the voice of Simpsons comic book guy... "Clearly the %20 vs %40 graphite impregnated nut, along with a stainless steel washers on the truss rod and synthetic fret markers are the keys to sounding like Eric Johnson" 😅😅😅😅

[@DOPEDOGTOPDOG]

Truth : a small change in action height can totally change the sound of a guitar : a lower action thins up the sound , higher action has more bass and punch . It could also be the strings : brand new set of strings VS one a few days old can already account for the difference . I believe Nitro VS Poly can make a difference on a jazz archtop acoustic : a fully hollow guitar with solid wood top : It can make this kind of guitar much lighter and much more resonant . I've seen it done on a 90's Epi Casino : the guitar went from 7 lbs to 3lbs and felt like a different instrument : , but it was the thickest coat of poly ever .

[@therewasascene]

That’s my putty knife!!! (Scraping the poly) I was a house painter for YEARS and I always had that little guy in my pocket. It’s from Lowe’s or Home Depot so it’s not really anything special but man. Huge sentimental value - I called it my little friend. Used it every day, had it all worn in with rounded edges and thinned down from years of scraping/patching walls…Dr. Schroom, you just took me back :)

[@edg5983]

Great!! Always awesome, entertaining and educational. Greetings from Mexico Dr

[@Charlie6String56]

I love nitro on my guitars, not even for the sound, but just how it feels. Poly is like playing with a toy, while nitro feels like handling a piece of art.

[@MoreMeRecording]

I also love the smell when I open the case ;)

[@kalkidasofficial]

Great phrase!

[@rgr4929]

Great experiment!! Congratulations!! It is REALLY a difference!!

[@patrickhay2561]

Could the pickups have ended up being farther from the strings once the pickguard was sitting on a thinner nitro finish? This could possibly explain some of the change in the tonal balance and gain structure. Regardless, I do believe you on the guitar sounding better acoustically with nitro :)

[@telecasterman18]

I mean they did say that original polyurethane finish was substantially thicker then the new nitrocellulose so you make a good point. I’m not sure if a 1/32-3/32” would change sound THAT much though, on the other hand.

[@traceo6]

Pickup height is measured from the bottom of the string to the top of the pickup, so if they set it up right (and I assume they did), then what is under the pickguard would not matter.

[@guitarandmore69]

Good catch!

[@JosePineda-jn8jk]

@@traceo6 I am not sure about the pick up height. He says in the video he took off the pick guard and so the pick ups are at the exact same height. That would mean the first commentor is correct, in the lower signal or less bass could be associated to the thinner finish, dropping the pickguards a little bit 🤷🏽‍♂️ The other question I personally have is did they also get a brand new set of strings each time, or were the poly strings older?

[@RobertSaxy]

These guys know how to setup guitars which should include pickup heights. However it’s still a good question to be asking

[@PerroDelCielo]

Pickups are not microphones, they cant capture soundwaves, they just capture the changes in a magnetic field cause by the vibration of the strings (metal strings), so paint finish as type of wood/material are irrelevant (take a look at James Trussart guitars), the only thing that matters is how well is build, tune, intonates, performs and of course mainly the electronics!

[@goswo]

Why is there a huge difference in sound than?

[@PerroDelCielo]

there are infinitive variables, if i have to guess the player/playing, atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity in the aire, big factors in how the instrument is going to perfom!

[@18JR78]

Ive seen a hack how removing the neck and re screwing it with a certain technique give the guitar way better sustain. I wonder if that was a factor opposed to the paint finish.

[@MrGibsn1960]

It's more than subtle. That's amazing. I've got a late 80s mij strat that I've been thinking about doing this to and you might have sold me on it.

[@soulblue398]

Show me 2 guitars with the same wood, same finish, same neck, same pickups and setup, played by the same guy in the same amp that sound the same and i will believe in tonewood, tonefinish and tonewhatever. One can argue about vibration and how different finishes let the wood vibrate more or less, but that wont make you a better player.

[@hyrumjensen4712]

It won’t make you a better player, but refinishing my partscaster with nitro makes it feel more MINE so I’m more motivated to play it so I’ll get better (is the hope?)

[@ecossette4488]

I think that the difference is because he removed the neck and now it sit better. The paint give a very marginal difference in an electric guitar.

[@soulblue398]

Its called the placebo effect. Some people get rig of deceases just by the power pf suggestion, nothing wrong with that.@@hyrumjensen4712

[@godbyone]

When it feels better. It sounds better whole thing works I’m in

[@Ottophil]

You’re right , screw the laws of physics. Balsa wood can sound like mahogany with the right pickups ? I dunno

[@garyr.313]

Vertes, thank you for conducting these tests. I'm hearing a lot of reverb during one test. Shouldn't these tests be done with no reverb and tone controls on flat?

[@Abutado]

Dude I have wanted this video for a long time

[@moj0ryzin]

Great video. I certainly heard a pronounced improvement in the tone between the poly and nitro. This has been very helpful to me because I’ve got a killer Baja Tele that I really love but I feel like the thick poly finish is negatively impacting the tone plus I don’t like the look or feel. I’ve been agonizing over doing this with the Tele but I’ve been afraid that all the work would not make much difference or worse screw it up. Thanks for doing the homework I’m going for it.

[@eanroad]

Fantastic vid!

[@dtrude000]

Great video, I wish you would have run the comparison to us as A, and B . So as we in our listening we were not tainted by knowing which was which. Then unveil . On a gear geek scale of 1-10 this is an eleven. Love it !!!!

[@CamiloVelandia]

Holy cow. Night and day. I've gotta rethink my whole life now. Would've been really cool to hear a sample putting a microphone and playing the guitar resonating acoustically without amp. Cool video, man!

[@juansolanas]

1 is a keeper! Great test!!! Thks!!!

[@arnolddealiii4259]

I was surprised it was that huge of a difference. I almost wondered if the TBX switch was at a different setting, or the mid boost circuit was at a different setting.

[@satanpuncher06]

I agree the poly one sounded a little more sparkly and clear. I wonder if the different neck feel effected the way you played it?

[@jeffdunlap9360]

Can't help but to hear the superior sound of the nitro.

[@NisGaarde]

Significant different for sure. The nitro just sounds more open to me.

[@glennfranzen3364]

I have always been a nitro fan and have heard even bigger differences on other refin's in the case of this Strat add a band and the Sonic differences may be lost but the loss of weight and the feel of the neck alone are a big plus.

[@arielista]

Almost sounds like 2 different strats and like both but if I had to pick one based on tone Poly overall sounded like more output, deeper bass, smoother high end and the mids seemed more present.

[@telecasterman18]

Two things I noticed as a woodworker that also plays guitar: 1) that original body was never sanded or finished because there was no need to with that thick layer of polyurethane finish. 2) because of the aforementioned, it makes me wonder if manufacturers would hide poorer quality pieces of lumber under thick finishes to make them seem more appealing. Different lumbers have different properties; having an effect on the timbre and resonance of an instrument so it would most certainly effect the sound.

[@baabaabaa-yp2jh]

Good take!! A mate of mine stripped his Squier Tele, changed pickups (JJs local to us), CTS pots, wire etc... Built from 2 pieces of Alder, it came out well, so well his mate asked him to strip his 02 US Strat.. The Strat was 4 pieces of Alder! (maybe why it was a solid colour?). Apart from drying time, both guitars sound great. Edit: both had a poly filler coat/s under the top coats that needed sanding to remove.

[@Aespos295]

This is an absolutely genius hypothesis that I never would have even considered had I not decided to read some of the comments. You have completely shaken my entire stance on this whole debate

[@telecasterman18]

@@Aespos295 Thanks man!

[@jesussavesrick]

I’ve done this to two of my Warmoth Guitars. Absolutely there’s a significant difference in both weight and tone. Refinished in oil only.

[@va7242]

I have a roasted alder Warmoth strat body. No finish at all. Neck is goncalo alves with bocote fretboard. No finish there either. 100% natural. Neck is Plek'ed. Plays and sounds like a strat on steroids. Body and neck adjust relatively quickly to different temperatures and humidities. Danny at Straight Frets suggested that I put finish on it. I said no thanks. No regrets.

[@BenBreard]

Yup I'm in the boat also. No finish on a paduak neck, tung oil on an alder body. LOVE IT! IT'S ALIVE!! :)

[@philippgrunert8776]

That difference was way more striking than I thought. Really crazy I actually like the poly for aggressive playing. Are the transients sort of compressed maybe? Sounded brighter and snappier

[@djw8133]

The theme music is great,where do I find it?

[@BuddyBlues]

Enjoyed the heck out of this

[@kylecravens6501]

Makes me want to refinish my Strat builds - I know it's usually about $600 though to strip, paint and refinish but I need to shop around

[@newgunguy4176]

Hi. Since the ROTOSPHERE is discontinued, what's the second best rotary speaker pedal? 🎸

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Still Rotosphere I or II.

[@tomblake3780]

Did you adjust the action since the bridge now sits lower relative to the fingerboard?

[@danthegeetarman]

Very interesting. Definitely 100% was able to blindly pick out the differences between the two (purposely listened only the first time to make sure it was fair blind A/B). There is a very clear difference. The good news for anyone listening (that preferred the nitro over poly and doesn’t have the ability to get theirs refinished) is any stock EQ in your DAW would be able to match the two. In this example, a subtle cut in the low mids (medium Q) and some subtle top end would have evened them out sonically. Thanks for doing this experiment. @vertex effects please do a similar one comparing the same guitar with a maple neck versus a rosewood neck (of the same specs - only difference being the fretboard layer). That should be very interesting too. Cheers

[@junjuan7695]

Fender used fullerplast to seal the wood back in the 50’s and 60’s. In case you don’t notice, the plast in fullerplast means plastic. They only used nitrocellulose lacquer because it was what was available back then.

[@barkeater9606]

The paint that Leo used was DuPont automotive paint, which had lead in it. That old paint didn’t let the wood breathe.

[@dougrudebaker7708]

The brain damage resulting to guitarists from the lead paint ensured debates about tone wood and coatings would persist for the next seventy years. 😂

[@junjuan7695]

Guitar woods are dead. They don’t breathe.

[@NJSonye]

It’s pretty understandable why Fender chose their Poly finish recipe. Now, other manufacturers have their recipe where they use a small amount of polo with nitro

[@joespadaro361]

Nice work... How do you know the Fender was painted in poly? When did Fender stop using Nitro? Do you know? Do they still use Nitro in Mexico/Japan? I love nitro, went back to Nitro for all my artwork, I mix all my own nitro colors these days because the paint stores are afraid for fear of fines... and on guitars Nitro clear only... I am an airbrush artist & custom painter I have painted many guitars in Nitro, years ago I used to clear them in Urethane... The sound differences are very big. Urethane rings like a rubber bell when left in the can to harden... The poly sound is always duller with a bit of ring...

[@alga1309]

The MIM fender guitars I think uses Polyester instead of Polypropylene. Is there a difference between this 2 finishes?

[@jonathanalmeida9788]

I love these types of experiments. I think as you said finish thickness alone being a significant variable, the difference is clear. I would be curious haw a poly finish in comparable thickness would sound similarly. Nobody goes out of their way to strip a perfectly good Nitro finish to do poly😂. So that point never may be realized. But finish thickness alone I would bet makes more difference than Nitro versus Poly. Nitro even a month after spraying is still not at it’s full hardness where Poly is cured 24hrs after spraying and 100% full hardness/cure a week latter. Nitro can cure for decades after initial spray and assembly before it is done off gassing and reaches full hardness. So a bit more nuanced.

[@jerryvahnknight218]

I dug the nitro all a round more. But, I wouldn’t kick either out the bed! However, there is definitely a vast difference immediately!

[@jameswyatt7382]

My question is how much it costs to refinish the guitar versus how much it costs to EQ a poly finished guitar so it sounds like a nitro finish guitar?

[@hafstrat]

Hmmm! Thinking about stripping my pro 2 strat and refinishing in black nitro. What could go wrong? 🙈

[@Souldoubtrocks]

I never thought of using a heat gun. That was very cool.

[@TheUnthaw]

Cool experiment. I really heard a differens 😊

[@derekhenderson1730]

Nitro is my favourite finish, always thought that poly was a character changer in certain ways, but not always bad. It sometimes has that character that's required for certain applications. Great test, and thanks for this.

[@MrChips04]

Interesting test! I preferred the more open, brighter, livelier sound of the nitro....but, could the test have been a bit more controlled? Same microphone, and EXACT same mic placement? Tubes aged a couple of months in between tests? Take that out of the equation with a Kemper or similar with exact recreatable settings? Same pick and picking location? How about testing the guitar in between with NO finish?

[@kennethdarlington]

So, changing the pickups was yesterday's tonewood. Today - hail the King! Changing finishes 🎉

[@massimos6863]

Awesome video Mason ❤ I do prefer the nitrocellulose it sounds more natural and open sounds like it's breathing and alive ❤ 🎸

[@leonbrownmusic]

Looking at the video the first example has the bass end of the neck pickup further from the strings. That's going to make a difference.

[@paulgerards6494]

The #2 one, way much more musical sounding!

[@Ratso_DeLynch]

Another really interesting video / shootout - hey guys, or mason, anyone know what the vibey steve luke, mike landau style 80s clean song that comes on at the 5:50 second mark in the chapter "refinishing the guitar" ? * Very human nature / MJ esque sounding or basically mateus asato on any given day of the week lol. Please lmk ! Im sure im not the only one who was curious. Thanks in advance 🙏🤟

[@shanegolden3948]

Anyone!?? I’m still trying to figure this one out too. Very Huff/Landau/Luke like. I can hear what sounds like Tri-Stereo Chorus, MicroPitch, Compression - typical 80’s/early 90’s rhythm guitar track. Sounds so familiar - surely someone knows…!?

[@gergemall]

Great question

[@JosePineda-jn8jk]

I just have a few questions for the variables. Was there poly covering the neck was pick up height measured in accordance to the strings or did you simply leave the pick up height the same when reinstalling on the nitro finish and the final question I have is regarding the strings; did you use brand new sets both times you went to record? Other than that I know we all agree tone is subjective so saying poly can’t be good for a guitar tone is kind of silly to me lol. If it works for someone then it works 😂

[@sgt.grinch3299]

It’s about the speakers. Quality electronics have more effect upon your sound than paint.

[@thomasritter3391]

Yeah, they didnt show any of the settings either and did the tests probably weeks apart. No way the mics didnt get nudged or the amps settings tweaked. A very flawed test that proves nothing whatsoever.

[@JosePineda-jn8jk]

@@thomasritter3391​​⁠they are claiming the cabinet used is in an iso box that does not get regular access. So in this case the cabinet mic should be consistent if that is true. The amp settings however I cannot speak to other than the “we kept the settings the same” comment. I mean IMO, if they are using a recording studio then I would almost lean more towards, they logged the settings after then initial test, and then put the amp back at the assumed settings for the second test. This would result in different sounds because of the slight difference in knob placement, but the user could still assume they are the exact same settings based on visuals. If this was a personal rig that goes unused for the weeks in between then I would be more inclined to believe it but again, they used what looks like a legit working studio to do this.

[@myeyesarewaiting]

I'm gobsmacked that there is that much difference. However I'll still always go for poly. I want the finish on a guitar to protect it. There are lots of different ways to tweak the sound of a guitar, but to date, the only effective way to protect it, is with a strong finish (or just always leave it in the case...)

[@johnvelghe757]

I know my nitro tele sounds considerably different than my poly tele, but those are two different guitars from different builders. So I was pretty surprising how much different these sounded. Different to the point where I thought, "Did they actually use the same mic on these?" (I'm sure you did) Thanks for doing this. I now want to have my poly tele stripped and repainted. The poly tracks all sounded sort of grainy/mid-forward and had a woliness to the midrange. Where the nitro tracks sort of evened everything out and sounded more balanced over all. This was one of those A/B things where going in you think "how different can they be?" and the answer is "way more than you think."

[@picksalot1]

Brighter, clear tone on the Nitro, and more lows, growl and presence on the Poly. I preferred the Poly on the first take, and Nitro on later takes. There is a video on the Warmoth Guitar Products Channel called "Will a Poly Finish Destroy Your Tone?" with interesting results as well.

[@Can.M.]

I had a special run strat with hand rubbed oil. Nitro is my favorite. I don't believe that oil finish is better, even it's thinner than nitro. Nitro is definitely better than poly. It's a good protection material for guitars and also a good tone shaper.

[@gregsteffey1266]

Sounds like new strings on the nitro takes. Did you put new strings on for the poly take? Some clips had a notable volume difference. Thanks for doing this, I know it was a lot of work.

[@VertexEffectsInc]

Same brand, same gauge, same everything. Both brand new strings in both examples.

[@neilgaydon5430]

I once visited Fender and met master builder Todd Krause and asked him what were the major aspects that affected tone (other than pickups). He said one was getting the thinnest nitro finish possible, plus a list of other things.

[@jayyoungmusic919]

They definitely sound different, but my question would be did you like it before it got refinished???

[@SirSneakerPimp]

I’m surprised that a spectrum analyzer wasn’t used to show the sonic differences.

[@miguelferrariart]

I heard the difference right away. Thanks Mason

[@grantstewart5453]

This is exactly what I have experienced with two Jackson warriors I owned. One is gloss black poly, the other was sanded and oiled. Both had EMG 57's. Active pickups. The raw oiled one had so much more of an open, harmonically rich sound. It was acoustically louder when not plugged in. Everyone that played and heard it in person noted the same thing. Which also debunks the myth that actives will sound the same in any guitar. Thing is, pickups pickup string vibrations, people don't seem to get the wood vibrating, is vibrating the stationary points of the string (bridge and nut)) and the neck "whips" like a bridge with traffic on it (you know how you can feel it shake and vibrate?) This feedbacks (not feedback) into the string vibration. You can hear it in the harmonic content, mostly. I make guitars and have made two teles, one a set neck, the other a bolt on. I put the same humbucker in both, there is a difference in these things; granted it is subtle. But the biggest difference I have found is not in the wood type (provided they are all dry) but rather in the difference of how thick the finish is. The thick finishes do sound more like there is covering on the sound, a blanket or object in front of the speaker. Like it isn't as present. Just my experience. When building I only worry about woods for looks and physical properties for what it has to accomplish in the build (like neck stiffness and stability, ability to hold frets, weight, etc), and for finishes, as thin as possible or oiled. PRS has concluded that thickness of the finish matters more than whether it is poly or nitro.

[@NickGranville]

Interesting test. Thing to consider too is the nitro finish will age and sound better with time whereas the poly will sound the same. Not necessarily better or worse just different

[@andyhightides]

As far as I could hear, it sounded like the nitro guitar had the pickups lowered. Possibly the thinner finish explains it, if you didn't adjust the the pickup height. Now the important part. Is there a video on that bandmaster? I noticed the Fender Electric Instrument Co., and the mid and high cut controls. I have a late '64 myself, restored and un-modded.

[@jfiery]

I love my Gibson, once broken in it is the best feeling guitar I've ever had. Having said that, my Fender American Performerer Tele has an extremely thin poly finish that feels great. How do I know this? Because it's all falling off wherever it gets a ding. I don't know if it's an issue with the Penny finish or all Am Perf guitars. It will likely get the same treatment your guitar got. Great job.

[@kyledriscollmusic]

definitely sounded different, which was surprising. Still tough to say because you can't perfectly duplicate the playing. Wouldn't choose Nitro because of the sound, but I would choose it because I think it looks and ages better

[@surajmiji2614]

i need the doc to make some nice tones from boss katana mk 50

[@WarriorOfGhengisKhan]

This shows what I found when I stripped the poly finish off my own strat. It sounded better with the poly finish! Not what I was expecting when I did it because of all the "nitro sound best & poly kills tone" comments on the web - but it almost sounds like a buffer is on with poly and off when it's nitro.

[@NoBrakes23]

This makes me wonder how different it would be bare wood vs light stain vs clear sealant.

[@rudivorster4442]

Anyone know what the song is called at 8min? I think it's a Clapton tune? Thanks!

[@andreasbrunenberg5983]

Yes, ist a clapton tune: Old Love.

[@Supergrunged]

Interesting perspective, where asthetically, I prefer Poly over Nitro. The tonal difference is more the same difference, that gets discussed with changing the trem block on a strat, or a Floyd Rose, in which really, we are changing the resonent freaquency in all aspects. The lack of weight kinda shows that, in this demonstration. Add that humidity, and temperature are other variables, that can be kept consistant, but are not always perfect. You'd probably have fun testing saddle material, as well as block material like copper, or titanium for the block, on that strat for research purposes. Thanks for the video on what you found going the route of Poly versus Nitro.

[@dietmarfalke1099]

Has anyone tried shellack french polishing on a solidbody? As a piano builder I use it on soundboards when I restore Grand Pianos. Sounds great.I am thinking about buying a squier CV 50 Tele and french polish it. Great Video! Greetings from Germany

[@andreacampana4754]

There is a difference for sure, nitro is brighter and more articulated , great video!

[@anthonydevito1815]

The part over looked in this debate to me is that the pickups are floating on plastic not connected to the wood. Not saying finish doesn’t matter but wouldn’t pick guard have more of an influence?

[@timwhite5562]

No, if anything it evens out the playing field for everything else.

[@ClaudioMartella]

i heard what milo and kendrik heard also. more bass on the poly

[@michaeldmytriw1047]

How could different finishes affect the magnetic field around the pickups? The pickups are not microphonic, so how on earth would the finish affect anything. The type of pickups, their location (closeness to strings), the strings themselves, the type of pick (or whatever you use to play the strings) and the location of the picking, all make a difference to the amplified sound. The nut and bridge could also make a difference. If Jim Lill can get the same guitar tone with only a neck and the pickups suspended, then all of this other stuff is superstition. I think it’s really important to remember that the acoustic sound of a solid body guitar does correlate with its amplified sound

[@michaeldmytriw1047]

I meant to say it does NOT correlate with the amp sound

[@peterstephen1562]

Thankyou for this experiment. The differences where so clear that surely those that deny the influence of materials must now be less vociferous. I'm an old luthier with fifty years experience making all sorts of string instruments . The angry reality denial exhibited by some players fills me with sadness and pity. Yes the essence of a solid body structure to hang the strings on will mean that the structure and acoustic environment effect the strings less but to assert that they have no effect is just silly.

[@Drust49]

for having removed this layer of plastic from my telecaster and having repainted it in nitro from an acoustic point of view the sound changes greatly compared to one of my other poly guitars but once connected to an amp I perceive no difference

[@BushidoPhoto]

100% difference! The only question I have is did you put fresh strings on the poly guitar before recording?

[@garyrose5211]

Believe or not I even think that the different torque of the neck to body screws could make some difference when the guitar was re-assembled. If a torque wrench was used when dissembling and re-tightening the neck screws to the same torque would also be interesting to know if this would make a difference to sustain and resonance.

[@OtherTheDave]

What does “constipated” mean WRT sound?

[@rohanpage4823]

I would say that the lesser thickness of the Nitro has lowered the Pickup height by the width of a Credit card.. that could be the reason for the higher gain and bloatedness of the Poly finish. Mason mentioned that pickup height in the pickguard wasnt changed... but the finish was thinned substantially, hence forth.

[@schctrg]

Did they use new strings?

[@coffeedudeguy]

But but but was the room temperature and humidity the same??? Just kidding, good work! To me #2 sounded like stepping in closer to hear the sound. #1 sounded like you stepped backward a little to hear the sound

[@schmoofadoop]

It's not crazy, it's a HUGE difference and if you can't hear it your speakers suck or your ears are blown lol Both have a good sound, I'd have to play them to decide which I really preferred but just hearing them through this video, the difference was surprising and vivid to my ears at least. It would have been cool if you picked up the guitar when it was completely stripped and just played it bare... oiling the body just like one would do on the neck, something like that would be intriguing.

[@kennethhoneycutt4513]

No I could definitely hear a difference in the tube. And i'm kind of torn because , depending ending on game gain being used as what made me torn between the two

[@smokyFAB]

Great comparison! I always believed Nitro sounded richer and “prettier” than plastic and this video really confirms that. I had the same shock when I decided to strip off the Olympic White finish and refinish it “hippie”” style”, thin shellac coat which opened up the guitar a lot (EQ, harmonics, sustain..), also very much noticeable acoustically, rings better! Imagine my surprise when the drummer asked me what I did different, that he could hear the guitar better/ more.. go figure 😅

[@junjuan7695]

Would you believe it if I told you that Fender used plastic in their vintage finishes? It’s called fullerplast, which they used to seal the wood.

[@LucasMastropasqua]

Whenever I get to my Warmoth build I will probably be going with nitro or just a hand rubbed oil finish.

[@ennsguitars7607]

I would argue the difference is more due to finish thickness than finish material.

[@kristopherk5454]

Taylor uses poly but can go thinner than some nitro finishes…that might be superior in the long run. I played a guys squire strat that he just removed the finish and strung it back up…made the acoustic sound sooooo much better….plugged in, not so sure it made a difference.

[@junjuan7695]

Saying that guitar woods need to breathe is absolute cow dung. Trees die after being cut, no more breathing. Period. In woodworking, which guitar building basically is, you have to provide expansion joints for the wood for when they expand or contract. Wood absorbs and loses moisture seasonally or when it is moved from place to place with different weather and humidity levels.

[@GALVINH0]

The thing is, after playing a ton of guitars over 25 years, whatever changes the "feel" of the guitar makes an absolutely huge difference. I pick up my tele with a satin neck and I just play it differently than my les Paul. I'm absolutely positive that the guitars are their own unique beasts, and how they feel determines how you play them! So when you hear the guys say the neck is satin, it's that change that makes all the difference. Next rest, give them a poly guitar a D then satin the neck, they will play it differently!

[@stulora3172]

Yes, the guitar influences the guitarist and the guitar player him or herself makes a huge difference. I own a mid tier 90s SG and a friend (who plays way better than me) has a 60s SG. He sounds so much better, I always thought, I want to get one of those once I save up the money. Then he played my guitar. And he sounded again so much better than me. I haven't bought the vintage guitar yet. 😂

[@zacksovine6923]

The difference was litteraly like switching from the neck pickup to the bridge pickup on a tele. Something else that changes it tonally is making sure there is no paint between the bridge and body, the neck and body and the neck plate and body.

[@effdpaul1815]

My early 70s Gibson SG had a nitrocellulose finish on it ... a beautiful cherry red finish. The guitar had a descent tone, BUT, playing full time with my right forearm in constant contact with that finish ... the finish reacted with my sweat and irritated and burned my skin ... another important factor to consider when considering finishing options. My current axe is simply finished with a quality oil finish ... much easier on the skin.

[@BenState]

dude there is something wrong with your sweat.