how to find out what finish was used on my guitar

[Carsten]

Hello,

I'm new here and I hope you don't mind me starting with a question.

I recently bought a CE 24 (2018 model) in a color given by the retailer as "Scarlet Red Smokedburst" - indeed the model was given as "PRS CE 24 Korina CC LTD" which might be a run for retailers in europe (couldn't find anything on this online) - I found some similar but those all had satin while mine has a glossy finish with a black back and non-lacquered neck (which I actually preferred/wanted).

Anyway I read a lot about nitro finishes and that you need to be a bit more careful with those and obviously I wanted to know if my neck or body uses this kind of finish.

Can anybody tell me if this guitar (or series) has this finish or where I could find out?

Thank you.

 

[Egads]

Hey Carsten. Welcome and congrats. See if you can find the MODCAT, and run it through one of the decoders. I'm not sure where the sticker would be on an '18 CE, other than under one of the pups. They are on the end of the hard case, but I assume your CE originally came in a gig bag.

You can also call PRS customer service with the serial number, and they can give you the stats.

Good luck.

 

[Carsten]

Hi,

thanks for your answer.

Yes it did come with a gig bag - so no luck there.
I guess I'll have a look when I do the first string-change, try to email service and tread it like it had a nitro finish till then (I think the neck very well might have - on the body I'm not sure but it feels a bit more "soft" than clearcoats I've touched on other guitars - this is my first guitar in this price range so I would not know ).

 

[bodia]

Hi,

thanks for your answer.

Yes it did come with a gig bag - so no luck there.
I guess I'll have a look when I do the first string-change, try to email service and tread it like it had a nitro finish till then (I think the neck very well might have - on the body I'm not sure but it feels a bit more "soft" than clearcoats I've touched on other guitars - this is my first guitar in this price range so I would not know ).

It's possible that the neck is. Not 100% sure. The body will not be nitro. It will be the poly version they were using in 2018. For 2020, all Core, and then S2, models will be CAB Nitro finish.

Congrats on your first!

 

[László]

Bodia hit the nail on the head. It’s poly on the body. The neck should have the ‘infused” finish. I’m not sure what that is. Why not call or email PRS and find out?

 

[Carsten]

Thank you all for your answers.

I've contacted support yesterday via email (I'd rather not have a trans-atlantic phone call on my bill ).
I'll post a update once I receive an answer.

 

[Carsten]

Update - here is the answer from support:

> Thank you for contacting PRS Guitars. The neck on your guitar is finished with nitrocellulose and the body has an acrylic urethane finish. It is best to avoid long term contact with leather and surgical rubber with nitro finishes.

So it's what most of you remarked.

I think I will go and install strap-locks on the guitar (was going to anyways) and wrap the wall-mount with white cotton to be sure (I use those Hercules mounts that are supposed to be safe but I read reports stating otherwise).

Thank you all for your help.

 

[bodia]

Update - here is the answer from support:

> Thank you for contacting PRS Guitars. The neck on your guitar is finished with nitrocellulose and the body has an acrylic urethane finish. It is best to avoid long term contact with leather and surgical rubber with nitro finishes.

So it's what most of you remarked.

I think I will go and install strap-locks on the guitar (was going to anyways) and wrap the wall-mount with white cotton to be sure (I use those Hercules mounts that are supposed to be safe but I read reports stating otherwise).

Thank you all for your help.

I've had a couple of nitro finished guitars on the Hercules wall hangers for 3+ years with no damage. Still, not a bad idea to not take the risk.

 

[Carsten]

Yeah - I know it's not the most expensive PRS but it's still my most expensive guitar (by far) so a few minutes to cut down some old t-shirt and the slightly less attractive look of the wall-hanger is the least I will do

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Update - here is the answer from support:

> Thank you for contacting PRS Guitars. The neck on your guitar is finished with nitrocellulose and the body has an acrylic urethane finish. It is best to avoid long term contact with leather and surgical rubber with nitro finishes.

So it's what most of you remarked.

I think I will go and install strap-locks on the guitar (was going to anyways) and wrap the wall-mount with white cotton to be sure (I use those Hercules mounts that are supposed to be safe but I read reports stating otherwise).

Thank you all for your help.

Take an old black sock (clean of course), cut the foot end off and thread it over the hanger, protects the finish on the neck and not as noticeable as the prongs are black!

Congratulations on your guitar and welcome.

 

[Carsten]

Thank you - I love this guitar

I had no white socks (yeah I'm the black sock type) - but I had a old white cotton cloth handy so I cut this into stripes , wrapped them around and fixed it with white thread -don't look as nice but hey who looks at the old cloth if there is a PRS hanging below ?

EDIT: Oh sorry - you actually meant a black sock - isn't there a chance of having the color spread too? Maybe I should "upgrade" to socks

 

[Guitpicky]

Thank you - I love this guitar

I had no white socks (yeah I'm the black sock type) - but I had a old white cotton cloth handy so I cut this into stripes , wrapped them around and fixed it with white thread -don't look as nice but hey who looks at the old cloth if there is a PRS hanging below ?

Self stick felt works really well for this. It comes in a variety of precut shapes and sizes and is available at any home improvement store

 

[Carsten]

Self stick felt works really well for this. It comes in a variety of precut shapes and sizes and is available at any home improvement store

Thanks.

I'll have a look at that - I had some doubt that those sticky parts would hold on to the back but I guess it's worth trying out as this presumably only cost a few bucks

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Thank you - I love this guitar

I had no white socks (yeah I'm the black sock type) - but I had a old white cotton cloth handy so I cut this into stripes , wrapped them around and fixed it with white thread -don't look as nice but hey who looks at the old cloth if there is a PRS hanging below ?

EDIT: Oh sorry - you actually meant a black sock - isn't there a chance of having the color spread too? Maybe I should "upgrade" to socks

An old sock that’s been through the wash multiple times has very little chance of colour transference, I think you’ll be good!

It’s so easy too, snip, thread over and done.

 

[Gurdybloke]

Congratulations on your purchase I don't think you'll be disappointed! I wondered about the finish on my 2020 CE - I heard somewhere that it was nitro but it appears not (it doesn't have that smell). I keep mine on a stand though I noticed that the neck rest started to discolour the neck plate; however placing an old cotton hankie seems to have resolved the issue (though I'm sure cotton socks would have achieved the same result!).

We've finally received a new shipment of guitar care here in the UK and it makes it very clear its nitro-friendly, so I've ordered some. I can finally polish the CU24 with confidence (hopefully) - and I've finally ordered a T-shirt as well!

 

[Gurdybloke]

Sorry I meant to add, wouldn't it be too much trouble for PRS to state what the finish is on their guitars,, as it would be really helpful and it's hardly something that needs to be kept secret.

 

[McMahon67]

Hello,

I'm new here and I hope you don't mind me starting with a question.

I recently bought a CE 24 (2018 model) in a color given by the retailer as "Scarlet Red Smokedburst" - indeed the model was given as "PRS CE 24 Korina CC LTD" which might be a run for retailers in europe (couldn't find anything on this online) - I found some similar but those all had satin while mine has a glossy finish with a black back and non-lacquered neck (which I actually preferred/wanted).

Anyway I read a lot about nitro finishes and that you need to be a bit more careful with those and obviously I wanted to know if my neck or body uses this kind of finish.

Can anybody tell me if this guitar (or series) has this finish or where I could find out?

Thank you.

Welcome to the forum!!
We…. Ummmmm….
We require pics.
We are all kind of…. Afflicted, and need very badly to see your guitar.