Nitro finish “sink” on newer core models

[Grim_Pickins]

I recently got a ‘23 McCarty 594 single cut 10-top in charcoal burst and love it. I have one question though- when the light reflects off the top at certain angles, the grain in the top can be seen “telegraphing” through. This appears as long vertical lines that are especially noticeable on the upper bout where the paint is solid black. There is also some horizontal waviness that coincides with the flame. It is definitely the grain lines in the wood, as you can follow them to where the see-through part of the burst starts and see the grain clearly. The finish is not cracked like with checking. I’m assuming this is from it being a very thin nitro finish, so I’m curious- do all the nitro finished core models exhibit this to some extent? Obviously every piece of wood is different, but I’m just curious if this is abnormal in any way or all part of the deal with PRS nitro? I’m coming from Gibsons and haven’t noticed it this prominently on them, but maybe their finish formula or method is different? I don’t necessarily dislike it, but just want to know it’s totally normal and not a sign of any workmanship issues or sloppiness. Also, if you have any pics of guitars showing this effect, I’d be interested to see them. Thanks!

 

[Steve Dombroski]

yea, this is totally normal. even some older "thin finish" PRSs have this as well. I have a couple of '91 Artist 1s, and you can literally feel the wood grain on them because the finish is so thin. I actually like it quite a bit. You may notice over time that the finish will also sink into the divide between the maple top and the mahogany body...this is totally normal too.

 

[Black Plaid]

Yes, some of my favorite ones exhibit this and I think it's glorious!

It's a reflection of the wood, which you cannot get perfectly flat without dumping a bunch of filler in it!

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

Yep, totally normal. Even exhibit this on some of my other PRS guitars without nitro....just something that happens over time.

Personally, I really like the look of it when it happens on ash....

 

[SinSir]

I understand your concern. On one hand I like it but on another other can be over the top. It was one of the few reasons I wasn't interested in taking a green Myles Kennedy home. With the swamp ash body the sinks to the grain were everywhere. Even though I knew it was normal my brain processed it like a defect.

 

[Gtrbldr]

Yep, totally normal. Even exhibit this on some of my other PRS guitars without nitro....just something that happens over time.

Personally, I really like the look of it when it happens on ash....

Same here, my extremely heavily figured 10 from the 20th anniversary cu22 with poly has very noticable grain lines coming through (love that). Same holds for my nitro (not heavily figured) 09 smokeburst. The joints of the bookmatch and the glued on top are very noticeable. No problem what so ever: just gives some extra mojo

 

[László]

I recently got a ‘23 McCarty 594 single cut 10-top in charcoal burst and love it. I have one question though- when the light reflects off the top at certain angles, the grain in the top can be seen “telegraphing” through. This appears as long vertical lines that are especially noticeable on the upper bout where the paint is solid black. There is also some horizontal waviness that coincides with the flame. It is definitely the grain lines in the wood, as you can follow them to where the see-through part of the burst starts and see the grain clearly. The finish is not cracked like with checking. I’m assuming this is from it being a very thin nitro finish, so I’m curious- do all the nitro finished core models exhibit this to some extent? Obviously every piece of wood is different, but I’m just curious if this is abnormal in any way or all part of the deal with PRS nitro? I’m coming from Gibsons and haven’t noticed it this prominently on them, but maybe their finish formula or method is different? I don’t necessarily dislike it, but just want to know it’s totally normal and not a sign of any workmanship issues or sloppiness. Also, if you have any pics of guitars showing this effect, I’d be interested to see them. Thanks!

I have a bit of sinking into the grain on my Private Stock models. Comes with the territory.

Embrace it. It's not thick plastic, like poly. It's thin plastic (nitrocellulose was actually the first plastic in the late 19th C).

 

[Grim_Pickins]

Awesome, thanks guys. I think I knew it was normal, but the extra peace of mind is nice. I guess the reason I’ve seen it less on my gibsons is likely them using a thicker, goopier nitro. There’s always that stage of nervousness when spending so much on a new guitar until I get more comfortable with it over time. I’m glad it’s something to embrace. And in the spirit of that, post your grain sink pics!

 

[László]

Kinda hard to see it in this pic of my 1965 SG Special, but you can see it on the carved edge of the guitar.

A ‘feature’ of this old SG was that they spent maybe ten seconds on it in the sanding department! The edges ripple, those aren’t dents! My brother bought this new and it became mine in 1967, so I know how nearly every ding and dent got there!

Typical of Gibson nitro, it only took 30 years or so for the neck to finally dry and not feel sticky. By 1997 I could almost play it in summer!

People wax nostalgic about how they made them back in the day. Well, this is how they made them. People were a lot less picky, this was a fairly expensive guitar - it cost over $250 new plus the case, when Fenders were less expensive items (Put in perspective, a 1965 Mustang was $2500 out the door including lots of options, and a Corvette ran less than a Core PRS goes for now).

The crackling in the finish isn’t showing up in this pic. The lighting wasn’t the best at the house I was visiting. Oh, the tuning pegs weren't oriiginally black - that's 59 years of tarnish on the nickel hardware. I was a kid when I got it. I knew nothing of guitar care, and had I known anything, I still wouldn't have done much of it.

Because of the…erm…less than stellar mod to install the tune-o-matic bridge in 1971, the case is probably worth more than the guitar!

I’ll see if I can get any shots of the sinking on my PRS’, but it’s pretty subtle.

You might be wondering what the screw between the bridge and the stop tail was about.

I don't remember!