(SOLVED! Post #19) - Lines/Checking Under Silver Sky Finish (Frost)

gabebondoc

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Hey y'all - long time reader, first time poster.

Forgive me if this has been posted elsewhere - I searched but could not find anything regarding this.

I've got a ton of parallel lines that look like "checking" underneath the Frost White finish. Hard to see unless you catch the light just right, but they are definitely there! Is this a serious issue? Has anyone else seen this? Has it already been addressed? (I've got a video of mine, but need a few more posts before I can post a link.)

GC is willing to do a swap, but I've got this baby dialed and I'd hate to let it go if it's not really an issue.

Appreciate any guidance - bless y'all!
Gabe
 
I have a 2013 Brent Mason Signature model in Frost Blue Metallic that is the same way. I can see the lines, but not feel them. I have had the guitar six years. I am not sure exactly when this developed, but it isn’t recent. For all I know it has always been this way. I am not concerned about it.
 
I have a 2013 Brent Mason Signature model in Frost Blue Metallic that is the same way. I can see the lines, but not feel them. I have had the guitar six years. I am not sure exactly when this developed, but it isn’t recent. For all I know it has always been this way. I am not concerned about it.

Good to know I'm not alone - only difference is that the lines are raised and I can feel them. Wonder if it's any different.

Appreciate the quick reply, Stephen! That Brent Mason is a beauty!
 
Hey y'all - long time reader, first time poster.

Forgive me if this has been posted elsewhere - I searched but could not find anything regarding this.

I've got a ton of parallel lines that look like "checking" underneath the Frost White finish. Hard to see unless you catch the light just right, but they are definitely there! Is this a serious issue? Has anyone else seen this? Has it already been addressed? (I've got a video of mine, but need a few more posts before I can post a link.)

GC is willing to do a swap, but I've got this baby dialed and I'd hate to let it go if it's not really an issue.

Appreciate any guidance - bless y'all!
Gabe
Are the lines top to bottom on the body (neck to bridge) or across the body? I played a white SS at GC a few months ago, and I noticed all these vertical lines when viewed at a certain angle - very distinct, and not the usual checking (fine finish cracks you see on old or reliced guitars.) I showed it to the sales guy and manager, and typical GC response - "It's the nitro that PRS uses." It definitely looked wrong to me.
 
I'm pretty sure nitro only checks if you mishandle it (relatively sudden temp changes).

That said, there are ton of vintage guitars with checking that no one is complaining about. Some people do it on purpose.

So, it's a cosmetic flaw, but not a functional one, so far as I understand it.

Were I you, and love everything else about the instrument, I'd seek compensation for them delivering you an instrument they mishandled.

Although, if it were actually me, I'd trust that one SS will play as well as the next, and the finish problem would bug me in the long run, so would go with a replacement option.
 
The ability to feel the ridges may indeed be the difference in the nitro vs. whatever they were using when mine was finished (v12?).

If I understand correctly, the finish is not actually cracked/checked, but there is a visual pattern that can be felt in the finish.

Once you can post links, let us take a look at your video of the issue.

If it is new, I would like to think the warranty will take care of it down the road if it gets worse. It would take time to send it in through a warranty claim, so you would be without the guitar for a period. Other than that and shipping costs, it probably won’t cost you anything to give it time to see if it changes.
 
If your dealer has made the offer to exchange it, you should take them up on it.
 
Are the lines top to bottom on the body (neck to bridge) or across the body? I played a white SS at GC a few months ago, and I noticed all these vertical lines when viewed at a certain angle - very distinct, and not the usual checking (fine finish cracks you see on old or reliced guitars.) I showed it to the sales guy and manager, and typical GC response - "It's the nitro that PRS uses." It definitely looked wrong to me.

Yes, top to bottom and quite short. Scattered all over and pretty tough to see unless you hit the right angle...

And I agree - I've seen many relics, but this doesn't look like traditional checking. Hopefully I can post my quick video soon!
 
I'm pretty sure nitro only checks if you mishandle it (relatively sudden temp changes).

That said, there are ton of vintage guitars with checking that no one is complaining about. Some people do it on purpose.

So, it's a cosmetic flaw, but not a functional one, so far as I understand it.

Were I you, and love everything else about the instrument, I'd seek compensation for them delivering you an instrument they mishandled.

Although, if it were actually me, I'd trust that one SS will play as well as the next, and the finish problem would bug me in the long run, so would go with a replacement option.

I'd agree. It'd probably bug me in the long run and I'd love for it to look as beautiful as it plays.

But if that's just "how it is," and they ALL have some of these imperfections, I'd hate to swap it out when it feels perfect. Hoping for a speedy-ish reply to the email I sent PRS today.
 
The ability to feel the ridges may indeed be the difference in the nitro vs. whatever they were using when mine was finished (v12?).

If I understand correctly, the finish is not actually cracked/checked, but there is a visual pattern that can be felt in the finish.

Once you can post links, let us take a look at your video of the issue.

If it is new, I would like to think the warranty will take care of it down the road if it gets worse. It would take time to send it in through a warranty claim, so you would be without the guitar for a period. Other than that and shipping costs, it probably won’t cost you anything to give it time to see if it changes.

Correct. The finish itself is intact, but there are little raised lines underneath. More and more I'm considering a swap...
 
Hopefully this works - I've uploaded the video I took earlier today. You can see it as the reflection of the light fixtures hits the little lines...


Let me know what you think!
 
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Looking at the video, I think what you may be seeing is the grain lines in the wood.

The finish that PRS does for the SS is *extremely* thin, and nitro has a tendency to conform to the surface.

My Modern Eagle has this, but it's easier to see exactly what's going on as the finish is transparent.

PRS prefers the acrylic based finishes because they 'lay flatter', and don't have this problem in general, but they listen to their artists and customers who tend to prefer nitro and are willing to accept the tradeoffs.

So I guess the bad news is that there's basically no avoiding this for the Silver Sky, but the good news is that it's perfectly normal for this type of finish!
 
Looking at the video, I think what you may be seeing is the grain lines in the wood.

The finish that PRS does for the SS is *extremely* thin, and nitro has a tendency to conform to the surface.

My Modern Eagle has this, but it's easier to see exactly what's going on as the finish is transparent.

PRS prefers the acrylic based finishes because they 'lay flatter', and don't have this problem in general, but they listen to their artists and customers who tend to prefer nitro and are willing to accept the tradeoffs.

So I guess the bad news is that there's basically no avoiding this for the Silver Sky, but the good news is that it's perfectly normal for this type of finish!

That's what it looks like to me, too. In fact, I LOVE when the nitro has sunken into the grain.
 
Looking at the video, I think what you may be seeing is the grain lines in the wood.

The finish that PRS does for the SS is *extremely* thin, and nitro has a tendency to conform to the surface.

My Modern Eagle has this, but it's easier to see exactly what's going on as the finish is transparent.

PRS prefers the acrylic based finishes because they 'lay flatter', and don't have this problem in general, but they listen to their artists and customers who tend to prefer nitro and are willing to accept the tradeoffs.

So I guess the bad news is that there's basically no avoiding this for the Silver Sky, but the good news is that it's perfectly normal for this type of finish!

Interesting! I know the neck is nitro - but I was under the impression that the finish was polyester base then acrylic urethane...

"Body: Alder (2 or 3 pieces)
Polyester base coat, Acrylic urethane top coat. (Standard for PRS)
Body shape inspired by DC3 and tradition
Scoop/finger carve: different color than rest of guitar body

Neck: Maple (scarf joint)
Nitrocellulose Finish"

All this from Shawn@PRS! - https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-official-silver-sky-thread.29556/

Hmmm. Gonna dig some more...
 
Interesting! I know the neck is nitro - but I was under the impression that the finish was polyester base then acrylic urethane...

"Body: Alder (2 or 3 pieces)
Polyester base coat, Acrylic urethane top coat. (Standard for PRS)
Body shape inspired by DC3 and tradition
Scoop/finger carve: different color than rest of guitar body

Neck: Maple (scarf joint)
Nitrocellulose Finish"

All this from Shawn@PRS! - https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-official-silver-sky-thread.29556/

Hmmm. Gonna dig some more...

Ok, that is interesting. I remember Paul saying in an interview about the Nebula finish that it was extra difficult to do with the nitro finish, so I assumed that the finish on all the SS were the new nitro stuff.

Is yours a 2020 model? I wonder if they changed the spec for this year.
 
what are they finished in? Nitro checks, sometimes it doesn't matter if you look after it or not.

Most finishes can sink into the timber a bit too, and that's not just nitro. Before my CE got refinished, the old PRS finish had sunk enough that I had long lines across the clearcoat following the grain which would catch in the light. I have a fender where the poly has sunk into the alder a bit too. I'm not sure this is a flaw per se, it's something finishes just seem to do eventually
 
Looking at the video, I think what you may be seeing is the grain lines in the wood.

The finish that PRS does for the SS is *extremely* thin, and nitro has a tendency to conform to the surface.

My Modern Eagle has this, but it's easier to see exactly what's going on as the finish is transparent.

PRS prefers the acrylic based finishes because they 'lay flatter', and don't have this problem in general, but they listen to their artists and customers who tend to prefer nitro and are willing to accept the tradeoffs.

So I guess the bad news is that there's basically no avoiding this for the Silver Sky, but the good news is that it's perfectly normal for this type of finish!

That's what it looks like to me, too. In fact, I LOVE when the nitro has sunken into the grain.

I'm with you guys. That was my first thought, and seeing the video pretty much confirmed it, for me.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies! Here’s the final word!

Hi Gabe,

These lines are to be expected on an alder body with a thin finish. There is nothing to be worried about.

Thank you for writing, be well.

Shawn Nuthall
Paul Reed Smith Guitars


Guess it’s poly, but as thin as nitro! Love it.

Appreciate all your replies! Honored to be a party of the PRS fam!
 
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