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07-24-2006, 03:14 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ireland | | | Celulose Finish?
Ok so I made contact with a luthier today who's offering some basses with a cellulose finish. Im wondering whats the difference between this type of finish and the oil varnish finish that he offers as well.
Is there differences in sound/durability or is it sheer aesthetic.
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07-24-2006, 03:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | | Do you mean nitrocellulose? It's a finish that's used commonly on guitars. Not very much on double basses, or any violin family instruments for that matter, except for the very cheapest POS instruments. Not recommended in our world. Go with the varnish. |
07-24-2006, 03:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ireland | | | Possible nitrocellulose. The oil varnished ones are (as always) about €5000 out of my price range.
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07-24-2006, 05:09 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Austin, TX | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by theshadow2001 Is there differences in sound/durability or is it sheer aesthetic. | IMO, sheer aesthetic. The bigger danger will be your carrying your bass and banging it against stuff...that will affect sound/durability more severely in the long run.
Still, some bassists find aesthetic to be of great importance and I don't knock them for it.
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Technically, no. Practically, maybe.
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07-24-2006, 05:09 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Detroit, MI | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson Do you mean nitrocellulose? It's a finish that's used commonly on guitars. Not very much on double basses, or any violin family instruments for that matter, except for the very cheapest POS instruments. Not recommended in our world. Go with the varnish. | Big generalizations, Marcus. Truth is, many basses Below the $2-3K range are still finished in nitro, and many are starting to switch to poly. Secondly, nitro and varnish are both film finishes, and it's more in how you apply the finish than which finish you choose; I think it's probably the guitar folks who coat bodies in 20 + coats of nitro that lead people to think it's a thick, plastic mess. A well-done nitro finish can be far thinner than a heavy-handed varnish job. |
07-24-2006, 07:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | | Yep, you're right, Brent....I actually was thinking that you would have a better answer when I fired off that first post. Sorry about that. |
07-25-2006, 12:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ireland | | | Hmmm so a nitro finish isn't really a bad thing....if it's applied right. Is it still more suseptable to damage even if applied properly, maybe applied more delicatley would be a better term to use
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07-25-2006, 05:17 PM
| | AES Fine Instruments | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Brewster, NY, USA | | | Never buy a bass with a nitrocellulose finish! This stuff was developed from the nitroglycerine left over at the end of WWI. Some genius saw how the floors and walls of the TNT/bomb factories were nicely coated and figured out how to turn it into a lacquer. But the stuff is unstable. Do you know what could happen to you if you drop your bass?
KABOOM!!!!! |
07-25-2006, 05:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Englewood, CO | | Not to question you experience and knowledge arnold, but is there seriously a case of someone dropping a nitro-finished instrument and it exploding?  I can see it being excessively flammable, but that sounds kinda odd.
I have a feeling that was just a satirical post and I'm about to look stupid... 
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07-25-2006, 05:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer Never buy a bass with a nitrocellulose finish! This stuff was developed from the nitroglycerine left over at the end of WWI. Some genius saw how the floors and walls of the TNT/bomb factories were nicely coated and figured out how to turn it into a lacquer. But the stuff is unstable. Do you know what could happen to you if you drop your bass?
KABOOM!!!!! | Arnold, don't you think he'll be alright if he wears ear plugs? |
07-25-2006, 06:24 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ireland | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson Arnold, don't you think he'll be alright if he wears ear plugs? | Im sorry, what did you say?...I was wearing my ear plugs.
I've heard of people spontaniously combusting, but basses???  ...... 
I'd assume that the volatilty of nitro-cellulose would diminish once it's cured.
Is it the same stuff thats on modern electric basses?
So from what I gather the finish has more to do with how it's applied than what it is. With the nitro being more delicate than other types of finish.
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Last edited by theshadow2001 : 07-25-2006 at 06:27 PM.
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07-25-2006, 06:43 PM
|  | Journeyman Clam Artist Moderator | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, baby | | | In my city there's a charitable fund for wood finishers who have lost limbs and fingers to nitro finishes. Give generously.
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07-25-2006, 09:27 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Detroit, MI | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau In my city there's a charitable fund for wood finishers who have lost limbs and fingers to nitro finishes. Give generously. | How about that? I'm starting a chapter here in sunny Ferndale, MI. Folks, please make checks payable to Brent Norton and send to....... |
07-26-2006, 05:43 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Englewood, CO | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Brent Norton How about that? I'm starting a chapter here in sunny Ferndale, MI. Folks, please make checks payable to Brent Norton and send to....... | I'll buy you a new finger if you build that dang 5 string for me!
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07-26-2006, 06:47 PM
|  | 'Woodworker - Witch Doctor - Luthier'
Owner/The Bass Spa, String Repairman/L & M Vancouver | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Crescent Beach, BC | | | So does that mean that Kay basses and all Martin and Gibson guitars have an explosive sound? :-)
Jake |
07-26-2006, 09:00 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Chattanooga Tennessee | | | My luthier uses tongue oil.
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Originally Posted by Snakewood Hell man, we're bass players, I wouldn't trade this for anything. | |
07-26-2006, 09:18 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Englewood, CO | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by mcnaire2004 My luthier uses tongue oil. | he must get tired of licking those basses.. blah... 
...i crack myself up...
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07-27-2006, 04:46 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by mcnaire2004 My luthier uses tongue oil. | Please, this is a family forum. |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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