Help me understand the term "Laquer"

[H K]

Hey all.
So let me just start of by saying "Laquer" in my language is an extremely broad term, basically encompassing any type of paint, but mostly the type that hardens.
English not being my first language, I've had some trouble distinguishing the different types used on guitars.
I tend to just refer to the most common ones as "nitro" or "poly", nitrocellulose and polyurethane respectively. This is because they're both "laquers" in my mind.

But as you know a lot of people will only use terms like laquer, or gloss, or similar, and not the terms I'm used to.

So what I'm trying to understand here is this; When someone refers to the finish on a FENDER as laquer, they mean nitrocellulose, right?

I know this seems silly to most native speakers, and fenders pros, but to me its a bit more complicated, as stated above.
I'd love to get a straight answer on this before I shell out 3k for a CS

Thanks a lot

 

[Jazzdogg]

Most mentions of lacquer refer to nitrocellulose lacquer. Although there are so-called water-borne lacquers, they are not what we're talking about in discussions of vintage instruments, nor do they behave the same as nitrocellulose lacquers.

Back in the day there weren't as many finishes available as there are today. Nitrocellulose lacquer's primary advantages were its fast drying time and initial appearance. I've been "shooting" nitrocellose lacquer for several decades, and there are several modern finishes that dry as quickly, look great, and don't have the numerous shortcomings of nitrocellulose.

I've always preferred shellac over lacquer for small projects. And although neither lacquer nor shellac are as durable as some modern finishes, there's a lot of nostalgia among old-timers like me.

 

[Killing Floor]

Lacquer doesn’t always mean nitrocellulose. But commonly means cellulose in a solution. I think if you want nitro you need to clarify by brand. Because you will occasionally see “lacquer” that is not nitro. If that’s what you prefer.

 

[H K]

Lacquer doesn’t always mean nitrocellulose. But commonly means cellulose in a solution. I think if you want nitro you need to clarify by brand. Because you will occasionally see “lacquer” that is not nitro. If that’s what you prefer.

Yeah, that's why I'm trying to get my terms straight Different makers use different wording and it can be confusing, especially now that I'm dead set on 2 nitro basses that I can wear down naturally for the rest of my life
If I get a poly by mistake it won't age in the same way at all.

Thanks for the clarification, both of you

 

[Basslice]

Try this tutorial for an interesting take on things:

 

[turf3]

Wikipedia:

Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity.[1]

Asian lacquerware, which may be called "true lacquer", are objects coated with the treated, dyed and dried sap of Toxicodendron vernicifluum or related trees, applied in several coats to a base that is usually wood. This dries to a very hard and smooth surface layer which is durable, waterproof, and attractive in feel and look. Asian lacquer is sometimes painted with pictures, inlaid with shell and other materials, or carved, as well as dusted with gold and given other further decorative treatments.

In modern techniques, lacquer means a range of clear or pigmented coatings that dry by solvent evaporation to produce a hard, durable finish. The finish can be of any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss, and it can be further polished as required. Lacquer finishes are usually harder and more brittle than oil-based or latex paints, and are typically used on hard and smooth surfaces.[citation needed]

In terms of modern finishing products, finishes based on shellac dissolved in alcohol are often called shellac or lac to distinguish them from synthetic lacquer, often called simply lacquer, which consists of synthetic polymers (such as nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate butyrate ("CAB"), or acrylic resin) dissolved in lacquer thinner, a mixture of various organic solvents.[2] Although synthetic lacquer is more durable than shellac, traditional shellac finishes are nevertheless often preferred for their aesthetic characteristics, as with French polish, as well as their "all-natural" and generally food-safe ingredients.