Nitro or poly?

[SJan3]

If you could have your choice between nitrocellulose or polyurethane on a Fender "type" bass at the same cost, what would you choose and why?

 

[two fingers]

Nitro. Only because it wears nicely (to me). If you want your bass to remain shiny and pristine, poly all day every day and twice on Sundays.

 

[deff]

If you could have your choice between nitrocellulose or polyurethane on a Fender type bass at the same cost, what would you choose and why?

I guess it would depend on my objectives. First, I am fairly certain even the Nitro basses from Fender have a preliminary polyester or urethane seal precoat. I guess if I wanted something to relic I would pick Nitro. If I wanted something that would withstand dings and such I would get urethane. The idea that a bass will sound differently on a modern finished guitar is preposterous. The idea that because Nitro "breathes", made instruments from the 50's into some kind of magic machine is preposterous. Do you or anyone else think that the basses or strats or teles of that era sounded bad when they were first made, but only somehow gained magical status after they lost moisture over time, even if there wasn't such a thing as environmental equilibration? Nitro is neat, urethane is neat. For the most part the days of MiM instruments having gobs or urethane on them are over.

But if I was to get a Fender bass, it would be a 72-75 telecaster bass with a WR humbucker in either black or blonde Nitro, because I would want it to look old, fast.

 

[ole Jason]

I like the way nitro looks and wears over time

 

[CallMeAl]

Nitro. My 2 basses are Poly, and they both have cracks/chips that aren't easily repaired. Poly cracks look like poo, Nitro wear looks natural.

 

[Killing Floor]

Poly. Lasts longer. But play and buy whatever brings you joy.

 

[metron]

I'm not interested in the wear and tear look so poly for me. I hate nitro.

 

[Bodeanly]

I choose nitro, only because it sounds more badass. Poly sounds like math and I can't hang with that.

 

[HelpImaRock]

Poly. It can be applied thinner than ever and you don't have to baby it. Honestly though, the formulations for both categories have changed so much over the past two decades that all preconceived notions should be thrown out the window.

 

[marko138]

Nitro forever. I don't think I'll buy another bass that's poly finished.

 

[dspellman]

If you could have your choice between nitrocellulose or polyurethane on a Fender type bass at the same cost, what would you choose and why?

I think most of the better finished basses aren't done in Polyurethane, but in a UV-catalyzed Polyester anyway.

And I think that nitrocellulose is a crap finish that has no place on new guitars that I buy. There's some traditionalist nonsense that dictates that "if it was good enough…" for some old rocker, then it's bitchin' for me, but I'm not a subscriber. Nitrocellulose cracks, checks, chalks, discolors, reacts with random chemicals and materials, etc., and that's just not a fashion statement I'm interested in.

Since I DO have a choice of finishes (and finished basses, for that matter), my wallet has been voting hard in the direction of polywhatever.

 

[sleddogn]

do you drool while playing? if so poly all day, nitro if you're looking for chicks

 

[SJan3]

do you drool while playing? if so poly all day, nitro if you're looking for chicks

Lol!!

 

[jim nolte]

If it is a Fender type instrument with a pick guard than nitro, if no pick guard than poly, I cut through the nitro finish on my expensive boutique bass in three days where I park my thumb behind the front pickup, wasn't a happy camper.

 

[RedBadger]

I don't have any polyurethane finish basses currently.
Precision Nitro finish white over CAR, with matching headstock;
JB 1, Nitro fiesta red with matching headstock;
JB 2, Nitro white body;
JB 3, white nitro with matching headstock.

 

[JRMK]

Nitro: sounds better and wears better

 

[iammr2]

Nitro all day. I like the breathing idea about drying out the wood over time and how light the finish feels. The poly finish feels like...plastic.

 

[Iridescentone]

Couldn't care less, either is okay with me as long as the finish is well executed. No phobias here.

 

[filwitheneff]

I had to vote "Poly".

My Jade P-Bass (see avatar), when polished-up, looks brand new, even after 6+ years of continuous use. And while I like the mojo of old instruments with their battle scarred nitro finishes, I'd rather have a durable finish on my new instruments.

 

[akukulich]

I like the way nitro feels and wears better than poly. That doesn't keep me from playing my Lull V4, which has a poly finish. But given the choice, I'll take nitro every time. As a caveat to all of that, when I ordered my Lull, they gave me the option of a nitro finish. The upcharge was $600 if I remember correctly. This was about 10 years ago. I didn't prefer nitro enough to want to pay another $600.