What is happening to the top of my guitar?

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Dana

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I took out my mistress (2001 LS-200) that I call "Christine" for some pics with my new digital camera and upon reaching a certin angle, almost fainted.

Here is a picture of what I saw:

top.jpg


top2.jpg



Notice around the reflection edge of dark area on the top shows it as wavey. Those reflections should be curved (considering the curvature of the top, but not wavey).

Now, at this angle, there appears the top is "wrinkling" and appears wavey. When I run my fingernail from base, towards the neck, it feels wavey (peaks and trophs). I was told by Yoshi that the finish is a poly/nitro combo. The first coat or two was a poly base and the finishing coats were nitro.

I have never seen this before on any guitar. It appears to follow the flame pattern as well on the top.

Anyone experience this or have some info/advice?

Thanks in advance,
Dana[/img]
 
I have finished one or two flamed maple necks and some veneers and they are quite difficult because the open grained part (the darker stripes) of the flame absorbs much more lacquer than the pale more closed part. This means that you have to really almost fill the open grained flame with sealer then rub it back flat before you have anything coatable. I would suggest that over time the finish has simply sunk into the grain of the wood. It's just part of the ageing process (sigh). I am surprised that a poly base coat would sink like this though. Are you sure about that part? In any case I don't think that it's terminal and there's not much that can be done short of a refinish.
That's just my 2 penneth though, others may disagree.
 
I think this is normal, I have a flame maple top Erlewine Automatic and the grain is showing through the finish. It's the same with an alder strat, after some time the alder grain is showing through the finish. Personally I like it very much, I think it gives the instrument more character.

The grain is already showing through the finish on my 2002 Tokai AST-50 strat (alder body).

I've also owned a hand made strat made of Schecter parts (mahogany back/flame maple top) that was painted black and you could actually see the flames in the black finish (also the mahogany grain on the back). The guitar was professionally painted when it was built in the 80's.

Mike
 
Finish wrinkling? I thought you were talking about the image of a ghost in the first one and Big Bird on acid in the second! :oops:
 
I just remembered that Paladin had purchased the brother of this one from Yoshi and I'm kind of relieved that perhaps I had done something wrong (like it didnt get enough sunlight :lol: ).

My wife was peeking over my shoulder when I was posting and she swore one of the shadows was my head (the ghost one).

Thanks for the replies gents,

Dana
 
Paladin,

We have friends in Cardiff. Next time we're down, I'm coming round to spank your LS200! :D
 

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