The type of finish and how it affects the sound on the guitar body is subject to a wide variety of opinions.

There are lots of different methods of finishing the guitar body but the main arguments tend to be between two, nitrocellulose and Polyester. I would first like to point out that if you research this topic thoroughly, you will find there is no definitive answer as to which finish on the guitar body is superior. Everything I say is just my opinion and which is shared by many others.

The original Fenders guitar body (and the present higher quality models) use nitrocellulose which is widely believed to give a more pleasant tone due to the fact that it lets the guitar body vibrate naturally. The guitar body is generally less restricted than a guitar body that has a Polyester finish.

Many people have the opinion that the guitar body can breathe with a nitrocellulose covering and many others argue that the guitar body cannot breathe any more than one with a Polyester finish.

What seems to get lost in that argument is that a nitrocellulose finished guitar body that has aged tend to have cracked and worn away which would let the guitar breathe.

So who’s right and who’s wrong?

A guitar body that has a nitrocellulose finish usually feels more natural. That because the inconsistencies and wood grain contours of the guitar body are transferred through the finish so when you run your hand over the guitar body, you can feel them.

The problem with a nitrocellulose finish on a guitar body is that it is harder to work with on a large production scale and is less cost effective due to many guitars having been sanded through to the base accidently on the production line and having to go back to be refinished. Also  a nitrocellulose guitar body not as durable as Polyester but as we’ve seen, this can be a plus side. Just remember, people pay good money to have there guitar body put through a relic process where the guitar body and other parts are made to look worn and aged to help replicate the look and sound of vintage guitars.

Polyester is more common on a guitar body today. Polyester is easier to work with on production line, has fewer inconsistencies, more durable more cost effective and generally looks better (if you want your guitar body to shine forever!) but some argue that the guitar body is encased in a hard shell that doesn’t let it move or breath. The sound tends to be more sterile. This is due to the guitar body not being able to resonate freely which takes the character away.

Some argue that this is not always a bad thing. If the guitar body is less able to resonate, less energy from the string is lost into the guitar body and sustain is increased. In my experience, I have guitars with a nitrocellulose that sustain forever! I also have guitars with a polyester finish with poor sustain and vice versa! But that doesn’t mean there is no truth in it, I do however think that the emphasise on factors that contribute to the overall sound and tone of the guitar should not rest heavily on the guitar body finish but more on the design of the guitar (guitar body materials, shape, bridge style, neck, pickups and electronics etc)

All that said, the debate will always be active as people search for ever more quantitative ways to find the perfect guitar body tone!