A simple DV52 question

Taylor Martin Guild · Jan 29, 2013

If I get to pick, I'll go with Gloss.
However it would not matter on a used guitar purchase, as long as there were no issues with the guitar.

dreadnut · Jan 29, 2013

Those are two sweet guitars, Archie! Thanks for the photos!

westerlyborn · Jan 31, 2013

I like gloss, though my DV52 is satin. Gloss seems more upscale, like the 52 is.

deckhand · Feb 1, 2013

The satin finish can be buffed to a nice gloss if you want. When I first called the previous owner about my 1993 I asked if it was satin or gloss. (I'm pretty sure now all '93's were satin) I really prefer gloss. He said it was satin but had been buffed to a gloss finish. I was pretty skeptical but went to look at it anyway. I was very impressed. Someone did a very nice job of it. So there you go, it can be done.

Craig

adorshki · Feb 1, 2013

archiestone said:
I checked my old (2004) Bluebook of Guitars disk and was surprised to find the HG model valued $50 less than the Satin in ($1225 vs $1275 in 100% cond.) Hand Rubbed finish is not mentioned at all.
Hence my question and interest. I can make solid arguments for keeping either, so I thought I'd see how the prevailing winds were blowing.

That could be simply a reflection of the sales history available when that edition was compiled.
If a bunch of poor condition gloss models sold for less than just a couple of very good condition HR's that could skew the results right there.
Or if somebody piad a lot for just one HR for whatever reason, and somebody else paid less for an HG, and those two represented the only sales history availablefor that period, well, that's what the book will reflect.
If it still holds for the current edition then that might be significant. I'd suspect maybe the HR's were commanding a premium for being rarer.
Personally, I'm a traditionalist, I'd prefer gloss. Easiest to maintain and repair if neccessary.

SFIV1967 · Feb 1, 2013

Curlington said:
Hand rubbed nitrocellulose is way less common.

Hideglue, who worked at Westerly said the HR was a Polygel, not Nitro.
viewtopic.php?p=67248#p67248

He also said:

hideglue said:
Hand-rubbed finish (HR) was/ is a waxy paste that was applied (foam brushed) in multiple coats over a period of time. Less durable than a sprayed on finish (and also a much less involved process) -- It is typically used on low-end models.

Ralf

Grewupinwesterly · Feb 2, 2013

I have a dv4 and dv52. Both are non-glossy. I have always thought of myself as a bling (glossy) guy but apparently not. I think these guitars choose me and I am happy with that.

Curlington · Feb 21, 2013

If it is true that my 1993 "DV52 NT" satin finish is "hand rubbed" as in Polygel, that stinks. I was planning to get some of the dings taken out. My 1969 "D35 NT" has a gloss nitro finish. So "NT" does not relate to Polygel/Nitro.

SFIV1967 · Feb 21, 2013

Curlington said:
If it is true that my 1993 "DV52 NT" satin finish is "hand rubbed" as in Polygel, that stinks. I was planning to get some of the dings taken out. My 1969 "D35 NT" has a gloss nitro finish. So "NT" does not relate to Polygel/Nitro.

I thought the handrubbed used "HR"?
"NT" means Natural Top and refers to the color (or no color in that case).
The 1994 price list showed for the D4 "natural satin lacquer finish" but for the DV52 only "natural satin finish".
Now is this "same same but different" ???
Ralf

jcwu · Feb 21, 2013

SFIV1967 said:
Curlington said:

If it is true that my 1993 "DV52 NT" satin finish is "hand rubbed" as in Polygel, that stinks. I was planning to get some of the dings taken out. My 1969 "D35 NT" has a gloss nitro finish. So "NT" does not relate to Polygel/Nitro.

Click to expand...

I thought the handrubbed used "HR"?
"NT" means Natural Top and refers to the color (or no color in that case).
The 1994 price list showed for the D4 "natural satin lacquer finish" but for the DV52 only "natural satin finish".
Now is this "same same but different" ???
Ralf

Curlington, your DV52 will be hand-rubbed only if it has the HR designation after the NT. If not, and it's not gloss, then it's satin.

With HR finishes, you can actually feel/see the pores in the wood. And an added benefit - there won't be dings in the finish because there essentially is no finish to ding! No checks and cracks as you would get with nitro.

adorshki · Feb 21, 2013

SFIV1967 said:
I thought the handrubbed used "HR"?
"NT" means Natural Top and refers to the color (or no color in that case).
The 1994 price list showed for the D4 "natural satin lacquer finish" but for the DV52 only "natural satin finish".
Now is this "same same but different" ???
Ralf

First Guild Gallery ('97) shows "satin" (and "gloss") available on the DV52 only.
D4 and a few others show "HR" or gloss.
Bear in mind though, that's also the catalog that specifies rosewood pickups on the S-100.

:lol:

hideglue · Feb 22, 2013

Satin finish was sprayed lacquer with a drying agent that prevented a gloss appearance.
The difference between that and High Gloss is purely an aesthetic choice.

Again, Hand Rubbed is not a term interchangeable with Satin. It was a third finish option.

Taylor Martin Guild · Feb 22, 2013

That's a good point hideglue.
Thanks for the reminder.

A simple DV52 question

Taylor Martin Guild

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dreadnut

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westerlyborn

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deckhand

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adorshki

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SFIV1967

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Grewupinwesterly

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Curlington

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SFIV1967

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jcwu

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adorshki

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hideglue

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Taylor Martin Guild

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