D25-M what is the body finish?

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D25-M what is the body finish type ( poly, nitro, other?)? More details D25-M DA-113353, made in Westerly, purchased around 1983. I want to use the proper cleaner for the body and neck.
 

AcornHouse

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Welcome!
I’m sure I’ll be corrected if i‘m wrong, but I don’t think Guild used anything other than nitro for their domestic output.
 

fronobulax

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Welcome. Since you are concerned about the "proper cleaner", make sure you confirm the absence of silicone in the cleaner/polish. Under some circumstances using a silicone based polish has a negative impact on the ability to repair the finish or refinish the guitar at some point in the future.

I won't go into specifics because polish threads are almost as popular as string threads and I personally am lazy and tend to use just elbow grease and a soft cloth. But if you want a recommendation I'm sure you will get several, if you ask :)
 

AcornHouse

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...Under some circumstances using a silicone based polish has a negative impact on the ability to repair the finish or refinish the guitar at some point in the future.
Plus, it makes them look really unnatural.
 

adorshki

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Welcome!
I’m sure I’ll be corrected if i‘m wrong, but I don’t think Guild used anything other than nitro for their domestic output.
Just for the "Well I'll be darned" factor, they actually did use poly on at least one of the "faux soundhole" models in the '80's*, and there's one member who insists his late '90's D4 with satin finish is poly as well.
Although I was extremely skeptical at first, after doing a bit of research into it, I found evidence that seemed to confirm it.
For example, pickguard mounting technique seems to corroborate it: another member removed the p/g on his D4 with simple heat, which wasn't possible on NCL-finished guitars because the 'guards were finished over.

*That came from Hans who corrected me when a new member asked the same question about one of 'em a while back.
One of those scenarios where I've forgotten the detail of the model, but not the fact of Westerly actually having used a poly finish.
Hans also mentioned once they "experimented" with poly in Westerly, and I suspect more than one if not all of those "FS" and "DS" models used poly:
Kurt' got a couple of 'em:
Crossroads.JPG

In fact I think it was the FS46ce (on the left) that Hans ID'd as having poly finish.
Corona Savoy electrics used poly too.
You can be forgiven for forgetting about these very unusual exceptions, if you ever even knew about 'em.
:friendly_wink:
 
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adorshki

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Ditto.

Some good microfiber cloths from the auto parts store are useful for general post-noodling cleanup between deep cleanings.

Nonono!

The most common types of microfibers are made from polyesters, polyamides (e.g., nylon, Kevlar, Nomex, trogamide), or a conjugation of polyester, polyamide, and polypropylene.
Those are all harder than NCL and will eventually take down the gloss on NCL by microscopic scuffing.
Best thing for NCL finishes is clean white cotton T-shirt.
Cotton is cellulose itself and is softer than nitrocellulose lacquer.
Reserve the microfiber for the fretboard only.
:friendly_wink:
 

SFIV1967

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I’m sure I’ll be corrected if i‘m wrong, but I don’t think Guild used anything other than nitro for their domestic output.
As Al already mentioned, that is not correct.
hideglue, who worked in Westerly said: "There was plenty of polyurethane sprayed in Westerly (solidbodies and archtops)".
See: http://letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?169130-Lacquer-amp-Poly-What-years

But "poly" is not one thing but multiple things. Polyester is resin based and therefore thicker & goopier. (In general not great for resonance-tone). Polyurethane is more expensive but it's thinner and sounds measurably better than Polyester. But that is what it was in the past.

Taylor for instance is using both. On the gloss models they use ultraviolet-cured polyester (which nowadays is thinner than nitro!) but on satin models they use a base coat of UV-cured polyester and the final satin finish material is a two-part (resin and hardener) polyurethane.

Hideglue also said in the past: "Guild regularly used polyurethane as a finish for quite a few solid, semi-solid and archtop models. The experimentation, and subsequent lack of implementation, was with a UV cured finish, ala Taylor."

Ralf
 

F312

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Just for the "Well I'll be darned" factor, they actually did use poly on at least one of the "faux soundhole" models in the '80's*, and there's one member who insists his late '90's D4 with satin finish is poly as well.
Although I was extremely skeptical at first, after doing a bit of research into it, I found evidence that seemed to confirm it.
For example, pickguard mounting technique seems to corroborate it: another member removed the p/g on his D4 with simple heat, which wasn't possible on NCL-finished guitars because the 'guards were finished over.

*That came from Hans who corrected me when a new member asked the same question about one of 'em a while back.
One of those scenarios where I've forgotten the detail of the model, but not the fact of Westerly actually having used a poly finish.
Hans also mentioned once they "experimented" with poly in Westerly, and I suspect more than one if not all of those "FS" and "DS" models used poly:
Kurt' got a couple of 'em:
Crossroads.JPG

In fact I think it was the FS46ce (on the left) that Hans ID'd as having poly finish.
Corona Savoy electrics used poly too.
You can be forgiven for forgetting about these very unusual exceptions, if you ever even knew about 'em.
:friendly_wink:

So, is it a good idea to remove your pickguard and reclue it if it is sprayed over? ...and what guitars are the ones sprayed over.

Ralph
 

adorshki

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So, is it a good idea to remove your pickguard and reclue it if it is sprayed over? ...

As I understand it it's extremely difficult to R&R the sprayed-over 'guards.
For one thing, member Chris Cozad mentioned that virtually all the ones he's seen were literally glued to the bare top with NCL.
Since the 'guards are NC plastic they literally melt right into the wood, so just trying to pull 'em off risked damage to the top.
But his repair specialty seemed to lean towards '70's era builds, but for sure my '96 D25 is sprayed over.
and what guitars are the ones sprayed over.
The detail that sticks in my mind is that it was the standard practice in Westerly for flat-tops.
Somebody mentioned it once years ago and it made me check my D25 which I'd never realized had a finished-over 'guard.
I suspect if you check any Westerlys you own you'll find the same thing.
To be honest I can't recall if my F65ce is though.
As I visualize it mentally I want to say "no", but it IS a very late Westerly, actually shipped out in December of '01. So maybe Fender had already made the 'guard switch? :
My D40, being a Richie Havens model, came with a second 'guard which had a peel-off paper mask over the adhesive so owners could mount it or not at their discretion.
(Can't recall if the regular one's finished over or not, think the edge is just beveled, but the 2nd one isn't.
They're all at home not here where I work from.)
And for sure Tacoma used the "stick-on" method, we've had a member report getting a courtesy replacement 'guard for one, and a couple of others describe "shifting" 'guards, apparently from defective adhesive.
 
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Default

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As for cleaning, naptha (lighter fluid) is safe on all finishes that I know of and is great at cleaning gunk.
 

beecee

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As for cleaning, naptha (lighter fluid) is safe on all finishes that I know of and is great at cleaning gunk.

My wife almost killed me the first time I used it. Due to the odor she came running downstairs afraid I had set the house of fire.

Grumpy...…..
 
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