Why so many Matte and Satin finishes?

[Metalhex]

It just looks so cheap on guitars. In fact it IS cheap. Give me high gloss or nitro. I'm so sick of cutting corners and cutting costs just remain affordable. I'm sorry but if you can't afford something, then it simply means you can't have it. Dont dumb your products. Most guitars that come out nowadays look so cheap.

Actually same goes for cars too. All these ugly ass grey matte finishes that look like chocolate milk. It's so cheap!
End rant.

 

[stratjacket]

Something for everyone I suppose. It's funny, I feel exactly opposite. I love a good matte finish and will choose over high gloss.

 

[thegame]

Usually when I finish, it's glossy at first then fades to matte

 

[BeZo]

It feels so good though. Don't judge me.

 

[Metalhex]

I would actually agree that they feel nice and smooth and not at all sticky. Idk to me alot of times a top would look so much better polished

 

[cardinal]

I think the matte guitar finishes are just cheaper to produce, so it's mostly building to the price point.

I think the matter car finishes are pretty difficult to get right, so probably are an upcharge (or a vinyl wrap).

 

[The~Kid]

IMO it just feels better in general and allows the instrument to breath more too but I have both so yeah and like both.

YMMV

 

[Laputan Machine]

Even gloss paint on cars is god awful these days. They all use some weird robotic paint sprayers that spray with a rotating head that creates static electricity so the paint is attracted to the car and they have way less overspray/waste. Creates a weird texture that is sort of like orange peel but not quite. See it even on cars that cost $200k.
Race to the bottom. Everything is just becoming more and more hyper efficient pinching every $0.000000000000000000000001 cent.

 

[rsm]

I have a few satin / matte finish guitars. I prefer gloss; I prefer painted gloss necks. I prefer matching headstocks. Not into woodgrain, and dining room furniture brown shitbursts.

If the satin / matte guitars I have were available in the same color in gloss, I'd buy the gloss.

Kiesel was charging more for gloss finishes recently; Jeff mentioned in one of his Wednesday "live" shows on YT but I forget the reason, but it was something to do with cost IIRC. Last I checked it was not an upcharge in the Builder at least last week for the models I was considering.

maybe there are satin / matte paints that don't require a top coat, saving a step, time and cost of materials and labor?

 

[Corey James]

I love satin, until my hand shines the guitar up just under the pickups... and then that area turns to gloss - doh!

 

[John4021]

Satin doesn't show any scratches like a gloss finish

 

[Chase42147]

Even gloss paint on cars is god awful these days. They all use some weird robotic paint sprayers that spray with a rotating head that creates static electricity so the paint is attracted to the car and they have way less overspray/waste. Creates a weird texture that is sort of like orange peel but not quite. See it even on cars that cost $200k.
Race to the bottom. Everything is just becoming more and more hyper efficient pinching every $0.000000000000000000000001 cent.

The last car show I was at I was noticing that too. Even the brand new Cadillacs, Corvettes, and a few Ferraris looked like they had orange peel. Really unimpressive in general, but especially for that kind of money

 

[RaceU4her]

i dont know, i go to guitar stores and see most gibsons and im like why are they so shiny?? i like the old faded Gibsons

 

[angelspade]

I went through a brief period when I thought flat / matte black finishes were cool...I hate the way they age, strongly prefer traditional gloss.

 

[Chase42147]

I only have one matte guitar, and the body kinda looks like a piece of plastic. Not a huge fan

 

[Kagami]

Matte/satin just end up making shopping for used guitars kind of suck because a ton of them have grease spots on them so I'm not a fan.

 

[skoora]

Usually when I finish, it's glossy at first then fades to matte

Interesting that it doesn’t get smoother feeling either. Additional buffering?
I don’t understand why it’s always Matte who gets to finish. Maybe give Dave or Steve a go and it will feel better.

 

[thegame]

Interesting that it doesn’t get smoother feeling either. Additional buffering?
I don’t understand why it’s always Matte who gets to finish. Maybe give Dave or Steve a go and it will feel better.

Don’t feel too bad. A couple of my own jokes from yesterday bombed this bad too. It happens to a lot of guys

 

[ZEEGLER]

Satin/matte finish guitars look just fine until you play them. After about an hour of playing they start to get shiny where your hand or arm touches the finish, and it looks like shit.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

I love satin, until my hand shines the guitar up just under the pickups... and then that area turns to gloss - doh!

Just use fine steel wool to bring back the satin.