Does a goldtop sound different than an IDENTICAL LP with regular nitro?

[58Deluxe]

When you consider all the factors that contribute to the overall tone of a guitar, in proportion to their actual observable impact, I am inclined to put things like pickups, electronics, strings, and setup way, way above things like the paint used underneath the nitro. Sure, "everything has an impact," but not everything has equal impact, or even noticeable impact apart from what we convince ourselves we notice (humans are notoriously poor interpreters of complex stimuli).

Besides, the title of this thread is focused on the impact of the nitrocellulose clear coat on Goldtops, not the gold paint, as if there is something special, unusual, or different about it.

This reply nails it! Nitro is the clear coating lacquer on top of any paint or stain finish. The nitro is no different on a GT, than any other nitro over other underlying finish. Poly clearcoat is very different and arguably affects playing/sound. I only know this stuff because I once re-finished a LP Tribute to a GT.

 

[2Muchgear]

record your goldtop 6 ways to Sunday. Strip the gold paint, spray on nitro all Koss. Record your newly lacquered, previous goldtop and post the results (please)….

 

[pblanton]

This is true but many people can't hear well enough to tell the difference. Those of us who are elitist enough to be able to tell are a very special breed indeed.

Now that I know you are one of us special ones, I'm going to recommend that you look into tone-gold. It's a very special kind of gold tint used in only very top of the line gold-tops and I have to tell you, the sound is orgasmic. It makes a run-of-the-mill '58 burst sound like a particleboard chibson.

 

[cmjohnson]

There could well be a detectable difference between no finish at all and a heavy thick polyester finish that impedes body vibrations at some frequencies.

But when talking about "normal" finishes, no, I don't believe they have any tonal significance. And I speak as someone who build guitars and does my own finishing.

 

[pblanton]

Where did you hear that crap? He doesn't have any settings.

There's only one knob on Slash's amp. It simply says, "slash" and it goes to eleven.

 

[igogusto]

Regular finish meaning a cherry burst or sunburst. The reason I ask is that I think that the goldtop is paint or some kind of colored lacquer different than the plain nitro finish of the 'regular' guitars. And I think this might sound different.

I know (or am convinced) that nitro finish guitars sound warmer than poly- finish guitars. I would really like to know if anyone has an opinion on goldtops (or black ones too, since that is paint also).

Of course it does, everyone knows Gold Top's sound the best

 

[PAPADON]

If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?

 

[Nikki M]

all guitars sound different.

I'm deaf in 1 ear..all guitars sound the same..

 

[gkelm]

I'm sorry that this perhaps difficult-to-understand thread forced you to resort to profanity, but it's not the color, it's the fact that a goldtop has PAINT (or lacquer not used on other LPs), not just nitro finish.

Nitrocellulose laquer can be clear, tinted, or pigmented (solid color). It’s all the same sauce, just a bit more pixie dust with the latter. Can’t imagine any detectable impact on tone.

 

[gazzie]

Whoever told you that was a complete moron.

Nitro doesn't let a guitar breath! it couldn't it's a sealed lacquer finish! it lets the guitar breathe about as much as poly does.

since when did guitars breathe anyways?

The only finish to effect a guitars tone is when it's acoustic - that's all.

the difference between Epi and Gibbo which makes them sound different is the wiring type, quality of components and pickups.

if you stuck Gibbo stuff in an Epi, it would sound like a Gibson, may not sustain like a Gibson or play as nicely, but the sound would be there.

Yep, totally agree!

 

[rjwilson37]

There could well be a detectable difference between no finish at all and a heavy thick polyester finish that impedes body vibrations at some frequencies.

But when talking about "normal" finishes, no, I don't believe they have any tonal significance. And I speak as someone who build guitars and does my own finishing.

I think you mean polyurethane; polyester is a fabric.

 

[Peter M]

I think you mean polyurethane; polyester is a fabric.

There are polyester finishes, difference explained here

 

[DBDM]

no

I would agree that for me personally, when I like the look of a guitar--I simply like that guitar better. I think they inspire me more than playing a guitar with a look I do not prefer. In that respect, I DO think I sound better (perhaps more inspired) when playing a guitar I WANT to love--but I am under no illusion that the color or figuing or any other cosemetic feature actually changes the tones. I would believe that cables can change tones. Static in the electrical lines in my house can. But neither the cosmetic look, paint choice (on an electric), NOR the name on the headstock makes my guitar sound better to others.

In fact--I once was given a Chibson at a pawn shop (owner had taken it in as a real Gibson but found out it was a (good) fake). He gave it to me. My plan was to play it outside at bonfires but the rubber never met the road there. I had my wife listen (blindly) to me (not a great guitarist) play my Custom Shop Standard vs the Chibson "Custom". She could not hear a difference. Likely as much as a testimate to my (average at best) sills as the the guitar but a statement of fact is that she could not tell me which guitar I was playing!

Before the bashing starts, I opened all 3 cavities and carved "Fake" inside of the Chibson. I carved fake also on the plastics (inside) and gave it to a coworker (who could NOT afford a guitar) for her then 14 (ish) year old son. I told the mom and the son it was a reproduction and never to sell it as a real one. I still work with mom and the kid is off to college to major in music and is still playing the Chibson.

 

[rjwilson37]

Wow, did not know there was a Polyester Finish. Haha

Looks expensive to apply more so than Polyurethane, probably not used by cheaper guitar manufacturers.

 

[Steven]

I own both and the difference in sound is really insignificant. All guitars sound slightly different anyway, even those with the same finish.

 

[waxout]

My flame top has a much more active tone than my plain top. The flame top kind of moves the sound, almost a vibrato effect to a single note, playing a chord on it has a passive chorus effect. My plain top by contrast has a much smoother and kind of creamy tone. I also think my Stratocaster talks to me when I'm sleeping, it wants me to burn all the Gibsons...

 

[DBDM]

I own both and the difference in sound is really insignificant. All guitars sound slightly different anyway, even those with the same finish.

I have played 2 nice very expensive similar guitars (occasionally with consecutive serial numbers) side by side and they did not sound exactly the same. i have done this many many times at Gruhn's mostly with Martins but occasionally with Gibson's and a few times even with Bursts (I do not recall if consecutive but the same 3 year period). They do not (not not not) sound the same (and for the record some of them sounded very pedestrian (to me) and a few I did not like at all!) I have also compared a 5x (think it was a 57) Custom to a 60 Burst and preferred (that day) the Custom for tone.
Recently I compared 2 very nice Custom Shop Martins right out of the box--exact same model and consecutive serial numbers. One of them had very clear highs and nearly no lows. I joked--you should call Allison Krauss. This is HER guitar. Then I picked up the next one and it was boomy with prounounced lows. I said, well this one is Jamey Johnson! Martin Acoustics are not LPs but I think the difference is the same. 2 in a row from the same day at the factory can be as oppositie in an electric as they can in an acoustic.

 

[cmjohnson]

In fact polyester finishes are quite common on many guitars, low and and mid tier alike. They are glass hard and almost impervious to most finish stripping chemicals. Chips of the stuff can have very sharp edges. It chips like obsidian glass. It's cheap in large quantities.

 

[lawrev]

There is a difference in tone, but, it is so small that our ears can't distinguish it.

Maybe dogs can tell the difference?

 

[efstop]

I don't believe there's enough mass or resistance to expansion in a finish to restrict or dampen the vibrations of a 7 lb chunk of wood.
Acoustics, on the other hand, are probably affected by a drawn out and noisy fart.