Customizing Your Guitar’s Finish - Relic vs. Gloss Techniques – Guyker

Do you absolutely love your guitar, but want to make it more of a one-of-a-kind? It plays great, sounds like a dream, but just doesn’t match your style. Well, customizing the finish could be the answer, allowing the artist in you to really shine through.

But there’s more to it than just applying your style. Depending on what type of finish you go for, you could give your guitar a backstory or make it far more durable than it currently is.

So, what are your options, how are these finishes created, and which one is the right choice for your beloved instrument? Let’s find out, starting with…

What is a finish?

A guitar's finish is the protective aesthetic layer that usually covers the entire body, the neck, and sometimes even the hardware. Its function is to not only safeguard the instrument from the perils of moisture, scratches and dents from picks and mishandling, and general wear and tear, but it may also influence its tone, resonance, and obviously, its visual appeal. 

There are countless options for finishing a guitar, including lots that are so weird and wonderful that they deserve a special feature, if only to make you smile. But ignoring them, by far the two most popular are the gloss finish, with its sleek, polished elegance, and the relic finish, mimicking the road-worn patina of vintage guitars. 

These techniques couldn’t be more different; at one end, you have pristine shine and protection, and at the other, semi-destruction of the finish to create the battle-hardened look.

What finish is right for me?

Choosing the right option should involve considerations such as playability, maintenance, and tonal impact, but it rarely does. Most guitarists choose their finish because of the way it looks. 

I may be going against popular opinion here, but I don’t think that there is anything wrong with that decision. If finishing or refinishing your guitar turns it into something that you love more than your own mother, then that has to be a good thing. You’ll want to play it more, your connection with it will get deeper, and you’ll use it to play and create the music that is most personal to you.

The finish is unlikely to radically affect its playability, and if you love it to its core, you’ll find your way around any playing issues. And any tonal problems can probably be sorted with either new hardware or adjustments to amps and/or pedals.

So, it's down to how it looks, what are the options…

Gloss finishes are created using nitrocellulose lacquer or polyurethane and result in a mirror-like surface that might either enhance the wood's grain or completely cover it. They are highly robust, protecting your guitar from the knocks of daily use.

Relic’ing, on the other hand, embarrasses those knocks, making them a feature. It involves deliberately distressing the finish to simulate decades of play in sweaty, smoke-filled dive bars. It appeals to players who love the look of legendary vintage instruments, most of which are outside the price range of the majority of guitarists these days.

You more than likely already know what look you’re going for, so let’s take a look at how to achieve it, starting with…

Gloss Finishes

Every guitarist is familiar with a gloss finish. It’s the high-shine look you’ll see on most factory-produced guitars, from Fender Stratocasters to Gibson Les Pauls to PRS Custom 24s to just about every other guitar out there. 

It creates a smooth, reflective surface that not only looks premium but may also enhance the visual depth of the underlying woodgrain. 

The most common types are nitrocellulose lacquer, which is usually called ‘nitro’, polyurethane, occasionally called ‘poly’, and acrylic urethane, no shortening of the name there, for some unknown reason?

Nitro is the most traditional choice. It is applied in a thin layer, allowing the wood to breathe, which many believe enhances the instrument's resonance. Poly, on the other hand, is the more modern option. Applied thicker, it offers superior durability to nitro and is more resistant to chipping or cracking.

Application

Getting a gloss finish to look perfect requires precision and patience, making it an intermediate to advanced-level project for most DIY enthusiasts, depending on how perfect you want the end result to be. 

It starts with thorough surface preparation; this step is paramount to getting a mirror-like finish, so don’t try to save time by not giving it 100%. First, sand the guitar body starting with coarse grits like 120 to remove imperfections, slowly progressing to finer grits up to 600 to create a super smooth base. If you have any dents or scratches, they need to be filled and leveled. 

If you’re going for a solid color gloss, apply a primer or base coat, followed by the color layer using spray cans or, preferably, a professional spray gun in a dust-free environment. Using a transparent gloss over stained wood will highlight the grain - apply the stain first, then seal with a clear coat.

Tips and Tricks

The key to getting a factory-look gloss finish is to build layers. Aim for 4-5 coats of clear finish, allowing each to dry thoroughly between applications. Nitro dries quickly but needs curing time, poly takes longer but is more forgiving. Whatever you’re using, be patient, let it dry, then apply the next coat.

You’ll need to lightly sand with 800-1000 grit paper between coats to ensure that each one bonds with the next, and to eliminate bubbles or dust nibs. And the icing on the cake is the final buffing. Use car polish and a buffing wheel to create a shine you can see your reflection in. 

You can do the work outside on calm days if you don’t have any dust flying about, but the best option is an indoor setup with ventilation to get rid of the nasty fumes.

The Pros of Gloss Finishes

  • Protection against knocks, moisture, and UV damage

  • Maintenance - easier to clean - dirt and fingerprints wipe off easily, and minor scuffs can be polished out

  • Look great! - the reflective quality of the finish makes colors pop and enhances wood grains 

  • Tonal Improvements - thinner gloss, such as nitro, may allow better vibration transfer

The Cons

  • A high level of skill is required for a fantastic finish

  • Imperfections like orange peel (textured spray) or runs are highly visible, especially on darker colors

  • Expensive due to the materials and the tools needed

  • The finish can feel sticky in humid conditions

  • The learning curve, especially for beginners, often leads to frustrating do-overs, such as applying the finish incorrectly, which can trap moisture, causing wood swelling

Relic Finishes

Relic’ing, also known as a road-worn or aged finish, can transform a new guitar into a vintage relic, mimicking the beauty and charm of instruments such as Rory Gallagher's Strat. 

The technique involves artificially simulating wear from years of gigs, sweat, and travel, including chips, scratches, checking (cracks in the finish), and faded colors. 

It has been popularized by Fender's Custom Shop, which sells immaculately relic’ed masterpieces for premium prices to collectors and rockstars (most ‘normal’ guitarists can’t afford them) who are looking for the classic look without the fragility or possible loss of actual vintage guitars if taken on the road.

If you fancy trying some DIY relic’ing, start by removing the strings, pickups, hardware, and electronics to avoid damage. For the finish, apply a base coat of nitro lacquer, because it cracks naturally. 

To create some checking, use a hairdryer or heat gun followed by ice packs to create fine lines. Then use various grits of sandpaper to distress the edges, where you lay your forearm, and where your pickstrokes start and finish, focusing on areas such as where your arm rests or a belt buckle would hit. For deeper chips, use a razor blade, or get some steel wool to dull the shine overall.

Use stains to age the wood. You can make these at home, such as using strong tea for a base tan, or iron acetate (made from vinegar and steel wool) for a grayish patina. These should be applied wet-on-wet in various areas to create mixed natural-looking tones. 

Place the metal hardware in vinegar to rust tuners and screws, then wash off and apply a light layer of oil. Plastic pickguards and knobs can be scuffed with sandpaper and aged with coffee stains.

The Pros of Relic Finishes

  • Unique - your guitar tells a story and feels broken-in from day one

  • Hides future dings - new scratches, chips, and dents blend in 

  • Vintage mojo - a well-executed relic job might potentially increase resale value

  • Tonal - thinner, worn finishes may allow better wood resonance

The Cons

  • Over-relic’ing can look fake

  • Damaging the instrument, such as rusted hardware seizing up

  • Advanced skills needed for a truly authentic relic

  • Irreversible mistakes - you might take it too far! 

  • Less protection - exposed wood is vulnerable to moisture

  • A bad relic job may severely devalue your guitar

Tips for Customizing Your Guitar

If you’re new to the wonderful world of guitar modification, here are some tips to ease the frustration and help you on your way:

  • Start small - practice on scrap wood.

  • A little experience goes a long way, so before thinking about refinishing a prized instrument, get yourself a super cheap guitar with the same finish on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc., and develop your skills on that. Once you’re happy with the results, start working on premium instruments.

  • Research your guitar's original finish to make sure everything you are planning to do is compatible.

  • Invest in safety gear - masks, gloves, etc. There is no point having a killer-looking guitar if your finger tips are too sore to play it.

  • If the whole process seems like too much, take your guitar to a professional; it will cost more, but the worry factor will be next to nothing, and the result should be awesome!

Wrapping it Up!

So, there you have it, my in-depth look at the best ways to apply a finish to your guitar. 

Whether you choose to use relic or gloss techniques, what’s great about customization is the artistic expression it gives you. Go for gloss if you’re after timeless elegance and the ultimate in resilience, or, for a more soulful instrument that boldly wears its scars, relic it to your heart’s content! 

Either process will greatly enrich the bond you have with your guitar, turning it into an extension of yourself. So, let it proudly wear its story - shiny or roadworn. 

Happy finishing!