So you've got a matte finish, non-gloss guitar and are tempted to polish it. You've even heard some of these can be polished to a full high gloss! Should you do it?
Check out this video (and the precautions) below to see what happens to one type of satin finish guitar that can be safely polished to full gloss:
There's a few considerations before attempting to polish or clean a non-glossy guitar. The terms matte, satin, and semi-gloss finishes are often used interchangeably to describe a non-shiny surface, but you should check with the guitar manufacturer to determine what kind of finish the guitar has and if it can be cleaned or polished with traditional products. The best advice is the manufacturer's advice for your non-glossy guitar.
As a guideline, here's a couple tips: many matte guitars are really high gloss finishes that were never buffed or rubbed out to gloss at the factory. Polishing and rubbing them out yourself can produce a nice warm gloss very similar to a high gloss finish. This can be the case on many matte polyurethane or polyester finishes, as well as satin nitrocellulose lacquer. Other guitars with non-glossy finishes are paint or varnish only, with very little or no top clearcoat - these guitars should be left alone as polishing them can damage the surface (even this type can usually handle a damp cloth to clean). To be sure, you should always consult your guitar maker to see what kind of finish is in place and what they recommend for care or polishing.
Once you've safely determined your guitar can safely be polished from non-glossy to gloss, the video here shows a nice result with a fair amount of work and rubbing producing a beautiful gloss finish with the Player's Kit. This is a permanent change, so make sure you want a glossy finish before trying yourself!
And if you like the idea of restoring a guitar finish, remember that's the main purpose of the Guitar Scratch Remover Player's Kit - removing scratches and restoring high gloss finishes. Get yours today!
