What's known to react with or mark guitar finishes?

PeterOne

I'm planning to build myself a multi-guitar stand out of wood, and I want something to cushion the guitars from the wood to avoid scratching or denting them.

Since I've read scare stories online about certain materials reacting with certain types of guitar finish, does anyone have any recommendations as to what is & isn't sensible to use? Obviously I don't want to rest my guitars on something to avoid chipping the paint only to ruin the finish in another way.

I was thinking carpet would be fairly safe, but it might be a bit awkward to fit - would something like pipe insulation be a good choice?

The guitars I'll be keeping on the stand will be a Taylor 114 (their site says finish is "varnish"); Vintage Lemon Drop (they don't specify what the finish is), and a Fender standard Telecaster (their site says polyster finish).

Or have I just read too many horror stories and am I overthinking?

SteveF

Nitrocellulose lacquers can be marked by certain materials.  In my experience, it's usually rubber/foam cushioning from from stands and other synthetic materials (see the thread elsewhere on this forum - sorry can't recall where but it's recent - about a synthetic leather tab inside a budget hardcase that severely marked the nitro finish on a forumite's Les Paul).  I'd be careful with pipe insulation (probably some kind of synthetic foam) and think you were probably on the right track with a natural material unless you can get something that is confirmed "finish-safe". 

That said, your Fender is poly and your Vintage is also likely poly.  A 100 series Taylor is also unlikely to be nitro, so you're probably safe.  I've personally never encountered a poly finish being damaged by resting it on anything but YMMV.  

SteveF

Ah, here is the other thread I mentioned: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/123921/beware-spider-cases-review-flightcase-warehouse-nitro-damage/p1

ICBM

It’s not just nitrocellulose which can be affected, although it’s the most prone to it. Some types of acrylic and polyurethane can be, and colour staining isn’t totally unknown even on polyester. The cause is always fundamentally the same - organic chemicals and dyes migrating from the padding to the finish. The harder and more inert the finish, the less it will happen. Hard polyester is the least affected.

The Vintage will definitely be polyester. As far as I know Taylor also use polyester, they probably just don’t like to say so because of the negative associations of “poly”... although there is no such thing, other than to guitarists obsessed by “nitro”.

Softwood such as pine would actually be a good choice which is completely safe - if it’s shaped right it won’t risk scratching a guitar. Plain cloth - not strongly dyed - also will be. There are types of foam padding which appear to be, but you need to know what they are.

Philtre

Any material with coloured dye can leach it into nitrocellulose. My Les Paul, SG, and Jazzmaster can attest to that fact.

PeterOne

Thanks guys - I think I'll probably opt for a softer wood in that case, so long as it will take the weight of the guitars. Thought it was best to get a second opinion rather than finding out that hard way.

normula1

I just cut up an old white teashirt or two and wrap that around the "rubber" bits on the stand and fix in place as appropriate. I used a bit of silk from Hobbycraft on one stand.

Sporky

peter1 said:

Thanks guys - I think I'll probably opt for a softer wood in that case, so long as it will take the weight of the guitars. Thought it was best to get a second opinion rather than finding out that hard way.

Given that you can make roof trusses out of pine I don't think you need to worry about the strength too much.