Sealing a relic’d strat

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schrodinger1612schrodinger1612 Frets: 390
edited March 2019 in Making & Modding
I know relics tend to attract a bit of hate from certain quarters but let’s not turn this into one of those threads  I simply like the look of worn guitars and am looking to relic my Olympic white John Mayer strat. 

I am however concerned about leaving the wood bare, particularly as I keep my guitars in a cabin where the humidity is high and the temperature fluctuates a lot, particular at this time of year with the heating on. 

To protect the wood and prevent rot further down the line, what sort of sealants should I be looking at? The wood is Alder.
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    Is the finish nitro or polyurethane? After scanning through a few pages online I couldn’t find a definite answer although there is a reference on another forum which suggests it’s a polyurethane finish. If so, I wouldn’t attempt to age it. You’ll have a lot of plastic to get through before you see any wood.


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  • rsvmarkrsvmark Frets: 1374
    I wouldn't bother. It won't rot unless you get it wet. Keep them out of sinks, baths, toilets and swimming pools and you should be fine
    An official Foo liked guitarist since 2024
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    If you want it to look like a relic, leave it bare. It will age naturally.

    If you’re worried about moisture, leave it finished. That’s what it’s for.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    @schrodinger1612 id suggest having the body refinished in oly white nitro. This means that whether or not you decide to age it yourself from there at least it’s the right finish for achieving the effect. Although, nitro will get dinged up quite easily anyway. Hopefully that gives you a solution.
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  • MilkMilk Frets: 84
    I wouldnt think that bare would have any issues as long as its not always getting soaked. There is loads of guitars which are completly bare wood and i dont think ive hearnd any issues.
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  • schrodinger1612schrodinger1612 Frets: 390
    edited March 2019
    Well I do sweat like a bastard, especially when performing live... I heard Angus young ruined a few guitars like this
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    Well I do sweat like a bastard, especially when performing live... I heard Angus young ruined a few guitars like this
    Based on that information... refinish it in NOS oly white nitro and let your sweat do the rest. You’ll naturally wear your new nitro finish in easily. I on the other hand don’t play live and therefor can’t put real wear on my guitar bodies.
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