Fender Highway 1 Strat question

[Raksasa]

On the Fender site they state (for the new upgraded Highway 1 strats):

" The thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish lets the body wood's natural tone shine through, making for one of the most exciting new instruments in the Fender family! "

I thought they used poly (-ester or -urethane) as a sealer, then lacquered over the top, on the newer Highway 1s.

Does this mean the Highway 1's are Nitro Lacquer only ?

Anyone know anything re this?

Cheers, R.

[John Phillips]

I'm pretty sure you're right. In fact, all US-made Fenders going back to the very early days use a polyester sealer ('Fullerplast') AFAIK so it's a myth that the old ones were nitro-finished anyway. The top coat is, yes.

BTW, full marks for knowing that the material is not called "poly" as many people seem to think :). Polyester and Polyurethane are very different materials.

[walterw]

not sure about "-ester" vs. "-urethane" vs. nitro, but i will say that the highway 1 body finish is both thin and kinda soft, and just about every one i've seen that's over a year or two old and has been really played has significant relic-type wear, i.e., right through to bare wood on edges, etc.

it can look pretty cool, actually, sort of an accelerated natural wear pattern.

i wish they used the same stuff on the necks, as they seem to be covered in the same bulletproof finish as the american standard necks.

[theroan]

Its got a fairly thick poly layer then a thin nitro over top.

[Bob V]

It's pretty, whether you leave it matte or buff it out. Sorry but everything else is just cork sniffing - I just can't tell if the tone is affected but there are people who swear that it does. Gotta go let my guitar out of the case so it can breathe.