Fullerplast on Fender Guitars

[jasonechoi]

Hi,
Does Fender still use fullerplast on their guitars? Does they use it on all their guitars or just the standards and below? What about the reissues..Eric Johnson model?

[David Collins]

Fullerplast is an often misused term. It was just a sealer Fender used in the 60s. Nothing special at all, just a sealer. That noted, they don't use "Fullerplast" anymore, as they are currently using finishes from the McFadden company.

[jasonechoi]

From what I could gather, fullerplast is polyurethane, which they didn't use before. Can you explain what "finishes" they are using from McFadden? It's not then truly a nitrocellose?

[Jack Briggs]

Fullerplast is a catalyzed or conversion varnish, used mainly for sealing and pore filling before topcoating with nitro or another finish.

[David Collins]

Fender uses a polyurethane finish for their standard US models. They dropped nitro about 40 years ago, with exception of some vintage series and custom shop models they brought it back for.

Is there some particular finish related issue you're trying to do or figure out, or just general curiosity?

[Mark Robinson]

I toured the Corona plant a few years ago. For the normal line at that time they employed an immersion coat in a polyester sealer of some sort for the bodies, the material is clear. Custom shop finishing is different, probably varies depending on the wood and the model. I do not know what they use now or then for necks.

[Rosewood]

For what it's worth I emailed the guys making fullerplast and asked if it's the same formula as the old and he said as close as regulations would allow, so it may be slightly different compound today.

[Boris Bubbanov]

I have quite a number of these AV52 FSR "Inlay" Teles from 2006, the 60th Anniversary. It has a clear gloss finish (lacquer) to show the fancy 5 wood species inlay placed into the Tele body below the bridge plate. You know, the Inlay no one likes, that many understand is only a decal (it ain't).

I can tell you that there is pale off white grain filler (looks like Pore-O-Pac with no colorant added) in the pores of some of these ash bodies, visible to the casual eye. That would lead me to believe that, at least with this special offering, some departure from the usual immersion of a fine sanded body into the usual catalyzed sealer does exist on occasion. Maybe they got some assistance from the Custom Shop on this limited edition of 1000 guitars. (These are not CS guitars, as the routing dimension is like the usual AV52).


Bubbanov