Did Fender Originally Laquer Tweed Cabs?

[IowaTele]

Wondering if the original tweed cabinets came from the factory coated or bare??

I built a tweed champ clone. I kind of like the uncoated natural look.

Thanks,

Mark

[Dacious]

If they weren't lacquered, they may have been shellacced. It would be good to do some sort of coating, otherwise greasy marks like fingerprints or dirt, even mildew or fungal bloom will build up on the surface of the cloth, or you could get 'bleed' of the contact adhesive through it. Even a clear coat of satin poly that sealed the weave would work, without producing too much change in the appearance.

[Ricky D.]

Minwax honey pine polyurethane does pretty well, just a slight tint. Tweo or three coats and you have something you can wipe clean.

[GUITARmole]

They were lacquered.

[BrianF]

They were lacquered....Fender was efficient and frugal...if they used lacquer for the guitars they used the same stuff on the amps too.

[Scott S]

FWIW, I'm planning on letting my 5E7 accumulate some wear-and-tear before I apply any finish to the cabinet. I'm told that they can't "relic" at all once a good coat of MinWax is on them!

- Scott

[JohnnyCrash]

It is my understanding that Fender did not lacquer them, but that some folks did that a few years later to keep the "fray" from happening.

Every original tweed I've ever seen appeared to have NO lacquer... but that could be due to the fraying and age making it look that way.

I've been known to be wrong quite often ;)

[Chris Callahan]

Someone posted somewhere that it was shellac.

I've used Zinser Amber shellac thinned 1:1 with alcohol (three coats sanded in between) on cloth (something like Gramma's drapes, but I'm that kind). I really liked the result.

[BrianF]

It was nitro lacquer for sure. Those old tweed amps that look frayed have it worn off. If you pull off a back panel on an original aor inpect areas that hve not been exposed to light or abuse you can still see it intact. The only shellac use is from modern day builders attempt to recreate the look...although the amber shellac is way too fake and orange looking.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by BrianF

It was nitro lacquer for sure. Those old tweed amps that look frayed have it worn off. If you pull off a back panel on an original aor inpect areas that hve not been exposed to light or abuse you can still see it intact. The only shellac use is from modern day builders attempt to recreate the look...although the amber shellac is way too fake and orange looking.

Orange... bleh... I hear you there.

Somebody, somewhere must have a good way to "age" nitro on tweed...

[bradpdx]

It was lacquer, the same type as was on the guitars. Cheaper that way, works fine.

[aznrambo481]

I thought taking guitar to tanning salons was an odd idea, but amps may take it to a whole new level of guitar geekiness.

[BrianF]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

Orange... bleh... I hear you there.

Somebody, somewhere must have a good way to "age" nitro on tweed...

What guitar finishers do is either age real nitro in a glass jar out in the sun for a long time...or just add a drop or 2 of lacquer tint (yellow or brown) to it. 1 or 2 drops goes a long way to tint nitro.... Then spray the nitro mix with a Preval bottle

[FrankB]

Originally Posted by BrianF

What guitar finishers do is either age real nitro in a glass jar out in the sun for a long time...or just add a drop or 2 of lacquer tint (yellow or brown) to it. 1 or 2 drops goes a long way to tint nitro.... Then spray the nitro mix with a Preval bottle

the secret is out....doh!
yes, the babyfood jar/pickle jar in the window and dated by the way to keep track of which is which... is an old school problem solver in a way.
tinting lacquer is a good idea depending on what the customer is looking for.
the best way to get let's say a neck to look older is to play it with no finish on it for a while, this way you body oil will penetrate the neck where you play it. When you spray it, the "touched" areas will be redder or darker than the untouched areas.