Am I the only one here that thinks the HWY1 finish was headed in the right direction?

TELECASTERbstrd · January 26th, 2008, 03:29 PM

I love the looks of a new shiney guitar, but for a player I love satin everything! I hate "relics" so the thin-skin stuff means nothing to me.
I just dont like the smudged sweat and finger and hand prints on a gloss guitar. I also do like it when a guitar doesn't reflect stage lighting back at the audience. That has annoyed me as an audience!
Nothing ground-breaking here, I just prefer a dull finish... especially on my pickguard.

odiemann · January 26th, 2008, 03:34 PM

Quote:

I hate "relics" so the thin-skin stuff means nothing to me.

Huh? The thinskins are just a more finished nitro (?) version that has nothing to do with a relic. Relics are CS jobs. A highway 1 has a better chance of looking like a relic sooner than a Thinskin.

And dull can be good, agreed.

Jellecaster · January 26th, 2008, 03:34 PM

You're probably not the only one - but I REALLY don't like it!

ibobunot · January 26th, 2008, 03:46 PM

I love the HWY1's myself but yeah most people seem to equate satin finish with cheap...

Telemarkman · January 26th, 2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibobunot

I love the HWY1's myself but yeah most people seem to equate satin finish with cheap...

I wouldn't say that, it just LOOKS cheap

.....Hee, hee!

boris bubbanov · January 26th, 2008, 03:51 PM

I fixed all 4 of mine as soon as I got 'em home.

I don't crave a hot mirror gloss, a little semi-gloss haze is just right and is very easy to create with polishing compound.

A gloss is the best way to see if you have a sound body under there. I will not strive to keep 'em super shiny, a little wear and tear is fine.

Bubbanov

Birdsnest · January 26th, 2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

I fixed all 4 of mine as soon as I got 'em home.

I don't crave a hot mirror gloss, a little semi-gloss haze is just right and is very easy to create with polishing compound.
Bubbanov

Would you mind elaborating on this good sir? As a HWY1 seems to have followed me home recently, I'd be interested in "spit shining" the satin finish.

Guitar_Ninja · January 26th, 2008, 04:24 PM

I used two applications of Meguiar's #2 Fine Cut Cleaner followed by their #7 Show Car Glaze. Polished the finish out nicely.

TG · January 26th, 2008, 07:49 PM

I don't mind the look, and I like the 'thin' idea.

But... I expect a guitar's finish to be durable and to look much the same after 10 years if I'm careful.
A finish that I can wear thru with my sleeve is inadequate.

boris bubbanov · January 26th, 2008, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdsnest

Would you mind elaborating on this good sir? As a HWY1 seems to have followed me home recently, I'd be interested in "spit shining" the satin finish.

Well, you could try $ 3 a tin white Turtle Wax polishing compound. 10.5 ounces.

Or, Meguiar's Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner. 16 ounce red bottle. Both produce a nice result.

Take everything off the guitar body for best results. Good time to replace those super hot 'upgrade' Alnico 3 Tele pickups. Keystones work great.

Bubbanov

ChicknPickn · January 26th, 2008, 08:58 PM

I have the wine red Hwy 1 finish. Nice color, nice being able to see some wood grain . . . . but that orange peel texture deep in the finish is a drag. No way to get that out without taking the finish way down, and that wouldn't be worth the effort to me. From a few feet away, it's a beauty. And as with most beauties, it's best not to look too closely.

Talmir · January 26th, 2008, 09:14 PM

I think a sunburst guitar only looks right with a satin finish. Depends on the guitar of course.. black should be shiny, surf green should be satin.. just imo.

beep.click · January 26th, 2008, 09:36 PM

I like everything about my Highway 1 a lot... except the finish. It just makes me nervous. I don't hate it, though.

I know what to expect from a high-gloss finish. I don't know what's going to happen over the years, with the Highway 1.

Plus, there's leftover stuff in my brain. When I was young, all the guitars that were lightyears away were all shiny, shiny, shiny.

It has taken awhile for me to appreciate things like sunbursts and naturals, because in my head, a Fender is supposed to be like a big M&M. Then again, that's more true of Strats, for me...

Sir Jon · January 27th, 2008, 04:31 AM

I got myself a Highway One just after Christmas, and must admit to liking the finish. It wasn't really what I was after, and I was a little dubious about going for something with a "cheaper finish", but it was the best sounding Tele in the shop and I had to have her.

How she'll look in a years time is starting to worry me though.

pchilson · January 27th, 2008, 08:31 AM

Personally, I love the nitro finish on my Blonde/RW Highway 1 strat.
A years time will give that finish its own character...

SMPTE · January 27th, 2008, 08:32 AM

I like the satin finish on my Tele, though I don't think I'd like it on my Strat. It wouldn't be in character. I've never been terribly delicate with the Tele, and I'm not afraid of it getting damaged. With the Stat I have to be careful of the finish and the cold and the dirt and the ....

tdu · January 27th, 2008, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talmir

I think a sunburst guitar only looks right with a satin finish. Depends on the guitar of course.. black should be shiny, surf green should be satin.. just imo.

Ya I agree. The sunburst satin looks great. While I like the idea of the finish, other colours do look a little 'cheap' in the satin.

marty h · January 27th, 2008, 08:59 AM

i have the sunburst texas tele and highway one strat in daphne blue and i love them.

January 26th, 2008, 03:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
TELECASTERbstrd Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Hill Country TEXAS Posts: 731	Am I the only one here that thinks the HWY1 finish was headed in the right direction? I love the looks of a new shiney guitar, but for a player I love satin everything! I hate "relics" so the thin-skin stuff means nothing to me. I just dont like the smudged sweat and finger and hand prints on a gloss guitar. I also do like it when a guitar doesn't reflect stage lighting back at the audience. That has annoyed me as an audience! Nothing ground-breaking here, I just prefer a dull finish... especially on my pickguard. __________________ Howdy Y'all, most of my stuff pertains to country music. my MySpace Music Hill Country Horseworks

January 26th, 2008, 03:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
Jellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Age: 40 Posts: 2,087	You're probably not the only one - but I REALLY don't like it! __________________ It was born at the junction of form and function...

January 26th, 2008, 04:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
Guitar_Ninja Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kingston, Ontario Posts: 1,306 5 Photos	I used two applications of Meguiar's #2 Fine Cut Cleaner followed by their #7 Show Car Glaze. Polished the finish out nicely. __________________ Wicket KNOWS.

January 26th, 2008, 09:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
Talmir Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: iceland Age: 25 Posts: 285	I think a sunburst guitar only looks right with a satin finish. Depends on the guitar of course.. black should be shiny, surf green should be satin.. just imo. __________________ - By the light of night, it´ll all look alright.

January 26th, 2008, 09:36 PM	#13 (permalink)
beep.click Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California Age: 49 Posts: 1,818	I like everything about my Highway 1 a lot... except the finish. It just makes me nervous. I don't hate it, though. I know what to expect from a high-gloss finish. I don't know what's going to happen over the years, with the Highway 1. Plus, there's leftover stuff in my brain. When I was young, all the guitars that were lightyears away were all shiny, shiny, shiny. It has taken awhile for me to appreciate things like sunbursts and naturals, because in my head, a Fender is supposed to be like a big M&M. Then again, that's more true of Strats, for me... __________________ "It looked like a giant green gum drop to me."

January 26th, 2008, 03:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
ibobunot Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dullsville Posts: 3,456	I love the HWY1's myself but yeah most people seem to equate satin finish with cheap...

January 26th, 2008, 03:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 7,720	I fixed all 4 of mine as soon as I got 'em home. I don't crave a hot mirror gloss, a little semi-gloss haze is just right and is very easy to create with polishing compound. A gloss is the best way to see if you have a sound body under there. I will not strive to keep 'em super shiny, a little wear and tear is fine. Bubbanov

January 26th, 2008, 07:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
TG Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Beside a bog in the west of Ireland Age: 46 Posts: 4,427 7 Photos	I don't mind the look, and I like the 'thin' idea. But... I expect a guitar's finish to be durable and to look much the same after 10 years if I'm careful. A finish that I can wear thru with my sleeve is inadequate.

January 26th, 2008, 08:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
ChicknPickn Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Suffolk, VA Age: 45 Posts: 436	I have the wine red Hwy 1 finish. Nice color, nice being able to see some wood grain . . . . but that orange peel texture deep in the finish is a drag. No way to get that out without taking the finish way down, and that wouldn't be worth the effort to me. From a few feet away, it's a beauty. And as with most beauties, it's best not to look too closely.

January 27th, 2008, 04:31 AM	#14 (permalink)
Sir Jon TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ireland Posts: 31	I got myself a Highway One just after Christmas, and must admit to liking the finish. It wasn't really what I was after, and I was a little dubious about going for something with a "cheaper finish", but it was the best sounding Tele in the shop and I had to have her. How she'll look in a years time is starting to worry me though.

January 27th, 2008, 08:31 AM	#15 (permalink)
pchilson Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Loveland, Colorado Age: 50 Posts: 735	Personally, I love the nitro finish on my Blonde/RW Highway 1 strat. A years time will give that finish its own character...

January 27th, 2008, 08:32 AM	#16 (permalink)
SMPTE Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Minneeeesoooottta Posts: 1,144	I like the satin finish on my Tele, though I don't think I'd like it on my Strat. It wouldn't be in character. I've never been terribly delicate with the Tele, and I'm not afraid of it getting damaged. With the Stat I have to be careful of the finish and the cold and the dirt and the .... __________________ HW1 Texas Tele, EJ Strat, MIJ JM, Epi Casino (AlnicoV), Gibson '61 RI SG, Steinberger, Squier PBass (heavily modded)

January 27th, 2008, 08:59 AM	#18 (permalink)
marty h Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: gonzales,la Age: 52 Posts: 201	i have the sunburst texas tele and highway one strat in daphne blue and i love them.