Scared of buying new $$$ guitar b/c of cloudy finish on my old $ guitar..!

Started by hawkman71, February 27, 2018, 06:03:52 AM

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Hi everyone.

Long story, back story starts here:
I've been here for a few weeks or months now because I've been looking really hard at Larrivees to replace my one and only (and first) guitar - an entry-level Yamaha FG-410 that I bought in college, new, when I was a sophomore. I lived in Canada at the time in a dorm, and then a non-central-air-conditioned home (but who needs it).

i moved to North Carolina about 5 years later where I, my bride, and guitar resided at first in a crappy, hole-in-the-wall single-wide trailer with little-to-no air conditioning for 1.5 years, then a non-central-AC bungalow for 3 years, and then finally, a central A/C home.

Shorter story starts here:
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN IT FIRST SHOWED UP, but the back and side of my Yamaha have become cloudy. Very, very cloudy. I guess humidity has entered the wood through the interior of the guitar and has clouded the finish.

There are a host of vast differences between any Larrivee and this $180 ply-top FG410, but can you understand where my fear in laying out 1 to 2 thousand dollars has me a little fearful?

I've never heard anyone on any forum complain of the cloudy finish on their nice whatever-maker guitar so, do are my fears not well-founded?

If you keep it within proper humidity parameters, you have nothing to worry about. It's not hard to do but if you're unwilling, avoid decent guitars made out of wood.
BTW,  cloudiness can sometimes have to do with issues in the original finish. I have a classical like that.
D-09 Brazilian w/ Eagle inlay. D-02-12
Used to own and love; SD-50, J70 maple Mermaid, SD60sbt, D03R, LV03E.

Many people own expensive guitars and live in an area that is not ideal humidity wise. They deal with it.

Pick up an inexpensive hygrometer at the hardware store and calibrate it so it is accurate. I used the 'salt method' and it is very easy, google it. See what the relative humidity is in your guitar room.

You may need to get a dehumidifier if the RH is high, or maybe the air conditioner does the job.
The ideal range is 40-50%RH.

Larrivee has great info on humidity:
https://www.larrivee.com/pdfs/Larrivee%20Care%20%20Maintenance.pdf

In some cases keeping the guitar in the case can be detrimental. Or, in some cases, your guitar is in danger  :bgrin:
A Hebrew, under the Spell
Pain is a good thing

 :donut :donut2 :coffee
I have a black Yamaha FG-411 that I got probably 35 years ago in Houston, no case at all, and it suffered so bad it became unplayable.
It hangs in a closet, haven't even had strings on it for probably 15 years. I probably will make a sconce lamp out of it.
Based on your guitar type, I might humbly suggest a used D-03 which you can get for way less than a grand, and will feel familiar to the FG.
Since you now have better housing arrangements, you should have no problems.
Mike
Larrivee OM-03, OM-03 laurel, OM-50, L-03 laurel, LSV-03 walnut (Forum VI)

2nd the larrivee d03,wonderful guitars
Matte finish will m
Not cloud
Good luck
Davey

My friend has a classical guitar with clouding finish.  No other instruments stored in the same room have such issues.  We're pretty sure it's an issue with the finish itself.
2010 LSV-11e
2002 4E Jose Ramirez
1998 S6+folk Seagull
1986 Charvel Model 3A
2001 Fender Jazz bass
1935 A-OO Gibson mandolin
1815 JG Hamm violin

I have 8 Larrivee dreads and there is not one cloud among them.  Nothing better in my humble opinion...
George

I can't imagine a UV cured poly finish like Larrivee uses ever turning cloudy (from humidity or any other reason).

I don't leave my Larrivees out though.  They stay in their cases and I refill the humidifiers every two weeks because in Phoenix (with our single digit humility)  a guitar will crack if you leave it out.

If I left a guitar out it would be the one on the left here:
Emerald X7



That black one is a carbon copy of... well, it's just carbon I guess.
An Emerald Guitar?

Quote from: hawkman71 on March 01, 2018, 07:53:50 AM
That black one is a carbon copy of... well, it's just carbon I guess.
An Emerald Guitar?
That Emerald is cool!, isn't it?

Hawk, If you're leery of the new, high dollar guitar outlay, why not buy used? There are TONS of great deals on used Larrivee's here and other sites (Reverb?).
Kenny

Quote: "You know, all things considered, we are very, very lucky to have all that we do, an embarrassment of riches, actually."

Quote from: tulk1 on March 01, 2018, 08:37:38 AM

Hawk, If you're leery of the new, high dollar guitar outlay, why not buy used? There are TONS of great deals on used Larrivee's here and other sites (Reverb?).


This^^^  There are so many good deals on used Larrivees out there - it's really a shame they're so undervalued in the market right now. But it's good for potential buyers! IF you do your homework, you should not be afraid of a used Larrivee.
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

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