Lacquer finish on Eastman mandolins

[GeetarPicka]

Does anyone has problems with the lacquer finish on his Eastman mandolin? Mine has got a few lacquer cracks (weather checking) over the last week. Its pretty hot and dry here so that must be the reason. While I like those checking lines on vintage instruments I think they look odd on a new shiny mandolin.
I thought about removing the lacquer down to the varnish - should be similar to a Distressed model but I assume that would hurt the resale value alot, right?

[Jerry Byers]

Most weather checking is from exposure to rapid temperature changes. The wood and lacquer expand and contract at different rates. Lower humidity contributes to splits and cracks. Has the mandolin been exposed to hot and cold temperatures recently?

Yes, it will affect the resale value.

[GeetarPicka]

Its pretty warm here but rather dry.. I heard these were built in a region in China were it is pretty humid..that might be the cause.
These are only lacquer cracks, nothing to the wood. The only temperature changes came from playing outside and in my basement music room

[Jason Kessler]

If your basement music room is air conditioned, and you've brought the instrument down from an un-air contioned place, that might account for humidity and temperature changes succifient to cause cracks.

[Jerry Byers]

Steve (giannaviolins) might be able to comment on the Eastman's finish. I know the lacquer is pretty thin to none existent.

[GeetarPicka]

It is not air-conditioned but I must admit it is definately a few degrees cooler than outside ..what do you guys playing your mandolins outside( campfires, festivals, on stage) do to protect it?
re. the lacquer removal..I think it would look better if it wasn't that shiny(might even sound better) but I thought of upgrading in the future and than I'd loose some money.

[GeetarPicka]

hehe:D ..I'm located in Germany... and warm means around 28°C which might be ~ 85°F (??)

[Jerry Byers]

I asked about the location because in the southwest, the temperatures can be brutal in the summer. You can go from your house to outside and experience a 30 degree temperature change.

[GeetarPicka]

ok, just that last question ..would it sound better with the clear lacquer removed? I think that is an option on Eastman mandolins anyway, right?

[lkb3rd]

I personally wouln't think it would greatly affect the value if it is only a finish check. Granted, they are more common on older instruments, but even so, i am not aware of anyone who would call them a serious problem.

[mandolinplucker]

You don't have to worry about the finish cracking in the area that has already cracked. When the rest of it does what its gonna do- you wont have anything else to worry about. Play it and enjoy it. I have 3 mandos and the only one That I play much any more is a kit that I built. One thing that I like about it is that it ain't real pretty and fancy so I can sweat on it, play it at humid and hot outside jams, latenight festival jams,and take it in and out of air conditioned buildings,ect,without worrying about wiping and polishing. Just play and enjoy and soon you will have a distressed model and no more anxieties.

[Stephen Perry]

Checking generally occurs when differing finish layers react differently to external conditions or curing. Many violin folks attempt to get crackling in the finish, which isn't all that hard to do. In Eastman mandolins' the presence of spirit varnish and lacquer in contact may underlie the problem. Or there may be a sealer or ground that isn't reacting well with the spirit varnish.

Personally, I wouldn't be concerned. Finishes wear off quickly on instruments and get patched or not.

Removing just the lacquer might be possible, although I'm not sure how one would handle the tight spots. If the crackling is in the lacquer alone, that is a solution, sort of. If the crackling is in the underlying spirit and not in the lacquer, which can happen, then removing the lacquer will simply allow dirt to get into the crackling making it more visible.

The Eastman mandolins are rather inexpensive as instruments go. I wouldn't think they'd be worth messing with. I've reworked the finishes on some with damage so they could be sold as seconds, but I've not tried to correct pervasive conditions such as crackling or color, things that require reworking an entire instrument. The most I've done is shoot the top or back after work on the primary varnish.

[chuck.naill]

I assume that would hurt the resale value alot, right?

Most instrument manufactures including Martin and Gibson have had the same thing happen. My advise is to play the living daylights out of that sucker and forget about the resale. Make it your own and enjoy.

The problem in this business is the hype we listen to. These are peices of wood shaped to make music. It does not matter what they look like or who made them, but in the back of our minds we don't really believe it. Can you imagine someone buying a power tool and being concerned that it got scratched or that it had no resale. Those tools are just like these musical tools, the genius is in our hands. Just trying to encourage!!!

chuck

[gnelson651]

I assume that would hurt the resale value alot, right?

The problem in this business is the hype we listen to. These are peices of wood shaped to make music. It does not matter what they look like or who made them, but in the back of our minds we don't really believe it.


Chuck, you've hit the naill on the head!

I own an Eastman and to me its a consumable rather than an investment. I play the heck out of it and enjoy the experience. I don't worry about dings or scratches but I do take care on my instrument. Some people actually pay a lot for a "distressed" instrument.

[jackofall]

... Most instrument manufactures including Martin and Gibson have had the same thing happen. My advise is to play the living daylights out of that sucker and forget about the resale. Make it your own and enjoy ...
Just reading this older topic as I'm checking up on looking after my Eastman during a very hot dry spell here in SE England.

This paragraph from Chuck seemed like such simple but vital wisdom that I had to comment.

Eastmans are great, inexpensive mandos. One of the few brands where one can afford to do exactly what Chuck advises and not have nightmares! # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[chuck.naill]

0000 steel wool will take small amounts of the finsih off very gradually. I used blue painters masking tape to designate the area and took off the finish of my 504's neck.

While I agree that Eastmans are not expensive. I would not equate this with value. Unfortunitly, we (like someone else once said) come to know the cost of everything and the value on nothing. The reason why top brands are appreciated has something to do with the prices paid as well as the sound that is produced. I like the feeling knowing that I did not have to spend thousands to get the tones I get from my 504.

Also, concerning the finish checking. Some are using cryrogenic sprays to give an apparent or distressed look to new guitars.

chuck