Lacquer Snakeheads

[sgarrity]

Is there a known serial number when the snakes went from varnish to lacquer? Can of worms I know, but how would you describe the tone difference?

[Glassweb]

I've played a lacquer F4 and a lacquer A4 snake that were both killer. I prefer the aesthetics of the earlier, varnish finish though.

[danb]

Serials don't always tell the whole story.. but you start seeing lacquer finish from roughly s/n 81xxx

Tonally.. they are perhaps a bit brighter in general than earlier ones. Big generalization though, each individual one can prove that statement unhelpful!

[pfox14]

I can say much about tonal differences between varnish vs. lacquer, but the change from varnish finishes to lacquer seems to coincide with Gibson's change in management when Guy Hart took over as general manager in late '24 or early 1925. It may have been done to cut production costs as sprayed lacquer was probably a cheaper process than the varnish finishes.