Satin vs Gloss Les Pauls

[Deadpan]

My main guitar for a while is a Les Paul Studio in black satin finish. Just picked up this gloss Studio. The gloss Studio sounds more like other Les Paul's. The satin guitar seems more woody for the lack of a better term. The gloss version seems to have more pronounced pick attack.

They have different pickup but my gloss Classic has the same feel as poly Studio.

So the question is, is the difference due to the finish or is it just different years? The satin is a 2011 where the gloss is 2023.

You probably don't want to know what I paid for the 2023. :)

 

[la szum]

I do think guitars with a rubbed/satin finish (where the pores of the wood are open and visible) have an
airier and more diffuse quality to them. Poly can tend to offer a more focused tone.

Just don't ask me to prove any of that "nonsense."

 

[Deadpan]

I do think guitars with a rubbed/satin finish (where the pores of the wood are open and visible) have an
airier and more diffuse quality to them. Poly can tend to offer a more focused tone.

Just don't ask me to prove any of that "nonsense."

That sounds right in line with my experience.

 

[la szum]

Cool! We are clearly a couple of nutbags in need of some reeducation!

It really seems obvious when you have more than a couple different versions of each.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I just love a Satin feel

 

[HotRats]

I accept only Les Pauls with a Satan feel.

 

[laxu]

You have two different guitars here. Satin vs gloss isn't going to make a difference in anything but looks.

 

[Frodebro]

Poly is available in satin, semigloss, and gloss. Just putting that out there for clarity.

 

[hemmelight]

Grats on the new guitar!

Something about satin / matte finishes bug me. I don’t like that greasy look they get after some real play-time. They look cool to me when they’re brand new though.

 

[Frodebro]

Grats on the new guitar!

Something about satin / matte finishes bug me. I don’t like that greasy look they get after some real play-time. They look cool to me when they’re brand new though.

That is the result of the finish being polished in those spots. You can knock it back down with very fine sandpaper.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Are you sure it's polyurethane? I thought all USA gibson are finished in nitro regardless of whether they were satin or gloss.

 

[Frodebro]

Are you sure it's polyurethane? I thought all USA gibson are finished in nitro regardless of whether they were satin or gloss.

They should all be nitro, but I don’t know if they have changed that in recent years.

 

[la szum]

^^I think you are both correct. Even with the Studios, right?

 

[Frodebro]

^^I think you are both correct. Even with the Studios, right?

Pretty sure.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

^^I think you are both correct. Even with the Studios, right?

Yeah even the studios and tributes are nitro.

 

[Deadpan]

Changed the title to Satin Vs Gloss as they both supposedly use Nitro finish. I say supposedly as the gloss version seems to be a different lacquer than the satin and not just being more layers of the same. They feel nothing alike.

 

[Frodebro]

Changed the title to Satin Vs Gloss as they both supposedly use Nitro finish. I say supposedly as the gloss version seems to be a different lacquer than the satin and not just being more layers of the same. They feel nothing alike.

They won’t feel alike, that is the nature of the beast. Satin will feel much smoother when you rub your hand across it, gloss will have a bit more friction to it (for lack of a better term).

 

[Deadpan]

For sure satin vs gloss wouldn't make a difference in sound but the fact that the gloss is seemingly three times thicker than the satin definitely could.