Acetone + Poly = Damage?

[ItsaBass]

Re: Acetone + Poly = Damage?

This thread confuses me somewhat, and obviously some of you lot as well ....


Acetone does not affect poly, but will melt a laquer finish. I don't know why people think otherwise but I have used acetone to clean poly many times with no problems. It is possible to dilute acetone with water, or any other solvent, but as supplied, it is pure acetone and does not come in "different strengths".


It sounds like the "pro" got it wrong, and the guitar does indeed have a laquer finish as the acetone melted it, so the OPoster wasn't ripped off at all.

It was, however, a dumb-assed thing to do, when he wiped a laquer finished guitar with acetone to prove indeed that it was a damageable laquer finish.

(I would blame the "pro", but not to the extent that he is liable or anything :- he didn't suggest using acetone to clean it)

As was mentioned earlier in the thread, there are different types of things that we generally call "poly" in the guitar community. It is kind of used to describe and "plasticy" finish, regardless of the exact type. IME, acetone (and lacquer thinner go right through old '70's Fender "poly," but quick. OTOH, they don't harm some "poly" finishes one bit. Probably due to a change in the plastics over the years.