FAQS

Gracey's nitrocellulose lacquer is specially formulated using a vintage-inspired formulation, carefully crafted to replicate the tone, feel, and character of classic finishes. Gracey's is a traditional nitrocellulose formula with no plasticizers or modern hardeners, allowing the finish to cure, age, and wear naturally—just as vintage instruments were intended to.

Yes! Nitrocellulose finishes do require patience. Gracey's is designed to be easy to use for anyone, regardless of experience level. By following proper surface preparation, applying even coats, and allowing adequate curing time, you can achieve consistent, professional-looking results. The spray provides smooth, controlled coverage, helping to minimize common issues like runs or uneven layers. With attention to these basic steps, you can create a durable, high-quality finish with the depth and clarity of a traditional nitrocellulose coating.

All Gracey's aerosol products are classified as Hazardous Materials, which requires that they be shipped via ground transportation. Due to these regulatory restrictions, transit times may take up to 10 days, depending on your location. Please note that these extended delivery times are beyond our control.

We use reliable carriers, including UPS Ground and USPS Ground Advantage, to ensure your order is handled safely and arrives in good condition. We appreciate your understanding as we prioritize safety and regulatory compliance in every shipment.

We recommend starting by carefully reading our step-by-step tutorial and watching the accompanying video below. These resources are designed to guide you through each stage of the process, providing clear instructions, helpful tips, and visual demonstrations to ensure the best results. Taking the time to review both the written and video materials will give you a solid foundation before you begin.

We pride ourselves on delivering personal, attentive customer service and typically respond within 24-48 hours. You can contact us directly by email at Crystal@madisonsmusicstore.com or by text at 419-654-1853. We are a hands-on husband-and-wife team, personally managing every aspect of our business—no AI, no call centers—so you'll always hear directly from us.

This is a two-part answer, depending on whether you are starting from raw wood or refinishing over an existing factory finish.

Starting from raw wood:
If your guitar body and/or neck is unfinished, you'll typically need:

Sealer: 2–3 cans for the body, 1 can for the neck. The exact amount depends on the wood type and how much grain filling is needed. Denser or porous woods like ash and mahogany may require 1–2 additional cans.

Color: 1–2 cans. Use 2 cans if you are spraying both the body and the neck; otherwise, 1 can is usually enough.

Clear: 2–3 cans to achieve a durable, glossy finish.

Refinishing over a factory poly finish

If you are spraying over an existing factory polyurethane finish and not removing it completely, you can block sand with 400-grit sandpaper and spray a few light coats of sealer to fill the sanding marks. In this case, you will typically need:

• 1 can Sealer
• 1–2 cans of Color
• 2–3 cans of Clear

Note: Coverage can vary based on spray technique, guitar size, and the number of coats applied.

Yes. If your guitar has a factory polyurethane finish, you can lightly block sand the surface with 400-grit sandpaper and apply color directly over it. Using a sealer is recommended, as it provides a smooth, prepared base for the color coats. After applying color, a clear coat is always recommended to protect the finish and enhance its depth and gloss.

If you decide to remove the factory finish completely to expose raw wood, sealer will be required before applying any color.

We strongly recommend using both sealer and clear coat.

The sealer creates a stable, uniform surface that promotes consistent color, while the clear coat protects the finish and allows for proper curing, leveling, and polishing. Skipping steps often leads to uneven color, durability issues, and unsatisfactory results.

Our color coats are specially formulated for excellent coverage and do not require a separate primer. For a non-pigmented (clear) base, our transparent sealer can serve as a primer, providing a smooth, even foundation for your color coats.

If you prefer to use a primer or want a more vintage-correct application, you have a few options. For a pigmented base, we recommend using Olympic White or Polaris White as a primer layer to achieve the best color vibrancy and consistency.

For best results, we strongly recommend using the same product line from start to finish. Mixing products from different manufacturers can lead to compatibility issues, including improper drying, curing problems, and finish failure.

Coats should be applied extremely light and even. When sprayed correctly and under ideal conditions, additional coats can be applied approximately every 15-30 minutes.

If coats have been applied heavier than recommended, we suggest allowing a 24-hour dry time before applying the next coat. This ensures the previous coats have properly flashed off and provides a stable, evenly cured base for subsequent layers.

Nitrocellulose lacquer dries to the touch fairly quickly under ideal conditions, but full curing takes time. To achieve the best results:

Light handling: 24 hours

Wet sanding: 2–3 weeks

Final polishing: 3–4 weeks (or longer for optimal depth and clarity)

Patience is key—allowing the finish to fully cure is essential for achieving an authentic, vintage-quality look.

In the vast majority of cases, finish cracking is caused by a wet or improperly cured undercoat. Different products dry and cure at different rates, and incompatibility between layers can lead to failure. For example, shellac or lacquer-based sealers and primers may not cure at the same rate as nitrocellulose.

When using other products under nitro (or over) nitrocellulose, it is critical that all undercoats are fully dry and properly cured before applying additional layers. Humidity and temperature fluctuations can also contribute to cracking and other finish issues.

Apply light, even coats—avoid spraying wet or heavy.

Allow proper dry and cure time between each coat.

Avoid mixing incompatible products.

Spray in stable conditions, ideally with moderate temperature and low humidity.

Allow the finish to acclimate slowly to temperature changes during curing.

Following these steps will help ensure a stable finish that cures, ages, and wears as intended.

This is most commonly caused by exposed or unevenly sealed wood. A properly sealed surface absorbs color evenly, while exposed grain or porous areas absorb more product, resulting in darker or blotchy spots—often most noticeable around edges and contours. Ensuring the surface is fully sealed before applying color will prevent this issue.

Yes. Our products are designed to behave like traditional, old-school nitrocellulose. Over time, the clear coat will naturally yellow and wear, and the finish may develop checking when exposed to rapid temperature changes—just like vintage instruments.