I just found out about this... the Tonequest Report... go here to get a free sample issue (or two). There is a really great article I read there... I was fascinated to find out that a lot of modern vintage reissue guitars have Polyester paint as an undercoat (you can read about this, and more, in the free issue download on their site). The manufacturer might put good old Nitro on top of the poly... but the poly is still there. The manufacturers put it on real thick too... because it fills all the holes in the wood, and there is then no need to use any wood filler. In addition, that stuff cures in only a day... it also sucks out all the tone in the wood, and can make it sound as acoustically fine as a piece of concrete. Just one more reason to save up a little longer before you go and buy that guitar of your dreams... the higher-end ones probably don't have the poly... polyester paint for me is about as attractive as finding Polydent in my grandparent's medicine cabinet.
