Clear Coat

After acoustic or electric guitars or basses are given their transparent or translucent stains, the last step is adding the clear coat. This is a protective layer that is meant to help protect the finishes from fading. Some are more successful than others. Many of the famous 1958–1960 Les Pauls had a clear nitrocellulose lacquer coat applied that actually darkened with age to a warm yellowish tint. The Les Pauls with faded cherry sunbursts but with “aged” clear coats are usually called “Lemon Drops” for obvious reasons.