Polyester

Polyester is actually a petroleum-based plastic made from polyethylene terephthalate, which was invented in Britain in the early 1940s. It tends to be very resilient, quick drying, and exceptionally resistant to biological damage. While polyester is often maligned today as a textile, it has many other useful applications. Today, polyester is widely used as an ultra-durable finish on high-quality wooden products like guitars and pianos. The properties of the sprayable form of polyester make it ideal for use on open grain timbers, as it can quickly fill the grain and has a high build film thickness per coat. The cured polyester can then be sanded and polished to a high-gloss, durable finish. Fender, among other guitar manufacturers, uses polyester as a clear coat on certain models such as the Deluxe Fat Strat and the Nashville Power Telecaster.