The finishes on our guitars are considered amongst the very best in the industry. Our finishes have a rich luster and brilliance that stand out from the pack. John Suhr has painstakingly developed a superb finishing process over many years as a repair tech in the 70's, as a custom guitar builder in the 80's, as a senior master builder at the Fender Custom Shop in the 90's, and at Suhr Guitars since 1997. From the undercoat to color to the gloss top coat, John has come up with a paint formula that exudes flawless brilliance and brings out the character of the woods as well as protecting them and also contributing to the tone of the guitars.
Our Custom and Pro Series guitar bodies are finished in thin polyester for great looks as well as offering great protection for the woods against the elements. The very thin layers of paint means the woods can breathe and resonate, contributing greatly to the liveliness and the characteristic acoustic brilliance of Suhr instruments. Our necks are finished in thin layers of acrylic urethane, giving off the slick feel of natural wood while providing ample protection against moisture. We also offer the "Thin Skin" urethane finish for the body for those who prefer an older look (not as glossy and brilliant as polyester) at no upcharge. The urethane gloss finish will age more quickly and is more susceptible to dings and scratches. Polyester retains its brilliance over long periods of time while providing the best protection. Open Color Chart
The color chart has multiple examples of certain colors since the color can vary depending on certain types of woods. Although these photos were taken in a controlled environment with proper lighting to get the most accurate representation of the color possible, colors will vary wildly depending on the angle viewed, camera used, lighting (sunlight or indoor light), and the computer monitor screen used to view these photos. For example, Black Cherry Metallic can look almost black to bright red depending on the lighting.
Please use the color chart photos as a guideline and to give you an idea of how the colors look. We cannot guarantee that the color will look identical in person as it does on a photo. If you have sample photos of a color you'd like us to match, you need to provide a hard copy photo as the color in a digital photo emailed to us can vary from monitor to monitor. Upcharges may apply on custom colors that we do not normally offer.