Here are the facts:
Guitar finishes that strike a chord with buyers: Fender, the world-famous maker of fine electric and acoustic guitars, uses special coatings to enhance the look and feel of guitars ... | Automotive > Automotive Overview from AllBusiness.com
Page 2 gets into the specifics of the paint used.
It is Sher-Wood CAB acrylic laquer.
"In addition to paying attention to the preferences of superstar musicians, McDonald is also mindful of what the younger, local talent wants from their guitars. "We noticed that kids were taking their brand new shiny guitars and intentionally marking them up with steel wool to make their instruments look worn," Mr. McDonald said. "For this customer, shiny, new looking instruments are definitely not cool.
As a response, FMIC set out to offer a guitar with a satin finish that would appeal to the younger musician. Offering this type of finish would also help bring the price down, since less workmanship is required in the final steps of painting and polishing. (Retail prices for Fender guitars can start as high as $1,200. The satin finished models are typically priced around $900.)
However, one of the problems often related to low-gloss finishes is the visible fingerprints left behind. Fender contacted several paint manufacturers about the issue and selected a coating from The Sherwin-Williams Company for the job. Sher-Wood[R] CAB-Acrylic Lacquer in a low-sheen satin offers just the right amount of luster to obscure fingerprints. It is also HAPS-compliant, resistant to moisture and yellowing and dries fast. Mr. McDonald selected dark velvety tones like burgundy, midnight blue and purple to appeal to the young audience.
For other color picks, Mr. McDonald took a cue from the popular three-tone sunburst pattern (featuring red and gold tones) introduced in the '50s, updating the look with silver and sapphire. Mr. McDonald also refers to colors like black, red and medium blue as "standards" that stay popular year after year.
Similar to automakers, Fender also plays to the niche markets by producing some guitar models in graffiti yellow and orange, or even a candy tangerine. "There's always a small crowd that wants that off-the-wall color that makes you look twice" said Mr. McDonald. "It's a lot like the occasional bright yellow Ford Mustang you see cruising the highway."
For Fender's specialty line of vintage guitars called "Highway 1", Sher-Wood CAB-acrylic lacquer in a high-gloss finish is used to capture the same look and feel of guitars manufactured in the 1940s and 1950s. "We have a large number of customers who are particularly nostalgic about this period in our line," said Al Guzman, Fender senior vice president at the Corona, California manufacturing site. "*
* from All Business, A D&B Company
Fender screwed the pooch in the marketing department. It's pretty well known they are not nitro - nitro does not make a satin finish since it "remelts" any undercoats when applied.
If you read that article in its entirety, they go into specific detail about the priming process as well, and the finishes on the standard models too.
