Leolani Blog about Finishes...accurate?

[UkeStuff]

Leolani published this on their blog today. Is their summary of finishes accurate, or is there more to the story? I thought I would ask here in the Luthier's Lounge.

https://www.leolaniukulele.com/post/matte-satin-gloss-oh-my

 

[Red Cliff]

So they are only talking about nitro and polyurethane sprayed finishes. That isn't really an area of my expertise but I can see how a matte finish is likely to be thinner than a gloss in terms of a sprayed finish. Whether or not anyone can detect a sound difference I a blind test is another thing altogether...

But I would hazard a guess that most custom uke builders on this forum don't use spray finishes. The thinnest and (debatable) best sounding finish out there is a high gloss finish - french polished shellac. So in general terms, no a gloss finish isn't always thicker or worse sounding.

 

[badhabits]

They seem to be saying opposite things:

Early on they say "A huge benefit to matte finishing is the tonal supremacy achieved over those that are glossy."

And then later, "A perceived downside to gloss ukulele is a dampening of tone, sustain, and projection due to the added weight of the finish. Though this is debatable with modern applications and techniques."

 

[Pete Howlett]

This is not my experience of gloss and matt finishes.