Virtually all of the finish on Gallagher's Stratocaster was stripped away over time, and, while he took care to keep the guitar in playable condition, Gallagher never had it restored, stating ""the less paint or varnish on a guitar, acoustic or electric, the better. The wood breathes more. But it’s all psychological. I just like the sound of it"". Gallagher's brother Dónal has also stated that, owing to his rare blood type, Gallagher's sweat was unusually acidic, acting to prematurely age the instrument's paintwork.