Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

[beaubrummels]

I have a 2007 SG and was swapping out the electronics when I noticed I can already see a darkened outline of the pickguard. But this guitar is only 6 years old and has only been used at home or in the studio. Has anyone else noticed Gibson finishes darkening up so quickly? Or are there certain environmental things to watch out for that when exposed cause a Gibson finish to darken up? Thanks.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Personally, I like signs of natural aging on guitars. But as far as what causes it, I don't know. Sunlight? Smoke, dust, other pollutants? Or does it just happen with some finishes.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Exposed nitro-cellulose + strong sunlight = yellowing.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Exposed nitro-cellulose + strong sunlight = yellowing.

Yeah, but what's odd is I've only used this indoors, just at home and in the studio. It's never been gigged in the sun / or sat in the sun. That's why I was perplexed.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Welcome to the world, one in which nitro finishes yellow when exposed to light.

THere is nothing wrong with the finish and yes it is normal....it is quite desirable actually

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

I am ok with it, in fact I really wanted the darker almost tobacco burst like a Firebird has (this one is 'natural' burst). It's just I haven't noticed any of my other Gibsons do this so fast, in just a few years. I was starting to wonder if maybe it was the case; the lining or the glue that was interacting; or if Gibson changed their formula to yellow even quicker. As far as light, it's mostly been exposed to fluorescent in the studio and low incandescent at home.

 

[blues]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

I dont think Gibson would change their formula on purpose to make the finish age faster. Im not even sure they use real nitro on alot of their production guitars that are not custom shop. I would think if they change their finish it would be to cut costs. I heard they are only aloud to use so much nitro due to the effect it has on the environment.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Yeah, but what's odd is I've only used this indoors, just at home and in the studio. It's never been gigged in the sun / or sat in the sun. That's why I was perplexed.

Has the guitar spent much time out of its case in a room with windows? An object doesn't have to be outside or in direct sunlight in order to be affected.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

I think Gibson has gotten the message that thick syrupy finishes isn't what players want, so they and other companies like PRS have figured out how to create a thinner more breathable finish.

Not to mention all the models they have where they cut a big cost by giving us satin finished backs.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Has the guitar spend much time out of its case in a room with windows? An object doesn't have to be outside or in direct sunlight in order to be affected.

It's spent a fair amount out of the case in the studio, but the studio has no windows at all. There is HVAC to bring air in, I suppose. Don't know if that is enough. It's just interesting how fast it happened. It took my Les Paul more than 10 years to show that kind of age.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

This is one of the reasons I don't own a Gibson.
The last 2 i owned showed age in the finish much more quickly than my USA Washburns , Carvins or my PRS did. With the price you pay for the name you expect better.
For my personal experience it was not just the finish that deteriorated quickly but also the frets were soft and + necks on both of the last 2 Gibsins I owned were also not stable.
I will as a result never own another Gibson!
Other companies just offer better quality for less or the same $$. Gibson is NOT what it once was!!!

 

[jmh151]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

This is one of the reasons I don't own a Gibson.
The last 2 i owned showed age in the finish much more quickly than my USA Washburns , Carvins or my PRS did. With the price you pay for the name you expect better.
For my personal experience it was not just the finish that deteriorated quickly but also the frets were soft and + necks on both of the last 2 Gibsins I owned were also not stable.
I will as a result never own another Gibson!
Other companies just offer better quality for less or the same $$. Gibson is NOT what it once was!!!

What happened with Gibson is the public demands Gibsons to be made to historically accurate specs of the 50's, and 60's. Since then there have been advances in finishes, fretwire, electronics, glues, that many guitar makers have used. Unfortunately, using each of these also changes the tone, so the most well built guitar may not be the most sonically desireable to tone purists.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Gibson has been claiming, intermittently, since the 70's that they have "fixed" the issue of their finishes yellowing, aging, etc... If I had to guess, I'd say it depends on which monkey is stirring the mixture this week.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Lift the pickguard on any white or cream coloured Fender after about 5 years and you'll see the same thing. It's just what happens when you have one part completely covered by another part for a long period of time. Hell, I've seen the stickers the put on the pickguard of new guitars leave an outline if the guitar has sat too long exposed to any kind of indirect sunlight. I used to have a guitar where the store had put a price tag sticker on the back of the headstock and it forever left an outline where the surrounding wood had darkened.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Let's not forget dirt, dust and oil from fingers etc... my white iPhone 5 case is clear and has actually yellowed slightly as well.

Although I think the dirt/oil is certainly a fair point, the only reason I'm not convinced that is the cause in my situation is because the darkening is completely uniform around the pickguard,

 

[blueman335]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Gibson has been claiming, intermittently, since the 70's that they have "fixed" the issue of their finishes yellowing, aging, etc... If I had to guess, I'd say it depends on which monkey is stirring the mixture this week.

Excellent!

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

Gibson uses nitro...nitro is soft and thin, it happens not be design but just due to the nature of the type of finish itself.

All my Gibsons are showing signs of wear in the finish...my R8 has several places in the neck that's down to bare wood!

 

[0v3nm4n]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

I have a 2007 SG and was swapping out the electronics when I noticed I can already see a darkened outline of the pickguard. But this guitar is only 6 years old and has only been used at home or in the studio. Has anyone else noticed Gibson finishes darkening up so quickly? Or are there certain environmental things to watch out for that when exposed cause a Gibson finish to darken up? Thanks.

View attachment 44815

what's the chicken head for?

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

what's the chicken head for?

I had a pan/blend for the pickup selection for a while. It enabled me to hold a chord and switch to lead sound smoothly for recording. (Throwing a switch while holding a chord was like changing the radio station in the middle of the song.) I was restoring the original switch wiring when I took this photo.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: Are Gibson finishes 'designed' to age quickly?

This is one of the reasons I don't own a Gibson.
The last 2 i owned showed age in the finish much more quickly than my USA Washburns , Carvins or my PRS did. With the price you pay for the name you expect better.
For my personal experience it was not just the finish that deteriorated quickly but also the frets were soft and + necks on both of the last 2 Gibsins I owned were also not stable.
I will as a result never own another Gibson!
Other companies just offer better quality for less or the same $$. Gibson is NOT what it once was!!!

First off, the showing age thing is actually a Gibson niche; most their fans like that and that's a market they cater to, so its nothing to do with building cheap guitars and everything to do with being done on purpose.

As for your last two Gibson having unstable necks, really? You really owned two Gibsons - in a row - with confirmed unstable necks due to poor manufacturing? I highly doubt that, if that's true you better stay indoors during lightening storms because you apparently have incredibly bad luck. The numerous Gibsons I've owned/own had/have perfectly fine necks, SG's included. I will admit I prefer the three piece maple Norlin necks though, much stronger than a single piece of mahogany.

What I sense is is typical Gibson bashing. Don't like them? Cool, buy a Washburn or Carvin, or a PRS, but don't rant like aging is a sign of a cheap guitar when its just not your preference is all.