Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

[Karn Evil 9]

Does anyone know what sort of procedure Gibson go through when they 'age' the finish on their VOS Les Pauls?
Apparently it's due to UV light interacting with the nitro finish and that exposure to sunlight should do the trick, but could i get the same effect with some sort of UV lamp? If so, what sort of lamp should i go look for?
here's a pic of the sort of finish i'm going for

cheers guys

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

To my knowledge, Gibson uses UV inhibitors in the clear so that yellowing no longer happens. That may be different on the aged or VOS guitars, but I don't think the same is going to happen on a regular guitar.

 

[Karn Evil 9]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

well there are already some signs of yellowing on the guitar, especially the back of the neck. i'm wondering if theres some way i can speed up the process.

 

[vladmarr]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

besides playing it everyday for 12 hours? hmmm... not sure

 

[beandip]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

Smoke and indirect sunlight. It won't happen overnight, but it'll happen a lot sooner than Gibson wanted it to.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

How about 20 years and enjoying the journey?

If you're in a major hurry, take it to an automobile repair shop that does paint work and have them put on a coat of lighty-yellowed cleacoat.

I think it was Derek Frigo who hung a guitar in a "smoke shack" - a small 10x10 shed with cigarettes smoldering in ashtrays for about a week. Stunk like ass and was coated in nicotine, but he said it definitely yellowed the finish.


Or, work up a full-body sweat (working out, doing yardwork, whatever) then wipe the sweat off with your bare hands and rub it all over the guitar - that's pretty much why the neck is yellowing so soon - body oil.

 

[tc]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

This is gonna sound horrible, but the best tip would be to play it. I didn't notice until yesterday that my Strat looks pretty used. It was made in 2002, and it sat in a store until around late 2005 when I bought it, so it has seen some 7 years or so of action, and it does look a bit worn out. But there's some more relicing to do haha! Like 50 or so more years of relicing!

 

[lex666]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

Okay not sure how to do this to your entire guitar, but I have 2 Gibsons in classic white. I was storing them on a 7 guitar stand like this and the foam rubber pads turned the classic white to an off white - almost yellowish color where it made contact... I quickly covered the foam rubber pads to prevent more yellowing with some velvet cloth.

Not sure how you can do that to your entire guitar, but it did turn my classic white axes into an aged yellowish color in the places where it made contact. A difference was noticeable in approx 1 year.

Other than that, I would say indirect sunlight probably works best for what you're trying to do.

I hope this helps.

Personally, I'd let them age naturally, with years and years of playing.


Good luck!

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

You could wrap the guitar (remove strings, hardware, pickups) in certain types of foam as on lex's multi-stand. However, that sort of thing was actually brought up to manufacturers some years ago, and last I heard some had changed their foam's chemical composition to avoid that, so it might take some research.

Still, if you do find the right foam, wrap the whole guitar in it and let it sit. Not sure how long. Once you find out, let us all know :lol:

 

[scottish]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

i 2nd the notion of taking your guitar to the tanning salon with you just to see what gets darker quicker, lol.

EDIT: just realized you live in australia...do they even have tanning salons there?

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

Just curious why the suggestions of indirect sunlight and not direct west facing window for direct afternoon sun? I did that with my white Squire standard. Seemed to work well after 2 years.

 

[beandip]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

Just curious why the suggestions of indirect sunlight and not direct west facing window for direct afternoon sun? I did that with my white Squire standard. Seemed to work well after 2 years.

Direct sunlight has been known to have adverse reactions with certain batches of nitro. Not only that, but if you don't pay attention, it might get too yellow too quick.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

2 years in a west facing window that gets direct sun faded my Strat to a nice cream color. It was a Squier from 1999. If it turned it yellow, all the more better. Wish it would have turned it yellow in fact. No matter what color it turned to, it can't be as bad as buying a bass for $300 and receiving a bass that resembles a charcoal briquet with Yamaha on the headstock. Did you ever refund MclaughysSN's money back? I read the 1st and 2nd pages of bad traders list and that was the worst deal ever imo amigo.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

Direct sunlight is bad for ebony fretboards and wood in general, though.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

I believe I had a towel draped over the neck, but it was Maple and no ill effects for being there for so long.

 

[Jet-Jaguar]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

If I were to do this, I'd remove the pickups and submerge the guitar in a bathtub filled with black tea. Coffee might also work.

Not really sure if it would work, but it does work to age other things (paper in particular.)

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

If I were to do this, I'd remove the pickups and submerge the guitar in a bathtub filled with black tea. Coffee might also work.

Please don't try this...

Any possible area of bare wood will soak up the water.

 

[tc]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

that be funny...I totally visualized a guy brewing tons of coffee or tea and filling a whole bathtub, then submerging the gat hahaha!

 

[Jet-Jaguar]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

Please don't try this...Any possible area of bare wood will soak up the water.

Forgot about that. That's what I get for just shooting from the hip, rather than thinking about what I was posting. It's too bad, though, because tea and coffee can stain things in such a way that the stains look like years of grime, even if they're just minutes old.

Maybe wipe-on the tea?

 

[lex666]

Re: Tips for aging the finish on a White Les Paul

that be funny...I totally visualized a guy brewing tons of coffee or tea and filling a whole bathtub, then submerging the gat hahaha!

LOL

...and when you're thru it will look like someone died in that bathtub.