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Restore Guitar Finish

  • 28-11-2010 03:35PM
    #1
    Myrddin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭


    Quick one guys, changing the strings on my Epi LP the other night I took the bridge off to give everything a good clean while I was at it. With the bridge off I could see directly under it, the colour of the guitar is more vivid/bright than the rest of the body. It's an Alpine White Custom, which is more faded cream now (only 1 year old), polishing etc does nothing so I'm wondering if there's anything I can do/buy to restore the rest of the body colour?


Comments

  • #2
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    EnterNow wrote: »
    Quick one guys, changing the strings on my Epi LP the other night I took the bridge off to give everything a good clean while I was at it. With the bridge off I could see directly under it, the colour of the guitar is more vivid/bright than the rest of the body. It's an Alpine White Custom, which is more faded cream now (only 1 year old), polishing etc does nothing so I'm wondering if there's anything I can do/buy to restore the rest of the body colour?

    Unless you're going to redo the whole finish i can't see how you'd be able to restore it to it's former glory. It's just the way it goes. Perhaps, it's a bit early on, to notice such a big difference, but it depends on how the guitar was used and where it was stored etc.


  • #3
    bennygrc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭bennygrc


    The reason the colour has darkened is UV damage either to the clear topcoat of lacquer or the colour coat beneath. Because it's the finish itself which has darkened polishing will have no effect. Almost all finishes are affected by UV exposure to some extent and it's not a reversible effect. Best advice is not to worry about it - if you want to minimise this effect in future keep the guitar out of the light, particularly direct sunlight when you're not playing it.


  • #4
    Myrddin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    It's kept in my bedroom, ambient temp, non smoker...but it IS a south facing room and tends to get a lot of sunlight. Thats probably it guys, it's not a prob for me, as I said I only noticed it when the bridge/tailpiece came off to clean under it that I noticed the part thats covered is 'whiter' than the rest of the body. Combined with the gold plating fading, I guess my guitar has a bit of character to it eh? :rolleyes::D

    Thanks again men.


  • #5
    bennygrc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭bennygrc


    Yup, it'll be the south facing room alright. I think they look good as they age anyway. Happy playing!


  • #6
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Pretty much all my guitars are sunburst, except for my gold top LP, so it's pretty hard to notice it on the paint/clear coat. I did notice that my pick guards have darkened with age. It just adds to the character!


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  • #7
    darrenw5094
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,126 ✭✭✭darrenw5094


    EnterNow wrote: »
    It's kept in my bedroom, ambient temp, non smoker...but it IS a south facing room and tends to get a lot of sunlight. Thats probably it guys, it's not a prob for me, as I said I only noticed it when the bridge/tailpiece came off to clean under it that I noticed the part thats covered is 'whiter' than the rest of the body. Combined with the gold plating fading, I guess my guitar has a bit of character to it eh? :rolleyes::D

    It's now got 'Mojo'.

    Bumps the value waaaay up.


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