whats the easiest way to age plastic parts?

Marshallhead · 08-25-01, 06:02 PM

my r9 finish is aging and fading much faster than the pickguard,pickup rings and tuner buttons and i'd like to even it up a bit-any easy methods???

plaintop · 08-25-01, 06:28 PM

I think Murphy rubs plastic on dirty old rugs? VERY light steel wool will do the same. Is your R9 checking at all?

Marshallhead · 08-25-01, 07:12 PM

murphy rubs plastic on dirty rugs? hmmm sounds interesting-what about the yellowing effect? i'm starting to see what i think is the very beginning of checking near the switch,knobs and where my arm hits-the finish seems to look like its sinking in and shrinking -not real noticeable until you turn the guitar and look close across the top and only across those areas-then again until i joined the forum i never looked that close at the finish

the color fade/age is really noticeable though certain parts are really becoming teaburst like and ive lost alot on the neck too-its seen alot of gigs over the past year ive owned it and it definetly shows

plaintop · 08-25-01, 07:50 PM

Thats what I read somewhere here before. I think the dirty rug makes it yellow? He probably stains stuff too. My R9 is checking near the toggle and has just started near the volume knob for the bridge PU.

If you look close above the toggle to the left of the light shine you can see the checking. Man I'm a geek.

It is kind circular.

ftp://216.194.193.9/images/592.JPG

sparkletop · 08-25-01, 08:36 PM

Would Carl Perkins toupee work?

spin

sparkletop · 08-25-01, 08:41 PM

On a more serious level, I believe I once read a thread on the Rickenbacker Forum about using a torch to do aging to white plastic. I looked for that thread a while back but could not find it. Might be archived?

This may be it. Rick/Forum: topic "ask a Rickenbacker luthier" then find thread "Replacing High Gain pickups w/scatterwound pickups." They discuss various methods using motor oil, torch etc. for yellowing and aging plastics.

Goodwood · 08-26-01, 12:07 PM

Play the SHIT out of your guitar!!

roadrunner · 08-26-01, 12:41 PM

... play it in a smoky bar every night for about one year

:... it will look nicely aged after that. lol

Davepaf · 08-26-01, 01:29 PM

Those last 2 posts are the best advice.
Works for me!

Snags · 08-26-01, 01:35 PM

Yup, the smoky bar trick works like a charm. I loaned my Tele to a friend some time ago, and a week or so after he picked it up I called him to see how he liked it. His response:

"It smells like a f**king ashtray!"

fl_799 · 08-26-01, 06:03 PM

Soak 'em in cooled down coffee. Works like a champ and colors the parts very naturally. The parts can turn color in as little as 10-15 minutes depending on the "brew"! I would test it first on an old pickup ring.

Davepaf · 08-26-01, 06:56 PM

Maybe a silly point, but plastic is tough to stain convincingly. You can scuff it to make it look aged, but after you stain it and start making real wear marks on it, its gonna wear away the aging and look silly. Play it so it gets aged and beat up naturally.
Just my opinion.

PSYCHO'BURST · 08-26-01, 07:08 PM

Dip em in amber shellac, looks authentic.

EdA · 08-26-01, 07:32 PM

I have an original 50s pickguard on my reissue which is quite yellowed. So the stock pickup rings REALLY looked too pink. You right Murphy rubs them on carpet, I believe it was him who also told me about using RIT clothing dye. I did on the rings and it yellowed them beautifully. With some experimenting you can get an uneven look too. I mixed their yellow with maybe some brown or orange, but you have to experiment on the back of the guard or some extra plastic because once its done it aint gettin undone! -Ed A

McMad · 08-26-01, 09:36 PM

I've found the easiest way to age parts is to keep them up all night drinking, and then drive 140 mph down a dead end street in a minivan with no seat belts or brakes.

But seriously, I've aged strat pickup covers by scraping the sharp edges down with a pocket knife; then, using two sinks, one filled with water and the other with a bowl of rubbing alcohol, lightly coat the plastic part with the alcohol, grab by the edge and apply a kitchen match. It will flash fire all over the part . . . wait only seconds (you'll know) then drop it in the sink of water. It takes the shiny new right off the plastic. Makes strat pickups look like 45 year old bakelite, black tele guards look like 'Nocasters, and would probably work on your historic finish, too.

Regards,

McMad

sparkletop · 08-26-01, 10:07 PM

Well, that explains why Hendrix was setting his Strat on fire, he was aging it. And I thought he was just a firebug.

Snags · 08-26-01, 11:37 PM

I just tried the 'flaming aged' approach on an Epiphone, but I forgot the water to put out the fire...

oh, well.

Humbuck · 08-27-01, 08:11 AM

Shoe polish works great too. Especially if you want to be able to get certain spots darker than others. Just practice and be carefull.

Marshallhead · 08-27-01, 08:14 AM

this guitar really gets the living sh** played out of 4 nights a week rehersing with 2 bands and 2 nights playing out-ive been at it over a year in smoked up bars and rehersal spaces but the pickguard is holding out-the p/u rings are not as new looking anymore though-they are yellowing-you know just for sh**s and giggles i tried the rug approach-just looked scratched more-i toyed with a little oven treatment on an old pickguard and it worked ok-a little crispy around the edges-its almost bizarre that the pickguard is not even fazed by the smoke or sweat but the rings are-they look to be the same material

jono · 08-27-01, 11:32 AM

Hi Snags - hows it going?

Sean · 08-28-01, 01:58 PM

Jono, your location is f*ckin inspired

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08-25-01, 06:02 PM	#1
Marshallhead Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 5,525	whats the easiest way to age plastic parts? my r9 finish is aging and fading much faster than the pickguard,pickup rings and tuner buttons and i'd like to even it up a bit-any easy methods???

08-25-01, 07:12 PM	#3
Marshallhead Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 5,525	checking murphy rubs plastic on dirty rugs? hmmm sounds interesting-what about the yellowing effect? i'm starting to see what i think is the very beginning of checking near the switch,knobs and where my arm hits-the finish seems to look like its sinking in and shrinking -not real noticeable until you turn the guitar and look close across the top and only across those areas-then again until i joined the forum i never looked that close at the finish the color fade/age is really noticeable though certain parts are really becoming teaburst like and ive lost alot on the neck too-its seen alot of gigs over the past year ive owned it and it definetly shows

08-25-01, 07:50 PM	#4
plaintop Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: MD Posts: 9,587	Thats what I read somewhere here before. I think the dirty rug makes it yellow? He probably stains stuff too. My R9 is checking near the toggle and has just started near the volume knob for the bridge PU. If you look close above the toggle to the left of the light shine you can see the checking. Man I'm a geek. It is kind circular. ftp://216.194.193.9/images/592.JPG Last edited by plaintop59 : 08-25-01 at 07:51 PM.

08-25-01, 08:41 PM	#6
sparkletop Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 233	aging plastic On a more serious level, I believe I once read a thread on the Rickenbacker Forum about using a torch to do aging to white plastic. I looked for that thread a while back but could not find it. Might be archived? This may be it. Rick/Forum: topic "ask a Rickenbacker luthier" then find thread "Replacing High Gain pickups w/scatterwound pickups." They discuss various methods using motor oil, torch etc. for yellowing and aging plastics. Last edited by sparkletop : 08-25-01 at 09:38 PM.

08-25-01, 06:28 PM	#2
plaintop Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: MD Posts: 9,587	I think Murphy rubs plastic on dirty old rugs? VERY light steel wool will do the same. Is your R9 checking at all?

08-25-01, 08:36 PM	#5
sparkletop Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 233	Would Carl Perkins toupee work? spin

08-26-01, 12:07 PM	#7
Goodwood Banned Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,343	Play the SHIT out of your guitar!!

08-26-01, 12:41 PM	#8
roadrunner In the Zone/Backstage Pass Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: NashVegas Posts: 6,216	Aging parts ... play it in a smoky bar every night for about one year:... it will look nicely aged after that. lol

08-26-01, 01:29 PM	#9
Davepaf Davius J. Pufficus Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: If I tell you that, Ill have to kill ya. Posts: 4,250	Those last 2 posts are the best advice. Works for me! __________________ Rocket fuel is your friend.

08-26-01, 01:35 PM	#10
Snags Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: In the boonies, 12 miles from the nearest McDonald's Posts: 15,135	Yup, the smoky bar trick works like a charm. I loaned my Tele to a friend some time ago, and a week or so after he picked it up I called him to see how he liked it. His response: "It smells like a f**king ashtray!"

08-26-01, 06:03 PM	#11
fl_799 Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 723	Soak 'em in cooled down coffee. Works like a champ and colors the parts very naturally. The parts can turn color in as little as 10-15 minutes depending on the "brew"! I would test it first on an old pickup ring.

08-26-01, 06:56 PM	#12
Davepaf Davius J. Pufficus Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: If I tell you that, Ill have to kill ya. Posts: 4,250	Maybe a silly point, but plastic is tough to stain convincingly. You can scuff it to make it look aged, but after you stain it and start making real wear marks on it, its gonna wear away the aging and look silly. Play it so it gets aged and beat up naturally. Just my opinion. __________________ Rocket fuel is your friend.

08-26-01, 07:08 PM	#13
PSYCHO'BURST Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Sunshine State Posts: 31	Dip em in amber shellac, looks authentic.

08-26-01, 07:32 PM	#14
EdA Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 300	I have an original 50s pickguard on my reissue which is quite yellowed. So the stock pickup rings REALLY looked too pink. You right Murphy rubs them on carpet, I believe it was him who also told me about using RIT clothing dye. I did on the rings and it yellowed them beautifully. With some experimenting you can get an uneven look too. I mixed their yellow with maybe some brown or orange, but you have to experiment on the back of the guard or some extra plastic because once its done it aint gettin undone! -Ed A

08-26-01, 09:36 PM	#15
McMad Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 54	Aging Parts I've found the easiest way to age parts is to keep them up all night drinking, and then drive 140 mph down a dead end street in a minivan with no seat belts or brakes. But seriously, I've aged strat pickup covers by scraping the sharp edges down with a pocket knife; then, using two sinks, one filled with water and the other with a bowl of rubbing alcohol, lightly coat the plastic part with the alcohol, grab by the edge and apply a kitchen match. It will flash fire all over the part . . . wait only seconds (you'll know) then drop it in the sink of water. It takes the shiny new right off the plastic. Makes strat pickups look like 45 year old bakelite, black tele guards look like 'Nocasters, and would probably work on your historic finish, too. Regards, McMad

08-26-01, 10:07 PM	#16
sparkletop Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 233	guitar burning down Well, that explains why Hendrix was setting his Strat on fire, he was aging it. And I thought he was just a firebug.

08-26-01, 11:37 PM	#17
Snags Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: In the boonies, 12 miles from the nearest McDonald's Posts: 15,135	I just tried the 'flaming aged' approach on an Epiphone, but I forgot the water to put out the fire... oh, well.

08-27-01, 08:11 AM	#18
Humbuck Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Worldwide Posts: 4,337	Shoe polish works great too. Especially if you want to be able to get certain spots darker than others. Just practice and be carefull.

08-27-01, 08:14 AM	#19
Marshallhead Les Paul Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 5,525	aging plastic this guitar really gets the living sh played out of 4 nights a week rehersing with 2 bands and 2 nights playing out-ive been at it over a year in smoked up bars and rehersal spaces but the pickguard is holding out-the p/u rings are not as new looking anymore though-they are yellowing-you know just for shs and giggles i tried the rug approach-just looked scratched more-i toyed with a little oven treatment on an old pickguard and it worked ok-a little crispy around the edges-its almost bizarre that the pickguard is not even fazed by the smoke or sweat but the rings are-they look to be the same material

08-27-01, 11:32 AM	#20
jono LPF Recording Artist Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Goin' to the country - baby do you wanna go? Posts: 1,740	Hi Snags - hows it going?

08-28-01, 01:58 PM	#21
Sean Goldie's Man in London Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: or Momentum, you can't know both. Posts: 2,021	Jono, your location is f*ckin inspired __________________ "All Marshall amplifiers are subject to continuous development and improvement. Consequently the units may incorporate minor changes in detail from the information contained above"