Ulli
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Real weather checking is usually invisible from certain angles.
BTW: The Burst on the right is 9-1960 "Ruby".
Best way to dull lacquer finish?
- Thread starter steve(UK)
- Start date
Real weather checking is usually invisible from certain angles.
BTW: The Burst on the right is 9-1960 "Ruby".
Hardrockmapletop
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I'd search "Ruby", find the serial number, and have at look at Burstserial to see if there's any more detailed pics.
Just looks like the thumb wheels have a bit of wear on the 59 to me.
@Al Russo.
Micro abrasives are way finer than normal wet and dry paper.
Even the 6000 grit doesn't show scratch marks, and you don't even need to buff after using the 12000 grit.
Just looks like the thumb wheels have a bit of wear on the 59 to me.
@Al Russo.
Micro abrasives are way finer than normal wet and dry paper.
Even the 6000 grit doesn't show scratch marks, and you don't even need to buff after using the 12000 grit.
Hardrockmapletop
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There ya go, beat my post by a few minutes!! Thanks
steve(UK)
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Lots of (mostly fuzzy) photos. Not a single one showing any lacquer cracks though. So I'm still not "assuming" it has them!
solsurfr
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If you can play out at least a few times a month... you'd be surprised how your Historic will age after a couple of years. The ones I've gigged with in the past under lights, 4hr shows, over a few years definitely on a part-time basis certainly added some character to the top with a few bruises to-boot...:dude:
steve(UK)
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Matey, I've had this guitar 14 years and done hundreds of gigs. We're all different, how we sweat, how we handle/treat our guitars etc etc. I also live in England where there are no real extremes in temperature.
solsurfr
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Ah got it. I live in the mid Atlantic USA where it has all the extremes. I recently had an acoustic age in 24 hours from the frigid temps of the winter here. After a couple years, most of my guitars dull out from the travel and heat/cold environment I live in. I didn't consider that with you my friend. Good luck!
I stumbled across this old thread, so I hope it’s ok to reply to it...
I have a 1970 ES-335 that I’ve had since around 1990. A few months ago I did a deep clean on it for the first ever (I’ve cleaned it in the past but never like I did this time) starting with naphtha (white camp stove gas) that I used to cut off all the old built up grime, much of which had never been removed but had been built up over the 49 years of the guitar’s life. In some places I had to continue moving to a clean piece of rag with more naphtha to continue cleaning a particularly stubborn area. I did this for the entire body (top, back, and sides), neck and fingerboard. I used 0000 steel wool on the fingerboard as well, but that’s off topic here. After getting all the crud off the nitro finish I used Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound to rub out the finish and followed that with Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish. I don’t like using any type of traditional guitar or furniture polish or wax, etc because those build up over time and have to be removed later. The Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish is only a polishing substance and leaves behind no residue of any kind. It leaves only the clean, polished nitro finish.
The reason I’m sharing all this is that even after I did the final polishing and even though my 335 was definitely glossy in a way it hadn’t been since I bought it, the finish on it is still very different from a new Gibson with a nitro finish. The finish on my 335 appears thinner, like the wood is right there with only a protective finish barely covering it. I recently purchased a 2019 Custom Shop Les Paul 1960 Reissue (VOS) from a guy who bought it new last spring. The Les Paul is gorgeous, and I love the tangerine burst and rich flame maple top on it. But the one thing that I wish were different is that the finish on it looks like a typical brand new guitar - very glossy. Compared to the 1970 335 the finish on new Les Paul appears thicker or “deeper” like there is more of a barrier layer under which the wood lies. I don’t know if that makes sense, but it’s the best way I know to describe it.
I’m glad my 1960 reissue LP doesn’t have finish and paint rubbed off and dings, scratches, etc all over it like some relic jobs as I don’t personally like that. But I do wish the finish on the LP was either thinner or had whatever finish treatment I’ve seen on some of the reissues that more closely approximates the finish of a vintage guitar that has aged naturally. Don’t get me wrong, if I had to chose between the “too new” look of my LP or a relic job that went too far and created an out of the box look that was already too far in the aging look I would choose too new every time. I will naturally wear it over time and can always do some very conservative processes if I choose to do them. But that said I would love it if my LP came from the Custom Shop with an already vintage look to the finish with just that patina of subtle softness to the gloss and maybe a thinner application of nitro overall as well. I’m not complaining, just sharing thoughts since that was the subject of the thread. Ultimately it may not be possible to completely recreate with 100% accuracy the patina of a true vintage instrument, but with all the technology and experience they have it does seem that they might be able to get very close. And that is something I feel should be done consistently to all the reissues.
https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/products/meguiars-ultimate-compound-g17216-152-oz-liquid
https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/products/meguiars-ultimate-polish-g19216-16-oz-liquid
I have a 1970 ES-335 that I’ve had since around 1990. A few months ago I did a deep clean on it for the first ever (I’ve cleaned it in the past but never like I did this time) starting with naphtha (white camp stove gas) that I used to cut off all the old built up grime, much of which had never been removed but had been built up over the 49 years of the guitar’s life. In some places I had to continue moving to a clean piece of rag with more naphtha to continue cleaning a particularly stubborn area. I did this for the entire body (top, back, and sides), neck and fingerboard. I used 0000 steel wool on the fingerboard as well, but that’s off topic here. After getting all the crud off the nitro finish I used Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound to rub out the finish and followed that with Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish. I don’t like using any type of traditional guitar or furniture polish or wax, etc because those build up over time and have to be removed later. The Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish is only a polishing substance and leaves behind no residue of any kind. It leaves only the clean, polished nitro finish.
The reason I’m sharing all this is that even after I did the final polishing and even though my 335 was definitely glossy in a way it hadn’t been since I bought it, the finish on it is still very different from a new Gibson with a nitro finish. The finish on my 335 appears thinner, like the wood is right there with only a protective finish barely covering it. I recently purchased a 2019 Custom Shop Les Paul 1960 Reissue (VOS) from a guy who bought it new last spring. The Les Paul is gorgeous, and I love the tangerine burst and rich flame maple top on it. But the one thing that I wish were different is that the finish on it looks like a typical brand new guitar - very glossy. Compared to the 1970 335 the finish on new Les Paul appears thicker or “deeper” like there is more of a barrier layer under which the wood lies. I don’t know if that makes sense, but it’s the best way I know to describe it.
I’m glad my 1960 reissue LP doesn’t have finish and paint rubbed off and dings, scratches, etc all over it like some relic jobs as I don’t personally like that. But I do wish the finish on the LP was either thinner or had whatever finish treatment I’ve seen on some of the reissues that more closely approximates the finish of a vintage guitar that has aged naturally. Don’t get me wrong, if I had to chose between the “too new” look of my LP or a relic job that went too far and created an out of the box look that was already too far in the aging look I would choose too new every time. I will naturally wear it over time and can always do some very conservative processes if I choose to do them. But that said I would love it if my LP came from the Custom Shop with an already vintage look to the finish with just that patina of subtle softness to the gloss and maybe a thinner application of nitro overall as well. I’m not complaining, just sharing thoughts since that was the subject of the thread. Ultimately it may not be possible to completely recreate with 100% accuracy the patina of a true vintage instrument, but with all the technology and experience they have it does seem that they might be able to get very close. And that is something I feel should be done consistently to all the reissues.
https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/products/meguiars-ultimate-compound-g17216-152-oz-liquid
https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/products/meguiars-ultimate-polish-g19216-16-oz-liquid
El Gringo
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- Apr 8, 2015
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I have heard of this product .
Looking at my 2019 Les Paul 1960 Reissue VOS again today I realized it also has quite a bit of orange peel in the finish. I also read this on the Gibson website...
http://aws2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Gear-Tech/en-us/Gibson-Nitrocellulose-Finishes.aspx
Reading that and then looking at my Les Paul I realized my guitar didn’t get the wet sanding that Gibson has done to some of their guitars. The wet sanding eliminates the orange peel and in the process thins the finish to a very thin level and leaves it smooth. Even when buffed to a high gloss the thinner and smooth finish will look different than the thicker nitro finish that comes on a new guitar.
i tried some 2000 grit on the back of a guitar. That left noticeable swirl that could be removed with the Maguiar’s polishing compound, but I ordered a pack of 3000, 5000, and 7000 wet/dry sandpaper that I will try next, starting with the 3000 and working up to 7000. At that point any remaining light swirl should be extremely shallow and come out with minimal rubbing with compound. The 7000 may not leave any swirl at all, but I’ll have to wait and see. I’ll post results after the new sandpaper arrives.
http://aws2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Gear-Tech/en-us/Gibson-Nitrocellulose-Finishes.aspx
Reading that and then looking at my Les Paul I realized my guitar didn’t get the wet sanding that Gibson has done to some of their guitars. The wet sanding eliminates the orange peel and in the process thins the finish to a very thin level and leaves it smooth. Even when buffed to a high gloss the thinner and smooth finish will look different than the thicker nitro finish that comes on a new guitar.
i tried some 2000 grit on the back of a guitar. That left noticeable swirl that could be removed with the Maguiar’s polishing compound, but I ordered a pack of 3000, 5000, and 7000 wet/dry sandpaper that I will try next, starting with the 3000 and working up to 7000. At that point any remaining light swirl should be extremely shallow and come out with minimal rubbing with compound. The 7000 may not leave any swirl at all, but I’ll have to wait and see. I’ll post results after the new sandpaper arrives.
zacknorton
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- Aug 26, 2011
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- 734
All the auto parts stores carry wet/dry paper. At least up to 3000 if not 5000
rockler carries the sharkskin papers that go waaay fine. And they’re pretty cheap.
Super fine “sanding” should get you pretty close.
rockler carries the sharkskin papers that go waaay fine. And they’re pretty cheap.
Super fine “sanding” should get you pretty close.