Does the color on this ES-295 seem correct?

I just picked up this 1952 ES-295 and it has a yellow/green color that does not look like the typical gold finish I've seen. It has alot of finish checking and the seller, who owned the guitar 20 years, assumed it's original finish. Sometimes it photographs looking lgold, but for the most part it visually looks like the pix below? The finish checking could be from environmental conditions but would an unmolested finish age to that color?

The headstock face blacklights properly (like my '54 ES-175). It's hard to tell on the body since the color interferes with the typical greenish glow so it's hard for me to tell if it's glowing. My other 50's ES are sunburst and it's easy to see their original finish under BL.

The knobs are not original (don't blacklight like my other 50's Gibson knobs and also, the tuners look too clean (the seller purchased this 20 years ago).

Any Gibson gold experts that can weigh in will be appreciated

<a href="https://imgur.com/Y4MozDw"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Y4MozDw.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/DtBuele"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/DtBuele.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/2qscXrc"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/2qscXrc.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/5Sajduf"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5Sajduf.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/91mZEUq"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/91mZEUq.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/j7PAGVu"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/j7PAGVu.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/2G2R7rI"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/2G2R7rI.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/jDvqYYQ"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jDvqYYQ.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

You mention "original owner", did you mean the person whose had it for the last 20 years? Because of it was owned by the same person for 60+ years, then I would guess its original finish.

I've seen some odd original gold shades over the last few decades so I'd hesitate to say. Good luck!

mistersnappy said:

You mention "original owner", did you mean the person whose had it for the last 20 years? Because of it was owned by the same person for 60+ years, then I would guess its original finish.

I've seen some odd original gold shades over the last few decades so I'd hesitate to say. Good luck!

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I fixed that thanks.... The person I bought it from seems very straight but has only owned for 20 years.

I've never seen any 1950s Gibson gold finish turn that color. :hmm

The ES 295's Ive held in hand look different , IMO taking any advice off of a posted photo is subjective .

Take the guitar to someone who knows !

Tom Wittrock said:

I've never seen any 1950s Gibson gold finish turn that color. :hmm

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Me neither... Great guitar but I'm too suspicious on the finish.... I was hoping someone said, oh yes, they do turn that color lol....

The pix the seller sent looked darker so I did not buy it knowing it was so odd.....

Here is a pic like I took where it looks a little better but when you see it under florescent light, it looks pretty much like the pix above.

Here are some outside shots. The finish seems to be very thick over the gold so something went down.... But just for completeness.

opdev said:

The finish seems to be very thick over the gold so something went down...

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So, you're saying that you think maybe a "clear" coat was done at some point? Maybe it wasn't as "clear" as it should have been, or is yellowing with age and affecting the look of the gold paint? Maybe some more close-up photos of edges near the binding (the appearance of which might also be affected by an added finish layer) would help to instruct us. Anyway, this seems like a tough one to figure out. The color looks so different in different lighting conditions.

Also, does everything look right with regard to the guitar's label? I guess that black spacer under the bridge pickup just makes me wonder a little bit, in conjunction with the doubt about the finish being original... :hmm

It's a great looking guitar, though. I don't want to come across as too negative or suspicious here.

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Try taking the tailpiece off and see what the finish looks like under the anchor.Maybe you could look under one of the tuners.I am thinking I have seen something like this but I can`t remember where.

The picture of the back of the headstock appears to exhibit some orange peel texture which is pretty suspect in my opinion, but it's pretty impossible to tell with just photos. Based on only those I would err on the side of a refin, but taking it to someone in person that you trust is the way to do this.

Honestly these 295's always have a strange finish from what I've seen.

After being inspected, the verdict was this was an old refin (pre 198X since that's when the owner got it)

The tuners and knobs also new.

This was advertised as a 9.5/10 guitar lol.... However, seller took it back and it refunding me.

opdev said:

After being inspected, the verdict was this was an old refin (pre 198X since that's when the owner got it)

The tuners and knobs also new.

This was advertised as a 9.5/10 guitar lol.... However, seller took it back and it refunding me.

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I still wonder if this could have started life as an ES-175, but you didn't say anything about the label. :hmm

Anyway, it makes a little more sense now.

Buyer Beware

This guitar is back advertised as original finish

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/154147#154147

opdev said:

Buyer Beware

This guitar is back advertised as original finish

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/154147#154147

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The link doesn't work for me, and I couldn't find the guitar in a search of that site...

...and you never answered my question about the guitar's label. la