What's going on here?

usedtobe

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-USA-Goldtop-Les-Paul-50s-Tribute-2016-T-Electric-Guitar/382217964416?_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20160908131621&meid=ad4a94c8fd724fb7aafb605a672f5724&pid=100678&rk=2&rkt=14&mehot=pp&sd=202046394240&_trksid=p2481888.c100678.m3607&_trkparms=pageci%3A741ca714-923b-11e7-a792-74dbd180089f%7Cparentrq%3A5228f97115e0abc5a757b40cfff71a36%7Ciid%3A1

I've got a similar guitar in black, from the same year, and I'm intrigued as to how this effect has been achieved. Don't get me wrong - I'm not interested in replicating this effect, at all, just curious as to what's been done. As I understand it, or not, as the case may be, the 'nitro' on these guitars is unlikely to 'check' naturally, after many years, if at all, but the seller implies that this has happened sort of naturally, and is to be expected of a guitar that is 1-2 years old at most... 

Gagaryn

Razor blade or scalpel - that looks terrible, by far the worst attempt I have seen. It looks like it was done by someone who has had the effect described to him but never actually seen it.

ICBM

I very much doubt that's been done deliberately - the lines are so nearly exactly parallel it would be very difficult to achieve, and if you had the skill to do that then you would probably make a better job of the spacing over the whole top and make it look more convincing. It would have also needed the guitar stripped right down to do it, as the lines pass under the hardware - most amateur "relic'ers" don't do that.

Since the four main groups of lines match the positions of the tailpiece and bridge studs and the pots, and the fifth is roughly on the centre join, my guess would be that it's either a piece of wood for the mahogany back which has not been dried properly and then has shrunk causing the top to arch more and stress areas to develop there, or it's possibly got very cold.

Either way it looks awful and not like normal checking on an old guitar.

WezV

yeah, I would bet on that being natural.   Most likely it has not been stored well 

sadly, natural wear does not always look as convincing as fake wear  

It could be a freezer relic that's just not gone as nice as it can.  Its always a risk, the scalpel is actually more predictable

Funkfingers

My 2006 LP Standard P90 Goldtop is checking but nothing like as much as that eBay 2016 example. 

WezV

Funkfingers said:

My 2006 LP Standard P90 Goldtop is checking but nothing like as much as that eBay 2016 example. 

So yours has either been stored in a more stable environment or there is a fundamental difference in the lacquer(formulation, thickness, cure time etc)

Funkfingers

Inspecting the top of my Goldtop reveals one faint sink line in the finish along the centre of the body, suggesting that the top is a two-piece.

On the eBay 2016 guitar, the checking along the body, close to the toggle selector switch is roughly where you would expect a joint in a top with more than two pieces. 

The back of my Goldtop is finished in clear varnish. It is one piece and with no weight relief. The eBay guitar is a dark back. This could be hiding almost anything.

WezV

This will be hiding a lower grade of mahogany, and it will have been reflected in the price.   Gibson are actually fairly honest with their wood grading these days

edit - here is the spec,
http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-50s-Tribute.aspx



and the version that is "comparable" to your 2006 standard
http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-Standard.aspx#LPNSTDGTCH1

GoldenEraGuitars

Me thinks someone bunged their Les Paul in their large chest freezer..... didn't pay off, did it?

WezV

lonestar said:

Me thinks someone bunged their Les Paul in their large chest freezer..... didn't pay off, did it?

I dunno.  It's not the crazing most would be after but i think it could be made to work with a few extra steps