Pickguard 'ageing' with Wudtone

ThePrettyDamned

So, the first coat of gloss is on the tele and curing, but first, I thought I'd do a mock up of the guitar.

It looks great! Other than the pickguard, which is whiter than white pearl.  

Hmm.

A quick question to @andypwudtone and he sends me to a thread on his own forum where someone has successfully aged a pickguard using tinted top coat and sand paper.  

I don't have any super duper fine sandpaper, but I do have 0000 grade wire wool.  Time to crack it out.

I started with this guard

http://www.axesrus.co.uk/Pickguard-Suitable-for-1959-1987-Tele-p/60stspec2.htm

And I have just finished wire wooling it (which took the gloss off of it) and putting a single, super thin coat of Wudtone on it.

I used a 50/50 mix of clear gloss top coat and goldenrod base coat.  Initial impressions - it's gathered around the edges, but on removing that, it's looking pretty good! It's gained a little of the gloss back (good - I'm not into relic type guitars) and it still looks like a new plate - just a slightly older new plate.  I'll get a pic up asap.  

ThePrettyDamned

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/12047869364_78002ea1dc_c.jpg

There it is! It's not completely level, in terms of, more yellowed around the edges, but in general, for a first attempt, it looks pretty good! I might actually put a second coat on.  It's hardly even a coat - literally wiped it on and wiped it off basically.  I'm not looking to make it look like it's 50 years old, just make it a tiny, tiny bit less white.  

It looks pretty good!

ThePrettyDamned

So to conclude, I'd say if you want a very slight effect, Wudtone works great (looks much better than a lot of aged guards new, which are cream coloured pearl).  

If you want more, I've no doubt it's possible - like I said, I wiped it on and wiped it off to give the absolute thinnest amount possible, just to take the edge of the whiter-than-white look.  But when I wiped it on, it genuinely looked alright, and I've seen worse looking 'aged' colours (you'd need to work on sanding areas and such for a more authentic look). 

thermionic

As Wudtone is really for being absorbed into wood, wouldn't it (wudn't it?) just sit on top of the plastic and eventually flake off or something?

Similar to the coffee trick, which doesn't really work as the plastic is nowhere near porous enough to absorb the stain.

ThePrettyDamned

thermionic;138160" said:

As Wudtone is really for being absorbed into wood, wouldn't it (wudn't it?) just sit on top of the plastic and eventually flake off or something? Similar to the coffee trick, which doesn't really work as the plastic is nowhere near porous enough to absorb the stain.

I have to admit, it did occur to me, but as it's so thin, I think it's going to just set right on.

If it does peel, I'll make sure I let you all know.

I have heard of others have similar success, an no peeling stories yet. I assume the coloured stuff soaks in while the top coats are just that - they are more for sitting on top.

Tomorrow, I'll have a go at peeling it off. It should be more cured. I've had another look, and it does look pretty good. It is very subtle though - out of choice, mind. I did initially have it heavier, and it looked pretty cool but you'd need to do actual relic work to make it really suit.

WezV

same as any other method for ageing modern plastics.... very few dyes, stains, hot drinks or shoe polishes actually penetrate the surface which is why it needs to be very finely scuffed first to have any chance of holding on

ThePrettyDamned

WezV;138575" said:

same as any other method for ageing modern plastics.... very few dyes, stains, hot drinks or shoe polishes actually penetrate the surface which is why it needs to be very finely scuffed first to have any chance of holding on

Hmm, interesting. I've just had a look, and it still seems fine. Not sure if wire wool will offer enough 'grip' for it.

If not it was a fun experiment. But even if it does, it might not be proof it works perfectly - there is very little on there to remove, it's literally just barely turned it from whiter than white to... White.