Do Gibson's naturally age?

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I've been looking at Les Pauls lately and think like a fine wine, cheese (and some women) they get better with age. I love checking, fading and the look of a guitar that looks like it been played in a sweaty Texan steak house for the past 50 years. 

So my question is with Gibson custom shop guitars (True historic's, Standard historic's etc) will the dyes on these guitars fade over time and will the nitro crack like the ones from years ago? 
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  • FatPeteFatPete Frets: 683
    edited July 2018
    Absolutely not. You need to buy one that's been very expensively aged for you. 

    Trading feedback: Trading feedback
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  • FatPete said:
    Absolutely not. You need to buy one that's been very expensively aged for you. 

     :/ They've had me pants down again
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    edited July 2018
    Yes and you can remove the VOS antiquing with naphtha and elbow grease.
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  • sawyersawyer Frets: 732
    edited July 2018
    Do they fade? Would a cherry fade to honey for example?
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    sawyer said:
    Do they fade? Would a cherry fade to honey for example?
    Do you mean in colour? Requires aniline dye for that to happen under UV exposure - I believe some CS have it but not all...
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    sawyer said:
    Do they fade? Would a cherry fade to honey for example?
    Wil depend on the dyes used.

    Some modern guitars do fade.  Look at some older PRS.  I don't know if Gibsons will.  It may be dependent on the colour.  It will be different dyes for different colours.
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  • IvisonGuitarsIvisonGuitars Frets: 6838
    tFB Trader
    I'm not sure what Gibson are using currently but the old Custom Shop range had lightfast dye so they wouldn't fade and the nitro was full of plasticisers too so wouldn't check naturally, hence the rise of Tom Murphy and his razor....

    They did do some aniline on the backs of the Les Pauls, I believe the Beano model had it and it leached into the bindings like the the originals and people complained!

    @Jumping@Shadows might have more info?
    http://www.ivisonguitars.com
    (formerly miserneil)
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  • sawyer said:
    Do they fade? Would a cherry fade to honey for example?
    yeah this is the sort of thing I meant, Its more out of curiosity. For me part of the benefit of having a guitar is how it ages and starts to show its own characteristics. 
    Gibson seem to be showing how they are getting closer and closer to original bursts with their historic range but how would they realistically look in 50-60 years time? Will they look anything like bursts now? 
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  • Jack_Jack_ Frets: 3175
    Everything in the universe is slowly decaying.

    /showerthoughts
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  • BloodEagleBloodEagle Frets: 5320

    Gibson seem to be showing how they are getting closer and closer to original bursts with their historic range but how would they realistically look in 50-60 years time? Will they look anything like bursts now? 
    Will anyone care?
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  • Gibson seem to be showing how they are getting closer and closer to original bursts with their historic range but how would they realistically look in 50-60 years time? Will they look anything like bursts now? 
    Will anyone care?
    Yeah I reckon so
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  • Jack_Jack_ Frets: 3175
    edited July 2018
    They'll all look the same after the nuclear apocalypse.

    Hiroshima Burst.
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  • BloodEagleBloodEagle Frets: 5320
    edited July 2018
    You think in 2068 people will be spending time comparing how the nitrocellulose finish on Gibson guitars from 2018 stack up to the ones from 1958/9? Ill be 93, count me out of that debate please
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  • artiebearartiebear Frets: 810
    edited July 2018
    I can't wait to see how my Gibbos will look. probably better than me as I will be 106. My finish is already showing signs of cracking as well as a certain amount of shrinkage to various parts. 

    To get back on topic my 2002 R9 has slightly faded over the years, particularly the back and neck. If anything the top has become a little more amber while retaining the cherry sunburst. My 99 R4 looks exactly the same as it did when it left the factory, while my 06 Blonde historic 335 has definitely darkened , but nothing like the amber of older guitars. I suspect they won't change a great deal to be honest.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    If it's a maple top, then the maple will darken up slightly over time.  On a non-solid colour finish that will make some difference.  I've had my Strat around 15 years from new, and the neck is definitely darker than it was.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    You think in 2068 people will be spending time comparing how the nitrocellulose finish on Gibson guitars from 2018 stack up to the ones from 1958/9? Ill be 93, count me out of that debate please
    You will have to avoid the ongoing tonewood debate after maple, ash, alder and mahogany are all banned and it’s pine and balsa only.
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  • artiebearartiebear Frets: 810
    In 2068 I can guarantee that some nutter on the Les Paul Forum will be raving about their new Truer than true historic being the most accurate remake of a 50's burst to date, just before bragging about sending it off for 6 months to have the binding, fingerboard, top, back , neck electrics and plastics replaced and then the whole thing been hit with a mallet before being blast frozen to achieve historically accurate lacquer checking 
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  • rossirossi Frets: 1699
    The Gibson stays the same but your eyes fade and wither.
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  • I can reliably say that however any of my guitars will look then, (assuming I live to 90) I will still make sounds like someone hitting a baby with a cat so perhaps a nicely aged wall hanger is the way to go for me!
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    I've got a 2006 made Memphis ES335TDN, apart from the fade/corrosion on the some of the nickel finish and one or two minor nicks on the corners into the binding, it looks pretty much as it did when I bought it new.
    It has a thicker nitro finish but the wood has not yellowed noticably. Will that be the case in another 12 years, or will any deterioration accelerate?

    I think the original guitars had less stable finishes.

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