Blooming after 40 years on a Strat?

musicalstash

Can anyone give me some advice on a 70s Strat finish . 

It was put away  6 months ago and stored in a dry place in its case but when I took it out yesterday noticed that there is sections where the finish has gone "creamy bloomy white . 

It's a 79 Strat so thought that an issues would have settled by now,  it looks as though it is spreading.  Any ideas?

https://ibb.co/s98zhmz

https://ibb.co/ThLhJzD

barnstorm

Looks as though it's spreading just since yesterday? Is it soft?

Funkfingers

Usually, by now, the thick poly finish on a late Seventies Fender is cracking and flaking off in angular chunks.

Are strap button and screw original? Has some repair been made to the screw hole that is now chemically affecting the finish?

musicalstash

barnstorm said:

Looks as though it's spreading just since yesterday? Is it soft?

Sorry meant its in different sections of the guitar finish (not from one source)  -  it's not soft.. 

It looks all original I  bought it 3 years ago and there was no blooming played it uptil last December photographed it and put it away.

Pulled oy out yesterday and noticed the finish issue as I am looking to sell it. 

WBT2079

I have 70s strat that exact colour with checking around the lower bout and had a similar issue last year in small patches where the checking was. Mine happened when it was more humid than normal so I put the guitar away and move it to a different room int the house, it soon went away and hasn’t happened again. I assumed it was damp air playing havoc with the finish but I maybe wrong.

ICBM

Yes, it looks like moisture from the wood having lifted to the surface under the finish. The reason it avoids the checking lines is probably because the moisture can evaporate out through the cracks there.

Keep it somewhere drier for some time and it will probably go away. That's not much help if you're planning to sell though, and as it is you'll take a big value hit.

musicalstash

Thanks for the comments, could it have been the hot weather we've had over the last month  which caused it? 

Have taken it out the case and hopefully it will help but have a feeling the damage has been done. 

ICBM

musicalstash said:

Thanks for the comments, could it have been the hot weather we've had over the last month  which caused it?

Yes.

musicalstash said:

Have taken it out the case and hopefully it will help but have a feeling the damage has been done. 

Unfortunately you’re probably right. It will take a long time to ‘self fix’, even if it does.

From a value point of view it’s still likely to be better to leave it original and damaged than attempt any sort of repair or refinish though. Originality is the critical factor in most vintage guitar prices.