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Project: UV lamp-fading

Brotor

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Nov 11, 2014
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OK. I've been wanting to try this for some while, and I'm going to give it a go.

I've got the hold of an old sun-lamp with a Phillips UV-B bulb, agnd in adittion a "bug-killer lamp" with the newer type UV tubelights. I've tried this once before with a 2008 standard. That did not work at all. This time, a 2008 R8 is under the spotlight. It's a cherry red, that shows no signs of fading of the top at this moment, no deeper red under the poker chip or PG. The back of the neck has faded quite a bit, but I'll concentrate on the top. Sunlight would be the best way to do this, probably, but from where I'm at, that would take ages.

Thought this was a nice arena to share the progress. Now if anyone can tell me how to attach photo's, I would do that as well (I'm not a frequent thread poster, and in fact this will be my first here at TLPF).

Cheers!
:)
 

Brotor

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Nov 11, 2014
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So I would have to upload pictures to a dropbox?

Update: 11 hours, no results.
 

Brotor

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Nov 11, 2014
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image_zps01cba446.jpg
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Here's how it's going down. In the messy basement offcourse ;) don't want my kids near that lamp!

Anyone ever try this?
 
Last edited:

goldtop0

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Aug 19, 2003
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I admire your courageous effort.......would the top 'bubble' at all do you think?
I'm being devil's advocate here.
 

djangolad

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Mar 23, 2010
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583
This looks a bit risky. You must have a strong dislike for the colour of you guitar. Of course you can do what ever you like but it makes me wonder why this is needs to be done to Les Pauls. You don't see it so much amongst other high end guitar brand lovers.eg PRS.
Some people actually notice the colour of the guitar when they buy it and it conrtubutes to the reason they choose it.
I'm an old dude have been around the block once or twice and go by that principle and it seems to work well.
All one can assume is that Gibson makes a lot of their guitars too colourful.:rolleyes
 

Brotor

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Nov 11, 2014
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This looks a bit risky. You must have a strong dislike for the colour of you guitar. Of course you can do what ever you like but it makes me wonder why this is needs to be done to Les Pauls. You don't see it so much amongst other high end guitar brand lovers.eg PRS.
Some people actually notice the colour of the guitar when they buy it and it conrtubutes to the reason they choose it.
I'm an old dude have been around the block once or twice and go by that principle and it seems to work well.
All one can assume is that Gibson makes a lot of their guitars too colourful.:rolleyes

I can assure that the top is not getting hot, and there seems to be no risk of "bubbling lacquer" or glue melting etc. I don't have a strong dislike for the colour, but I tend to like an Iced Tea look better. I got this guitar off the used market for a very very Nice price, and in one way the colour of the guitar was a comprimise. Don't get me wrong, I get frequent boners from the right Cherry sunburst colours, but this one had no sense of deep Cherry, and I don't get a kick out of looking at it in the same way I did With my previous R9 and R8. The Guitar sounds very good. Strong and powerful, and it plays great, so I thought what the heck, I'll give it a go. It's definately a keeper that will get frequent gigging, so I Guess it will get it's mojo after a while none the less.
 

Brotor

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Nov 11, 2014
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I admire your courageous effort.......would the top 'bubble' at all do you think?
I'm being devil's advocate here.

:) It's not getting hot, I can tell you that. I don't know, what do you think?
 

corpses

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Sep 11, 2014
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The home grown fades I have seen were not partricularly impressive- it fades really spotty.
 

pinefd

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Jan 22, 2004
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3,060
I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that an '08 may be pretty fade resistant. If this doesn't work, and you feel it's otherwise a great guitar, you may want to consider getting a top only refin...if the color bothers you that much.


Frank
 

Brotor

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Nov 11, 2014
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I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that an '08 may be pretty fade resistant. If this doesn't work, and you feel it's otherwise a great guitar, you may want to consider getting a top only refin...if the color bothers you that much.


Frank
I've been looking into the possibilities for a top refinish, yes. That'll be it, if The results of this doesn't do it.
 

Slashburst

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Sep 14, 2010
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My R8 shows a little fading under the poker chip. It took almost 20hrs under the sunlight!!!
 

goldtop0

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I'm picking you'll get the top refinished Brotor.......if you want to.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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I figure it is best to get the color you have to have, NEW. Buy an Ice Tea Burst or one Bourbon, one Scotch and one Beer Burst if that's what you have to have.
 

rockinlespaul

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Oct 21, 2002
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2,202
Send it to me, I'll fade it for ya....

I use 1000 watt HID lamps for other reasons, but I have used them to fade colors on historics before. Works like a charm.
 

Sct13

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Oct 27, 2011
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Our nearest star has a much higher intensity then any light bulb can ever hope to create.

The amount of UV light that blasts the earth is crazy high. Lucky for us much of it is reflected off by the atmosphere and the magnetosphere

You need to find the wavelength that will react with the colorant that your trying to fade.

Also the amber vibrancy will (can) be lost in the fade as well. So while your fading the reds you are also fading the tones in the amber.

Great experiment, very curious to see how it fares
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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Steve Craw, the Crawdaddyo of Southpaws did one along time ago when neither one of us had a gray hair. He made the coolest conversion of a Deluxe into a lefty Burst and faded the top with a Sun Lamp. It looked awesome!
 
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