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Unclowning the burst - sunbathed beauty

samdjr74

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
196
Heat's not good for the guitar, I put mine out in the sun for a little while the other day it it was almost too hot to touch. Nothing happened to it but I would guess ptolonged periods like that may damage the wood or glue.

Has anyone ever done this in a climate like California? Although, N. Umbria is similar I suppose. It was when I was there during July. But it's 97F degrees here. I'm just worried about real damage.
 

samdjr74

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
196
Thanks Bob,

The guitar looks great in direct sunlight, I mean it's killer, right?

But it falls short in regular room lighting. And I'm not looking for a relic thing or anything but I like the softer, less shiny feel and look on a LP.

Samdjr74, I rather like your guitar and don't see a need to change it. :)

Bob
 

city sirens

Member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
132
Silly question maybe but wouldn't a tanning booth work as well?

I can just imagine this new fad of making appointments for guitar fading in tanning salons...
 

djangolad

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
583
Heck I thought you kids were made of tougher stuff!
But I repeat that it's best keep guitars and most precision made wooden things out of direct sun unless you want to bend them and destroy the glues holding them together.
 

Billy Porter

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Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
1,129
Heck I thought you kids were made of tougher stuff!
But I repeat that it's best keep guitars and most precision made wooden things out of direct sun unless you want to bend them and destroy the glues holding them together.

I actually agree with you djangolad. I saw many necks warped, soundboards cracked and inlays popping out due to direct sunlight through a galss window at a guitar store I worked at for 13 years. We'd swap the stuff around to minimise the damage.

Northumbria (England Scottish borders)doesn't get that hot even in mid summer and I never put it out on hot days as I'm also aware that it can melt the wax in the pickups (I alos shielded them)

As I mentioned in the OP of this thread. I wouldn't recomend anyone try it in a hot or humid environment. Most of the recent fade is purely from leaving it out of its case.
 

Doc Sausage

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Joined
Nov 21, 2006
Messages
1,707
Silly question maybe but wouldn't a tanning booth work as well?

I can just imagine this new fad of making appointments for guitar fading in tanning salons...

Or any ultraviolet light? Or...perhaps about 50 years or so? :wah
 

ant_riv

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
262
Nice looking fade on the guitar, Billy Porter.
I have a '71 Deluxe that is similar in color to the original color of yours.

It's great to hear that you are using the guitar and enjoying it. I think we can all agree that is the most important thing. The fading really looks good.

Fred, any info on where I could get a pair of those caps? My '71 does not have the original caps and it would be great if I could get a set.
 

Billy Porter

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Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
1,129
Thanks for comments

I've put the original caps back in - much better :)

I don't know if its the change to 500k pots or re-wiring 50s style but the guitar is no more manageable and sounds a lot better when the volume isn't on full. Can't wait to try it at full volume at next rehearshal - not till September though :-(
 

Fred Hullerum

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Messages
120
I don't know if its the change to 500k pots or re-wiring 50s style but the guitar is no more manageable and sounds a lot better when the volume isn't on full.

Both changes go into the same direction:
By increasing the value of the tone pot or by soldering the "tone-filter" (the tone-pot-and-cap-combination) to the output of the guitar (instead of placing it in parallel to the pickup) the influence of the capacitor is reduced in general and even more when you turn down the volume to zero.

For an in-depth-view of the advantage of vintage wiring see

http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=165388


Fred
 

Classic71

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
1,745
5 piece top? Ouch! Don't get me wrong Billy, your Custom looks great and I'm sure the multi-maple top construction has no noticeable effect on tone, but it just saddens me that Gibson was cutting costs like this on pretty much top of the line Les Pauls. If it was an ebony or white Custom, that might be different but with a Sunburst finish? It's no wonder that the Norlin years weren't exactly golden years for Gibson.

And samdjr74, your guitar looks fantastic and I wouldn't even begin to worry about fading it or changing the colour. If it is really getting to you, sell it and buy a new one or spend a few hundred on a top only re-fin and get exactly the colour you want. Your guitar might fade slightly in the sun, but not to a really noticeable extent. Just my 2 cents.
 

Billy Porter

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Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
1,129
5 piece top? Ouch! Don't get me wrong Billy, your Custom looks great and I'm sure the multi-maple top construction has no noticeable effect on tone, but it just saddens me that Gibson was cutting costs like this on pretty much top of the line Les Pauls. If it was an ebony or white Custom, that might be different but with a Sunburst finish? It's no wonder that the Norlin years weren't exactly golden years for Gibson.
.

Agree but.........in '85 there weren't many Les Pauls in the North East of England, no Interweb warning us of Norlins, Pancakes Volutes etc - it was simply a Gibson Les Paul. I wanted a black one but this came up for sale at £350 (used) so it's paid for itself many times over. I look on it now as a 'free' guitar and it does the job I want it to do

If I was in the market for a Les Paul nowadays - I'd probably buy an Epiphone :wah
 

Classic71

New member
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Jul 11, 2010
Messages
1,745
Agree but.........in '85 there weren't many Les Pauls in the North East of England, no Interweb warning us of Norlins, Pancakes Volutes etc - it was simply a Gibson Les Paul. I wanted a black one but this came up for sale at £350 (used) so it's paid for itself many times over. I look on it now as a 'free' guitar and it does the job I want it to do

If I was in the market for a Les Paul nowadays - I'd probably buy an Epiphone :wah

Understand totally - the choice in the UK is not the greatest even now with the interweb etc., so as you say, back in 80's blighty it was local music shops, a few guitar magazines and word of mouth. I remember Gibsons being prized guitars back then, for the name if nothing else (although I was young at the time). Anyway, you've got a fine looking guitar and if the "right" 70's Norlin came my way I'd be delighted. I've always wanted a guitar from my birth year or thereabouts so one day soon I'll be in the market for an early 70's LP, Strat or Tele. That'll be interesting!
 

dixiethedog

Member
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
31
Wow. Such venom

Another tact would be to ask if any precautions were taken to protect the neck. I would then have replied "yes and also to protect the headstock and inlays"

The recent fade has been purely down to natural light coming through my window protected by blinds.

I also worked in a music store for 13 years so am well aware of the effects of direct sunlight on guitars and monitored it constantly. The neck has never needed adjustment since 1985

Real nutters are currently burning and looting London

Many thanks though for reminding me why I don't post here so much nowadays
I know this is an old post, but I spotted that you mentioned working in a guitar store for 13 years. Was the store in Newcastle? One of my fave shops way back in time was Rock City. The shop always seemed to have a load of great second gear in it, especially Les Pauls. Thinking about it, I loved all of the guitar shops in the area.
 

Billy Porter

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Mar 16, 2005
Messages
1,129
I know this is an old post, but I spotted that you mentioned working in a guitar store for 13 years. Was the store in Newcastle? One of my fave shops way back in time was Rock City. The shop always seemed to have a load of great second gear in it, especially Les Pauls. Thinking about it, I loved all of the guitar shops in the area.
Not Rock City but Jeavons in Newcastle. Rock City had a better selection of 'pro' gear. We mainly sold Ibanez which at the time were mid-range but now collectables. Thanks for reviving this thread. I'd forgot all about it
 

dixiethedog

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Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
31
Not Rock City but Jeavons in Newcastle. Rock City had a better selection of 'pro' gear. We mainly sold Ibanez which at the time were mid-range but now collectables. Thanks for reviving this thread. I'd forgot all about it
I think I can remember Jeavons. Was it just along from the Handyside Arcade? I remember a shop more or less opposite (pre fab shops) that sold things like Tokai guitars and always had (what I would consider lovely guitars now)lots of Love Rocks/reborns (that I did not like back then, cos they were not Gibsons). Then as mentioned Rock City was mega, and Windows was cool along with a few other shops dotted around the town. I'm sure one of my best pals at the time bought a lovely Ibanez semi (their version of a 335) from Jeavons, which was also a great shop.
Away from shopping, can I ask you about your cherry sunburst Custom? There was a band that used to play (a lot) on a Saturday night in Whitley Bay at Mingles club. I think they were called FM. They had two guitarists (both fantastic players), one who played an SG (but did not own it) and the other played an LP Custom in a cherry sunburst finish. I don't know what the guitarist was called, but he had a tone to die for. I wonder if this could be your guitar? If it is it's a piece of local rock history for me. The band in question was a local favourite for me and a load of other people.
 
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