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why does a blacklighted guitar glow?

BobV

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Jan 11, 2009
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831
Fluorescence or phosphorescence is a property, and "phosphorous" is not the only substance that does it. When UV hits the material, the electrons absorb the light energy and get "excited," meaning they temporarily jump up to higher energy states (sort of like higher orbits) around the nucleus of each atom. When the effect wears off, the electrons go back to their normal energy states and in the process they give off a packet of energy in the form of light - at a different wavelength than the light that hit it in the first place. So you can hit it with light that's not visible and it might give off light that is visible - so it glows.

So much of what I remember from chemistry. So does anyone know what it is that's in the lacquer that has the chemical property of phosphorescence?

That's not to mention the difference involved in shining purple light on the thing rather than all the colors in white light.
 
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bigjimsguitars

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Sep 12, 2005
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3,890
A blacklight is only a tool in the toolbox to determine if there are repairs, overspray, or irregularities. Nothing can replace hands on experience to be the ultimate determination of originality.
 

rockinlespaul

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Oct 21, 2002
Messages
2,202
000_2134.jpg


DSC00032-2.jpg


Actually, I screwed up there. The knobs that are glowing in the black light are these ones, not the gold one's in the normal previous pic.

DSC00042.jpg
 

mofis64

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Joined
May 21, 2004
Messages
243
TV Yellow and black light.. Today I went to a friends house who has a 1957 LP Special TV Yellow, and a 1959 LPJr in cherry finish.
The TV yellow Jr had a little fluorescense along all surface, except the black part of the headstock. And the cherry Jr, has a little flourescense along the body . Is it normal? is is normal thay vintage YV yellow has near not fluorescense at all ??? I am interested in buying those guitars, thats why I will appreciate a lot your oppinion/s ! Thanks
 

Pat Boyack

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Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
4,510
TV Yellow and black light.. Today I went to a friends house who has a 1957 LP Special TV Yellow, and a 1959 LPJr in cherry finish.
The TV yellow Jr had a little fluorescense along all surface, except the black part of the headstock. And the cherry Jr, has a little flourescense along the body . Is it normal? is is normal thay vintage YV yellow has near not fluorescense at all ??? I am interested in buying those guitars, thats why I will appreciate a lot your oppinion/s ! Thanks
Holy shit!! This has to be the oldest restored thread in Les Paul Forum history.
 

Standard Magic

Active member
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
101
My 2006 R8 glows where the guitar is touched the most (back of the neck, arm rest etc.) and elsewhere it doesn't, some areas are mixed. But it's a gradual fade between areas that glow and areas that don't. It hasn't had a refin. I don't think there's a hard and fast rule that you can apply as to what "glow" indicates.

I have an entry level late 80's classical guitar that glows a lot at the sides, headstock, and the bridge but the top doesn't and in fact has red patches where it was touched the most (as opposed to green)!

The way I look at it is black lit guitars have a story to tell with it's own language but it can't be carried over to another guitar.
 
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