First stages of aging my R8

[nicolasrivera]

Gracias amigos!

[dmainleaders]

thats a brutal aged les paul man! great job!

[Fracture]

Posting from page 6. Earlier in another relicing thread, I dissed paying some of the
prices people pay for a make over.
Considering that you did that of your own volition, I am impressed.
The more I view that, the more I see.
The checking, the Lemon patina, the hardware.
It looks very genuine, and that's the key. Like a one owner, played
often, not overly looked after.
The vertical flecks are my favorite, that's the hook for me.
Just right, thats a winner Nicolas.

[backfromcali.]

Wow wonderful guitar. To me it looks even better because of the aging.
I have 2 questions as I am new to aging guitars:

1.) I read in this thread about a "razor method" to do the checking of the finish? What is it exactly.Yet I have only heard about a checking beacause of temperature changings.
2.) How did you age the toggle switch tip? I personally thought of sanding it down just a little bit and using either some brown color or coffe or shoepolish for this step. How did you do it.

Sorry for my bad English. (I am German)

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by backfromcali.

Wow wonderful guitar. To me it looks even better because of the aging.
I have 2 questions as I am new to aging guitars:

1.) I read in this thread about a "razor method" to do the checking of the finish? What is it exactly.Yet I have only heard about a checking beacause of temperature changings.
2.) How did you age the toggle switch tip? I personally thought of sanding it down just a little bit and using either some brown color or coffe or shoepolish for this step. How did you do it.

Sorry for my bad English. (I am German)

Hello and thanks.

The razor or blade method is when using a sharp metal blade and trace by hand the lines that mimic the cracks from temperature change on lacquer.




And to the best way to age a switch tip is to use alcohol based wood stains, coffee and shoe polish wont make it look real at all.

Here is an example of the ones i´ve made, the white one is a LP standard and the yellow one is an aftermarket age switch, the rest are the same yellow one but aged and sanded to different shades and shapes.



If you want to do checkin lines i highly recommend you first practice with a pencil and a white page and draw them as many as you can, then use a old table or piece os wood and try the knife, after you get comfortable you can go to the guitar and have fun.

[glynneCicada]

Originally Posted by R9.

Just out of curiosity - would any of you actually let nicolasrivera do this to your guitar? Way back when he did this to his Standard, I suggested he see if there was a market for his work.

After seeing aged guitars in person & on the net, Ive not been convinced by 85% of them. Theres always some detail that gives it away & lets the whole thing down. Some of the Tom Murphy stuff for me doesnt look great. Of course he's a real talented guy, but some of, not all, his works doesnt do it for me.

Having said that, I would send Nicolas my guitar in a heartbeat. Maybe Im blowing too much smoke up his ass but his work on this guitar is ridiculous. It just blows my mind. My Standard is pretty much brand new & will never show hardcore age. And its very unlikely Id pay someone to do it for me for fear they would mess it up. But judging on this thread & his attitude, Id let him go wild on my baby.
Cant wait to see the Goldtop relic.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by glynneCicada

After seeing aged guitars in person & on the net, Ive not been convinced by 85% of them. Theres always some detail that gives it away & lets the whole thing down. Some of the Tom Murphy stuff for me doesnt look great. Of course he's a real talented guy, but some of, not all, his works doesnt do it for me.

Having said that, I would send Nicolas my guitar in a heartbeat. Maybe Im blowing too much smoke up his ass but his work on this guitar is ridiculous. It just blows my mind. My Standard is pretty much brand new & will never show hardcore age. And its very unlikely Id pay someone to do it for me for fear they would mess it up. But judging on this thread & his attitude, Id let him go wild on my baby.
Cant wait to see the Goldtop relic.

Thank you very very much!!!!

I have already found the perfect gold tone paint to start, i´m scared as this will be a whole new challenge.

This is my goal, this is what i want my guitar to look like, i´m still thinking if i will do the conversion from HB to P90 and one single tailpiece...

[backfromcali.]

Originally Posted by nicolasrivera

Hello and thanks.

The razor or blade method is when using a sharp metal blade and trace by hand the lines that mimic the cracks from temperature change on lacquer.




And to the best way to age a switch tip is to use alcohol based wood stains, coffee and shoe polish wont make it look real at all.

Here is an example of the ones i´ve made, the white one is a LP standard and the yellow one is an aftermarket age switch, the rest are the same yellow one but aged and sanded to different shades and shapes.



If you want to do checkin lines i highly recommend you first practice with a pencil and a white page and draw them as many as you can, then use a old table or piece os wood and try the knife, after you get comfortable you can go to the guitar and have fun.

Thanks for this quick answer. I think I will do the checking in the winter as I am much too to do it with razor blades. By the way: The checking also changes the sound, doesnt it!? Because it kind of 'opens' the guitar. I think it is the sam reason why guitars with very thin finish (like a Gibson SG Special Faded) sound so good (to me )
I will do the aging of the tips tomorrow with your method. Thanks

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by backfromcali.

Thanks for this quick answer. I think I will do the checking in the winter as I am much too to do it with razor blades. By the way: The checking also changes the sound, doesnt it!? Because it kind of 'opens' the guitar. I think it is the sam reason why guitars with very thin finish (like a Gibson SG Special Faded) sound so good (to me )
I will do the aging of the tips tomorrow with your method. Thanks

Good point about the checking opening the guitar, but i don't know, i try to not puck the checking beyond the clear coat as its supposed to be, some push it down to the wood and look terrible.

Take care and good luck!!!

[mikey]

Absolutely beautiful. Great job! Takes some guts to attempt that such a beautiful guitar to begin with!

The finished product looks tremendous!

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by mikey

Absolutely beautiful. Great job! Takes some guts to attempt that such a beautiful guitar to begin with!

The finished product looks tremendous!

Thanks budy

[glynneCicada]

Amazing. From HBs to P-90s will be interesting to see. Theres something so soft & warm about the old GTs with the creamy P-90s. I like the more extreme ageing on GTs.
This one is a dream come true:

[nicolasrivera]

Thanks!!! too beautiful!!!!

[Archer]

Very nice work on the relicing. I suspect that, like myself, you have stared at a few of the examples in this lovely book:

[nicolasrivera]

Yes, for many hours and hours.

[nicolasrivera]

Yesterday i took on the task of trying a technique my dear friend Tom Bartlett was kind to share with me about his fretboard magic witch they are by far the best aged fretboards out there.

This is my first take, there are a few little things i have to do to consider it finished to my liking.

[Mildperv]

Hmmm, amazing. A well textured (aged) fingerboard and YET, the inlays don't have a scratch AND what looks like original frets.

Yep, see that all the time on '50s Gibbys.

[Mildperv]

Look, I don't mean to pick at you all the time. You do good stuff (mostly). Just be careful you don't permanently screw up a good sounding guitar. You might regret it down the road.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Mildperv

Look, I don't mean to pick at you all the time. You do good stuff (mostly). Just be careful you don't permanently screw up a good sounding guitar. You might regret it down the road.

Thanks, all i have done has not screw up playability or sound, the only 2 sound enhancements come rom changing the pickups and top wrapping the strings.

Frets i will not touch as they are just¡t fine and will ware with my bends and the inlays have scratches all right but not as deep.

So, nut, frets and bridge are untouched so the guitar continues to play as good as ever.

[nicolasrivera]

Another Photo...

[arvalera23]

seeing this made me quit trying to age my gibson les paul copy.. man, hands down you're one of the most patient guys i've seen! great job mate!

Arion.

[Juan7fernandez]

I think the board looks awesome. great job!!! oh and keep doing what you want no matter what any body tells you. I think your work is amazing!!!!

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Juan7fernandez

I think the board looks awesome. great job!!! oh and keep doing what you want no matter what any body tells you. I think your work is amazing!!!!

Thanks a lot Juan!!!

[mattypoo]

i would never cut my les paul on purpose,but its yours bro

[cherryburst59]

You have the guts man, and most dont!

It is yours, go ahead and age it to the ground!

[nicolasrivera]

[nicolasrivera]

[polifemo]

Originally Posted by nicolasrivera

New pup´s or just the Wizz+covers?
Looks great.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by polifemo

New pup´s or just the Wizz+covers?
Looks great.

Thank. Just the DMC covers over the WIZZ, cant seem to decide as i love them both cover and uncover....

[polifemo]

I prefer this particular guitar with covers, but it´s your instrument