First stages of aging my R8

[nicolasrivera]

Having free time this past Sunday I woke up with one thing in mind, age the sides and back of my R8. I can't deny what I am, a relic freak and knowing that my R8 with its NOT VINTAGE CORRECT lacquer would not age within the next 5 years. Having already 10 year on her I said I will do my best to speed time up in just one day of work. Well, actually 8 hours of work.

I have been practicing and using reference photos to actually achieving
a convincing pattern and i love the result, i could not be happier with it.

****If you are one of the many that don't like this artificial acceleration of time,
please try not to be an ass with your comments, you already have a thread
to post all your negative and different point of view in here****:
Aging a Historic?

Here is the end result of phase one of relicing a Historic:





Final Aged 1958 Reissue



****UPDATED IMAGES AND NEW on page #2****

[Barber]

Very Impressive Nicholas,

Perhaps a silly question here that i may have just answered for myself, given that you have done the back and sides: I'm guessing you did this with the razor method rather than heat checking ?

It looks very good and just like a lot of real checking I have seen - If you did that with a razor - you have some awesome patience and skill, Tom murphy has competition.

[Oranjeaap]

I like the patterns on the sides. The pattern on the back looks a bit too artificial. I think it needs more random figures, more chaosy. It shows the same pattern a bit too often, and makes it look a bit fake. Thats just my opinion.
The sides look very good

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Barber

Very Impressive Nicholas,

Perhaps a silly question here that i may have just answered for myself, given that you have done the back and sides: I'm guessing you did this with the razor method rather than heat checking ?

It looks very good and just like a lot of real checking I have seen - If you did that with a razor - you have some awesome patience and skill, Tom murphy has competition.

Thanks. Yes it is the razor method.

Originally Posted by Oranjeaap

I like the patterns on the sides. The pattern on the back looks a bit too artificial. I think it needs more random figures, more chaosy. It shows the same pattern a bit too often, and makes it look a bit fake. Thats just my opinion.
The sides look very good

Thank you for you observation, it still is a work in progress and i see what you mean, i have done more to the back since i took the photo, but i´ll make sure i get more reference photos before i declare it finished.

[Sterling # Sound]

I like it a lot actually. I think the sides are great and the back is good. Do you see the lines as clearly from all angles or is it just on these pics? Typically they would appear and disappear depending on light etc.

[stonevibe]

Looks a bit uniform and not so natural, I suppose some buckle rash and worming will sort that out though.

Not a bad job for a days work though.

I just wouldn't have the patience myself.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Sterling # Sound

I like it a lot actually. I think the sides are great and the back is good. Do you see the lines as clearly from all angles or is it just on these pics? Typically they would appear and disappear depending on light etc.

Thanks, yes they do disappear, this is done by using a really fine and sharp blade and just enough pressure to make a mark, but it is not done to all of it as real cracked lacquer in some areas splits open.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by stonevibe

Looks a bit uniform and not so natural, I suppose some buckle rash and worming will sort that out though.

Not a bad job for a days work though.

I just wouldn't have the patience myself.

actually I'm more afraid to do the fake buckle rash unpainted then the lines, that's the next step.

yes it need a state of relaxation and calm mind to do this, if you push it a little it starts to look all wrong, I did took brakes of 15 minutes every 45 minutes or so.

[RossingtonLP]

Good Job!

[Kølabrennern]

Yours being a 2001, wouldn't the cold/hot method have worked better - maybe not needing to go further in the manual sense than just making "starter notches" at random spots for the checking lines to spread from?

I love checking, but I think the back looks too pronounced and artificial. I'm sure you'll make it a lot better though, your earlier work has impressed me

[jonamojo]

I can't believe your doin this bro, I bought a relic strat but a relic les paul I don't get it.

[Nevin1985]

Originally Posted by jonamojo

I bought a relic strat but a relic les paul I don't get it.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Kølabrennern

Yours being a 2001, wouldn't the cold/hot method have worked better - maybe not needing to go further in the manual sense than just making "starter notches" at random spots for the checking lines to spread from?

I love checking, but I think the back looks too pronounced and artificial. I'm sure you'll make it a lot better though, your earlier work has impressed me

Well i have no access or resources to but a big freezer and do so, then you really have no control of the out come, this way i´m doing what i wanted to see in my guitar and not what the freezer would have done.

Remember that photographs tend to enhance the effect.

[Nevin1985]

In the end, if you are producing what you want to see, you should be happy with the outcome.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by jonamojo

I can't believe your doin this bro, I bought a relic strat but a relic les paul I don't get it.

Remember that this DO NOT affect the guitars tone in any way or its playability, i have no intention to sell her at all and hope to have enough money to send her to Kim over Historic Makeovers by the end of the year.

I cant get how you cant get a relic on a guitar like this, Fender and Gibson have almost share the same golden age periods, i love how old strats look and how old Les Pauls look.

Believe when i tell you that i am loving my guitar more then ever now, she is my inspiration right now.

It is practically imposible to mimic the real checks of 50+ old guitars even with true weather checking, every body knows this, but i´m really trying to get as close as i can in my own controlled environment.

[KS 5150]

That turned out really well!! I am a bit ignorant of the process, do you create the checks with a fine razor, and if so, how do you determine the pattern? Do you sketch it out in advance or do you freestyle? Just wondering...very nice job..

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by KS 5150

That turned out really well!! I am a bit ignorant of the process, do you create the checks with a fine razor, and if so, how do you determine the pattern? Do you sketch it out in advance or do you freestyle? Just wondering...very nice job..

I do it freestyle, i have thought of making a 1:1 size copy of a full top aged copy from an original, but at the end is¡t´s just to much work. I have even tough with laser technology why haven't any body traced or developed a real checking pattern maker and just draw it in to any top with a CNC laser guided device.

I determine the patter buy eye and for what the reference images tell me, most of it is getting to know the basics of what the most known patters look like, of course in real life, the line could go in any direction they want, so there is not true correct way to look at them, most people judge based on what they have seen so far in different naturally aged guitars, but that is not the only way, i do try to follow the most accepted patterns.

[RobP]

I'd be too to try this...well done!

[Big John]

Originally Posted by nicolasrivera

...a big freezer and do so, then you really have no control of the out come...

Not true.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Big John

Not true.

Well, from my experience at looking the many outcomes of this procedure, not every body gets horizontal lines, some get vertical, some a combination of both, some get spider web like results etc.

Big J, if you like to share how come you are implying it could be controlled i would be very thankful.

[Big John]

One of my best friends for about 25 years, Dave Johnson, does this type of work for a living. I'm not going to hand out any of his trade secrets. Cold checking can be controlled. That's all I'm saying.

[Mike60]

Originally Posted by Big John

One of my best friends for about 25 years, Dave Johnson, does this type of work for a living... Cold checking can be controlled. That's all I'm saying.

+1...

DJ did a great job giving my '69 GT the right amount of REAL checking...

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Big John

One of my best friends for about 25 years, Dave Johnson, does this type of work for a living. I'm not going to hand out any of his trade secrets. Cold checking can be controlled. That's all I'm saying.

Yes, i remember some told me that the way you sand the guitar and the way you spray the lacquer gives consistent results, i was referring to non refinished guitars.

Kim and Dave do the best works on real checking, the masters right there.

[singlecut]

Originally Posted by jonamojo

I can't believe your doin this bro, I bought a relic strat but a relic les paul I don't get it.

and thats the real point of it. you do not have to get it.it's not your guitar

[xXxGhotimanxXx]

Doesn't the nitro check as a result of temperature fluctuations? Could you not just subject the guitar to hot/cold cycles to force it to check? Just curious, why you have to use a razor...is this how the "pro's" do it? Or do they put it in the freezer, then the sun...

J

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by xXxGhotimanxXx

Doesn't the nitro check as a result of temperature fluctuations? Could you not just subject the guitar to hot/cold cycles to force it to check? Just curious, why you have to use a razor...is this how the "pro's" do it? Or do they put it in the freezer, then the sun...

J

Well man, as i stated some past post above, i cant afford or have access to a freezer that could fit a full LP guitar in, if i have that would have been my first choice.

And as i have decided to start saving money all this 2011 for a Historic Makeover, it is really just a matter of time to have this guitar sounding and looking far better then a normal historic, as she is now, it gives me a template to practice my technique that i believe it is improving a lot compared to what i have been doing in the past.

[xXxGhotimanxXx]

How 'bout your local produce or meat department in the grocery? Bet if you asked nicely, they would let you put your guitar in the freezer over night...just some food for thought, in the future.

J

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by xXxGhotimanxXx

How 'bout your local produce or meat department in the grocery? Bet if you asked nicely, they would let you put your guitar in the freezer over night...just some food for thought, in the future.

J

Well, where i worked before about a year ago i had access to REAL freezers from WENDYS food chain and i did try it with my 2003 standard and in the middle of our summer here that is basically hell on earth i try it many times and nothing, i don't know if Gibson uses the same lacquer for ALL its guitars if so i don't think it would have worked any way with my R8, at least on the sides and back, my top has some vertical natural lines and some little horizontal, but the back and sides never changed.

[xXxGhotimanxXx]

Originally Posted by nicolasrivera

Well, where i worked before about a year ago i had access to REAL freezers from WENDYS food chain and i did try it with my 2003 standard and in the middle of our summer here that is basically hell on earth i try it many times and nothing, i don't know if Gibson uses the same lacquer for ALL its guitars if so i don't think it would have worked any way with my R8, at least on the sides and back, my top has some vertical natural lines and some little horizontal, but the back and sides never changed.

That's weird. They give you the impression in the documentation that came with my Gibson that just opening the case in a warm room after the guitar has been out in the cold could cause it to check.

J

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by xXxGhotimanxXx

That's weird. They give you the impression in the documentation that came with my Gibson that just opening the case in a warm room after the guitar has been out in the cold could cause it to check.

J

YEah, i was very pissed about it, thats why i started using the razor, out of frustration.