Advice needed: protecting my gibson LP faded

[leodalion0]

So i just brought my first Gibson, which was a faded in satin blue because of the look, after finally acquiring it very recently, i came across a few pictures of one of my favorite guitarists, snowy white, harboring his goldtop.

I'm not a fan at all of his gold tops look now, i realized that my faded will fade (dur) but i'm totally in love with the look at the moment and would like to preserve and protect it, and would like it to keep its colour for 30+ years, is there anything i can do?

I went into a local guitar shop and they didn't have very many ideas as they said something about adding more coats would trap pockets of air and actually fade it faster -_-, they said i could have it completly stripped and refinished but that cost about the same price as i paid for the guitar....

I'm hoping some of you gurus could give me advice, i would like this guitar to be the same beauty when i pass it down to my kids, like my dads yamaha sg2000 when he passed it down to me, i do not want it losing its look, as i love it please help, many thanks Leo

Below: The closest picture i could find online of how it looks(thanks to whoevers pic im using looks almost as good as mine ), i haven't got a camera atm but i will upload my OWN pics when i get one, just so you can see why i do not want it to lose the look:

[Kalamazuu]

With the thin satin finish I don't know if there's much at all you can do, I think the finish will where away (where your arm and hands rest) sooner than you notice any fading. Just be careful with it, and put it away when you're not using it. Just remember, even the $4000 custom shop guitars will fade over 30 years (not as much as original 50s guitars).
Just don't be afraid to play it.

[Quicksilvergoat]

Put it in its case and never pull it out. Ever! Unless it's completely dark.

[leodalion0]

At the moment it's on a stand between my sg, and strat and in front of my jackson RR3, i've blacked out the room in fear for the uv light damaging my beauty. Should i be putting it in a case rather then leaving it out? tbh i haven't touched it since it dawned on me earlier that i'm wearing it down, now that i think about it, just went back to my sg unconsciously.. what a waste my hands don't really sweat at all if that helps...

[music to my ears]

Did you crack the pickgaurd or is that just the lighting?

[leodalion0]

"Below: The closest picture i could find online of how it looks(thanks to whoevers pic im using looks almost as good as mine ), i haven't got a camera atm but i will upload my OWN pics when i get one, just so you can see why i do not want it to lose the look:"

Mine is in perfect condition the picture is borrowed, to show why i don't want it to lose it's look.

[Thumpalumpacus]

It's nitro. In 30 years, your guitar is going to have a greenish hue, as the nitro yellows. Play it when you want, and store it in its case. It's a guitar, not the Mona Lisa.

[music to my ears]

Originally Posted by leodalion0

"Below: The closest picture i could find online of how it looks(thanks to whoevers pic im using looks almost as good as mine ), i haven't got a camera atm but i will upload my OWN pics when i get one, just so you can see why i do not want it to lose the look:"

Mine is in perfect condition the picture is borrowed, to show why i don't want it to lose it's look.

got it.

[axepilot]

Originally Posted by leodalion0

At the moment it's on a stand between my sg, and strat and in front of my jackson RR3, i've blacked out the room in fear for the uv light damaging my beauty. Should i be putting it in a case rather then leaving it out? tbh i haven't touched it since it dawned on me earlier that i'm wearing it down, now that i think about it, just went back to my sg unconsciously.. what a waste my hands don't really sweat at all if that helps...

You have to kidding me.................

No offense, but that guitar was built to be played, not shielded from UV light and babied to the point of not being touched. It's not a museum piece, it's a guitar.

Just PLAY IT!

The finish will wear, the guitar will collect dings, but you will have the fun as the player putting the miles and many joyous notes on the guitar. Anything else is a dis-service to the instrument.

[leodalion0]

@axepilot yeah i know i know :> is there anything you know that can help preserve it though, i now know how it feels to be randy rhoads desperately trying to preserve my les paul

[RichBrew]

You have no chance whatsoever of keeping the guitar looking like it is at present until at least 2042 if you play it.

I also refer you to post #7.

RichBrew

[Mr Teeny]

Just forget about it and play it or buy another and leave it in the case. Lets face it, 30 years from now you'd have to hope your kids will have higher expectations than getting a 30 year old studio from their old man.

[WinterOrb]

A little late for April fools ain't it?

[strat]

Ehhh you won't notice, and then one day you'll look at it and go shit. the damn things green lmao

[leodalion0]

i don't want a green/yellow lp :< so yeah question still stands if anyone can help with advice on how to preserve the thing.. would be very greatful

[axepilot]

Originally Posted by leodalion0

@axepilot yeah i know i know :> is there anything you know that can help preserve it though, i now know how it feels to be randy rhoads desperately trying to preserve my les paul

I understand you wanting to keep your guitar in great shape.

Just wipe the guitar down when you're done playing. You are never going to keep the guitar in pristine condition unless you seal it in a glass case. The dings and wear are signs of a well loved guitar.

If you can't accept this, then I suggest you sell the guitar and buy something you will be willing to actually play.

[SvdH]

Originally Posted by leodalion0

i don't want a green/yellow lp :< so yeah question still stands if anyone can help with advice on how to preserve the thing.. would be very greatful

Sell it -> buy a blue Epiphone -> store it in it's case for 40 years...

[gtimach1]

My white Custom has lost a bit of that pure white over the year(slight yellowing), but it still looks great and I've been enjoying the heck out of it.

Somebody getting that guitar in 30 years may not care at all about any fading. Imagine going through all the trouble to preserve it and finding out it wasn't really that big a deal.

[leodalion0]

yeah i can accept it just want to slow down the process if possible, to try and maintain the gorgeous look at well as tone.

@SvdH then ill have a worse guitar and i don't get to play it at all that's completely not helping me preserve my gibson

[leodalion0]

@gtimach1 yeah i guess, but i love the look atm, and have you seen snowy whites? :/ don't want anything like that

[Thumpalumpacus]

Originally Posted by leodalion0

i don't want a green/yellow lp :< so yeah question still stands if anyone can help with advice on how to preserve the thing.. would be very greatful

Well, you're fresh outta luck, then. Nitro yellows. If you don't want that happening, get it refinned in poly.

[bufbills]

If you play it, it is certain to show wear. No offense, but I if a scratch or wear is going to bother you on a faded finish, what are you going to do if you get Standard or any other higher end Les Paul for that matter? Play your guitar and enjoy it. I have an old Studio that I was going to refinish, and recently while looking it over, I noticed that Ive finally started wearing through the finish and can see Maple. Mojo!!! No refin for her! My son is going to love that someday.

[colchar]

Originally Posted by leodalion0

At the moment it's on a stand between my sg, and strat and in front of my jackson RR3, i've blacked out the room in fear for the uv light damaging my beauty. Should i be putting it in a case rather then leaving it out? tbh i haven't touched it since it dawned on me earlier that i'm wearing it down, now that i think about it, just went back to my sg unconsciously.. what a waste my hands don't really sweat at all if that helps...

Going a little overboard aren't you? If you want it to stay pristine leave it in its case and never take it out. If you bought it to play it then do so. Giving it a good polish might help keep the finish for longer but, other than leaving it in its case forever, I don't think there is much you can do.

[leodalion0]

Originally Posted by bufbills

If you play it, it is certain to show wear. No offense, but I if a scratch or wear is going to bother you on a faded finish, what are you going to do if you get Standard or any other higher end Les Paul for that matter? Play your guitar and enjoy it. I have an old Studio that I was going to refinish, and recently while looking it over, I noticed that Ive finally started wearing through the finish and can see Maple. Mojo!!! No refin for her! My son is going to love that someday.

why were you going to refinish it and how? what would you do? why would you not finish it now you've warn through the finish?

[leodalion0]

Originally Posted by colchar

Going a little overboard aren't you? If you want it to stay pristine leave it in its case and never take it out. If you bought it to play it then do so. Giving it a good polish might help keep the finish for longer but, other than leaving it in its case forever, I don't think there is much you can do.

what type of polish and how would this help, thanks for the advice =]

[bufbills]

Originally Posted by leodalion0

why were you going to refinish it and how? what would you do? why would you not finish it now you've warn through the finish?

because I gave it some mojo playing the piss out of it!

This is a faded that I did refinish.

[leodalion0]

wow that looks lovely, and like it would last a few years, that was really a faded? teach me how has it affected the tone at all?

[MeKevin]

OP is still under the delusion that this is going to be his only LP? Good luck buddy, in a few years, you will have a new number one.

Really though, I can't imagine the actual color of it fading too much. The nitro might yellow a little bit, but I don't think enough to really turn reallly green. Maybe a green hue.

You gotta play it though. It might wear slightly, prob not too much. The nitro won't yellow near as much as the old goldtops. I think in 2006 or something, they added even more plastic to the nitro, so if you keep it clean, it might not wear away. EVEN if it does, I think you will be more happy with the results than you think. You gotta play it though. Only other option is sell it.

[LuisPaul]

If you dont want to loose the color, refinish the guitar with Poly, it will last forever...

[bufbills]

Yes it was a faded. Its going to wear as its played. Its nitro. And as to changing the tone, Im not sure, because if I remember right, I put the duncans in when I put it back together. I cant remember now. Go over to luthiers section and start reading the refin threads. Thats where I learned to do it. That said, I wouldn't refinish yours. The blue looks cool.