2018 dark bourbon fade

Apologies if you own one and I offend you but I want to talk about this finish.

When I first saw the 2018 HP Standards finished in cherry fade, I thought WTF are they thinking, then it spewed over to the historic line with these bourbon fades. Am I the only one who just hates it? For me, that horseshoe looking burst ruins the entire guitar, it's repulsive. There have been some amazing tops that I can't stand the sight of because of the burst. If Gibson reads this, please cease and desist immediately.

Thoughts?

I'm not digging it either. Good news is I'm not in the market for a new guitar at these prices either.

Tim Plains said:

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

Agreed.....repulsive. I like the colour well enough, I just think that fade at the lower bout looks retarded.

I agree as well. I think they are finally nailing the bourbon burst color but the fade completely ruins it.

Not a fan of the fade. Looks unfinished to me.

I prefer when it fades to red at the bottom, but don't love what these ones do. I had a 2007 G0 which had the perfect Darkburst fade, imho.

I agree.

That HP ^ is just all kinds of wrong...

Gibsonrocknroll said:

I agree.

View attachment 354230

Click to expand...

Wtf is that ???????

Some of the fades looks better than others (or probably more accurately said, some look worse than others, ha!). I have seen a few that pulled it off to one degree or another (usually ones where the fade is made to look very natural and not an abrupt transition), but as a rule they’re not my cup of tea.

Color doesn't bother me as much as the "fade" concept itself

Gibsonrocknroll said:

I agree.

View attachment 354230

Click to expand...

Looks like it has a rash.

Not a fan of the fade either.

When done right the fade looks great. Problem is that about half of the guitars done in that pattern have too harsh of a burst transition... which yeah, looks like poop

Long time lurker, figured I’d actually post finally though since literally just yesterday I picked up a DBF ‘59. It beat out a really flamey teaburst that was almost a lemon burst to my eyes...I’m not going to tell you it was because it was more of a looker. She just played better. Not saying the other was a bad guitar, but it was definitely one of those daft moments where you hit a cowboy chord and you feel it all the way through the guitar. Daft smile moment playing a power chord through a Marshall etc. Hands ears and heart overuled the eyes...she just had something a little more.

I’ll try and pop some photos up when I’ve got some etc. I actually like the burst to her - I kinda think they were aiming for Joe Perry’s burst as an inspiration.

Tear drop or nothing

Few quick photos on phone and without doing much in terms of lighting...hopefully captures that there’s not so much an abrupt transition, but it fades a little more, especially just to the left of the neck pup where it’s running through cherry before it’s gone.

Here’s a photo of one done right IMO...I think this was technically slow iced tea fade, but still it had a gradual fade transition.

HandwrittenHero said:

Few quick photos on phone and without doing much in terms of lighting...hopefully captures that there’s not so much an abrupt transition, but it fades a little more, especially just to the left of the neck pup where it’s running through cherry before it’s gone.View attachment 354417View attachment 354418View attachment 354419View attachment 354420

Click to expand...

I think this color and fade look GREAT!!!!! To each his own.

HandwrittenHero said:

Few quick photos on phone and without doing much in terms of lighting...hopefully captures that there’s not so much an abrupt transition, but it fades a little more, especially just to the left of the neck pup where it’s running through cherry before it’s gone.View attachment 354417View attachment 354418View attachment 354419View attachment 354420

Click to expand...

This is how all “Fades” should be done. Gradual w/o the abrupt transition, and even has some color (lighter, but it’s there) around the bottom. This is a good one!