gibson finish

[asix]

the finish on my explorer has started to crackle. I thought she was a 97 no I think 95. the finish is cracking from the bridge back and between the pick ups. now for an explorer that a long crack back to the body. rowalnds music in Swansea south Wales UK (nice chaps btw) say its quite normal. whoot was expecting more. my 87 Charvel not a crack.

[shobet]

Try writing that in Welsh, I might be able to understand what you've said a bit better

But I think I get the general gist of what you're on about.

The finish on my guitars has only cracked where I've dropped things on them, as I have 10 thumbs!

Will this turn into another Gibson bashing thread?

[straycat]

The explorer is finished in nitro cellulose lacquer paint and over time and temp changes it will crack that is quite normal.The Charvel is poly
urethane paint and is extremely thick and hard thats why they don't crack.

[DonP]

the finish on my explorer has started to crackle.

Believe it or not, Gibson charges extra for "aged" Les Pauls with crackled paint. Consider yourself lucky, you've increased the value of your guitar!:ROTF:

[LEOKV2]

Yeah, it's tremendously stupid! I was looking at a Musician's Friend mag today and they sold this "Fern" Gibson mandolin for 22 grand!!! JUST because it was "hand aged". Meaning, you pay a guy, tons of money, for him to scratch keys on the finish, rub it against a belt bucket, distress the finish, etc etc, so it "looks" vintage. WOW, the world has gone insane...

The same mandolin without the "aging" shit, costs 7 grand. So yeah, that's 15 thousand dollars extra!

[Bengal65]

The explorer is finished in nitro cellulose lacquer paint and over time and temp changes it will crack that is quite normal.The Charvel is poly
urethane paint and is extremely thick and hard thats why they don't crack.

+1 Exactly

[straycat]

LEOKV2 aged finishes look good IMO.If done correctly.
I am in the process of ageing a strat and its quite a bit of work.There is more to ageing than you think.Its not just a random thrashing of keys on the body.
Go check out rsguitarworks.net if you want to see the very best in relic finishes.They just finished an 70s explorer for Rick Neilson of Cheap Trick and he was so amazed just how great it looks and he knows/owns lots of vintage Gibsons.
My next L.P. is going in for the full treatment.

[Dave L]

I can´t say anything about companies selling or doing relic´d/aged guitars, since there are obviously people going around willing to pay a hefty upcharge for it. All I can say is I´m not one of them. But if I liked the beat look I would consider it, though, since you get the look of a well-played guitar without the potential structural problems of a real thirty-year-old.

[Firebird V]

normal.

[DonP]

My next L.P. is going in for the full treatment.

I could never bring myself to do it. My R0 is a Custom Authentic (lightly aged from Gibson), so it has a head start, but any further aging will be natural.

[straycat]

I understand DonP its a personal thing I wouldn't do a brand new guitar like that.I only buy used L.Ps that need a little work so its no big deal.