How to age a white pickguard?

Micolao · #1 02-26-2009, 11:32 AM

I bought a vintage white P bass (not a Fender) with an ugly white pickguard, so I'm going to put a tort one soon, but I want to try and age the white one, to be hopefully more "creamy"

any suggestion?

Matt R. · #2 02-26-2009, 11:37 AM

I dunno personally, but you could get a parchment colored one from Warmoth, unless you're set on having an actual "reliced" look. Good luck

debassr · #3 02-26-2009, 11:44 AM

Some people sand off the shine with extremely fine grit (2000+) sandpaper then soak them in strong coffee or hit them with brown shoe polish then spray them with clearcoat.

I've never done it.

Spinal Tapper · #4 02-26-2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by debassr

Some people sand off the shine with extremely fine grit (2000+) sandpaper then soak them in strong coffee or hit them with brown shoe polish then spray them with clearcoat.

I've never done it.

I tried sanding my white jazz pickguard (came on my Geddy Lee) and while the sanding swirls looked okay in some light, it definitely took off some shine. Then I tried to soak it in coffee for 2 WEEKS straight - even changed out the coffee once in a while...it didn't do anything to the color...never tried shoe polish tho...

Now, if the pickguard in question is much older than mine (which I'm sure it is) it might not have the same protective coating/layers on it that mine had, but point is, I ended up just buying a black one. Still have my white one sitting in my drawer - just as white as could be w/out as much gloss to it.

I wonder how Brett (ibanezcollector) does his...they turn out so nice always.

cnltb · #5 02-26-2009, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micolao

I bought a vintage white P bass (not a Fender) with an ugly white pickguard, so I'm going to put a tort one soon, but I want to try and age the white one, to be hopefully more "creamy"

any suggestion?

Just play it a few years and it may change color...

lomo · #6 02-26-2009, 12:18 PM

Wait.

Sorry but I couldn't reisist.

newbold · #7 02-26-2009, 12:20 PM

take it off, put it in the window for a few months.

that might work.

**funkybass4ever** · #8 02-26-2009, 12:25 PM

Leave it out in the sun for a month in So Cal

Spinal Tapper · #9 02-26-2009, 12:29 PM

Actually, i read somewhere someone threw a white PG up on their roof for like 6 months through a winter/spring season. It got pretty nasty I guess.

The thing is, the poly they make these out now of doesn't fade the way they did back in the day, at least from what I've read.

DblG · #10 02-26-2009, 12:34 PM

Cigarette smoke should do it. Find place where lots of people smoke and leave it it in that room for a week. Although it'll stink really bad after that...

ErebusBass · #11 02-26-2009, 12:37 PM

I would try letting it get old. That should be the best way.

**bassman314** · #12 02-26-2009, 12:47 PM

1) Steal a Delorean

2) take the pickguard back to the future and place it in a secure spot that you will have access to in the future.

3) go home and find it.

debassr · #13 02-26-2009, 12:53 PM

Everyone already knows that letting something age naturally will produce the desired results. The OP wants to know how to make a pickguard appear aged.

I just want to let all of you who feel the need to keep stating the obvious fact that waiting 30 years will make it look old will result in me reporting your posts to the mods.

I'm not going to say don't do it, since I'm not a mod and I hate when folks try to police TB as if they were - but rest assured, I will use the report function for every post that is not directly helpful to the original question.

Slapplessinsf · #14 02-26-2009, 12:57 PM

"I'm not going to say don't do it, since I'm not a mod and I hate when folks try to police TB as if they were - but rest assured, I will use the report function for every post that is not directly helpful to the original question"

So, help me out here, what's the difference?

Spinal Tapper · #15 02-26-2009, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by debassr

Everyone already knows that letting something age naturally will produce the desired results. The OP wants to know how to make a pickguard appear aged.

+1 it's really annoying. On top of that, a pick guard of today won't age the way they did back in the 60's, so it's a dumb thing to say, "let it age".

They're made of more durable plastic that is intended to keep up a pristine appearance. Most people don't want aged stuff, so that's why the companies proceed to create things that last longer and more more durable.

Anyways, I'd try the shoepolish thing - I wonder how long it would have to set to make it last w/out rubbing off...

debassr · #16 02-26-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slapplessinsf

"I'm not going to say don't do it, since I'm not a mod and I hate when folks try to police TB as if they were - but rest assured, I will use the report function for every post that is not directly helpful to the original question"

So, help me out here, what's the difference?

The difference is that I'll report it and let the mods decide what to do about it instead of me telling you not to do it directly.

bhass · #17 02-26-2009, 01:06 PM

Cigarette smoke?

Spinal Tapper · #18 02-26-2009, 01:07 PM

Maybe incense over cig smoke? so it wont smell as bad? or is it all the nasty chemicals in cigs that make it tinted?

**bassman314** · #19 02-26-2009, 01:08 PM

ok.. I'll be serious then.

when I was in college (Plastics Engineering major) We had a device that accellerated the aging of plastic materials by enclosing them in a container and exposing them to direct and high-levles of UB radiation and humidity. You could set how much of each and for how long over the course of a "day". You could age a sample about a year in the course of a week.

You probably don't have access to such a device, however if you have access to a UV lamp, you could leave it in warm water (change it every now and again) under UV light and it may help.

Given that many of the newer materials aren't all that porous, using polish wont likely have much of an effect, as it will wipe off.

debassr · #20 02-26-2009, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

Maybe incense over cig smoke? so it wont smell as bad? or is it all the nasty chemicals in cigs that make it tinted?

I think it's the tar and nicotine that produces the tint but I would think that the smoke would also make it sticky.

One other thing I've heard of is people using tinted clear coat. I bet an airbrush artist could do amazing things to make it look aged and then lock the look in with some tinted clear.