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...
actually he's right. and i HATE cigarettes.
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How to age a white pickguard?
- Thread starter Micolao
- Start date
actually he's right. and i HATE cigarettes.
Maybe try some darker wood stains.... you might even be able to take the pg with you to the hardware store and "sample" some of them prior to buying.
I raced RC trucks years ago and one manufacturer had all white plastic components. We used to soak or boil them it Rit Dye to add a little color and it worked pretty good.
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I raced RC trucks years ago and one manufacturer had all white plastic components. We used to soak or boil them it Rit Dye to add a little color and it worked pretty good.
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Behlen Solar-Lux does a pretty good job on the plastic laminate (Formica) bench top in my shop. It (sort of) comes off only after vigorous scrubbing with Soft Scrub.
Disclaimer: I've never tried it on a pickguard.
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=7234
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Disclaimer: I've never tried it on a pickguard.
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=7234
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nothing wrong with him at all, sorry if I seemed rude.
I'm doing the best I can with my english
anyway, a friend of mine can make an aluminum pickguard (in silver and not shiny)
but I can't figure out how it's gonna look on a vintage white cream bass...
any chance to see this combination somewhere?
the closest thing I've seen here is this jazz bass
nothing wrong with him at all, sorry if I seemed rude.
I'm doing the best I can with my english
anyway, a friend of mine can make an aluminum pickguard (in silver and not shiny)
but I can't figure out how it's gonna look on a vintage white cream bass...
any chance to see this combination somewhere?
the closest thing I've seen here is this jazz bass
Never seen a vintage white P with a brushed aluminum guard. Sorry. Actually, the white-on-white combo you are starting with is one of my favorites. White-on-white. Black-on-black. Love it!
you know, after reading all these posts (nothing going on, on a lazy Saturday morn) it would seem to me it would be easier (and in most cases cheaper) to buy an "aged" pickguard. I'm sure if you do a google search or look on evil bay you'll find just what you're looking for.
With that said I also understand the OP's desire to "DIY" but I have discovered that sometimes DIYing just isn't worth it.
Whatever you choose please post the results. I'd love to see it.
With that said I also understand the OP's desire to "DIY" but I have discovered that sometimes DIYing just isn't worth it.
Whatever you choose please post the results. I'd love to see it.
This one is simple... Take it off.. let it sit outside in the sun for a few weeks.
That makes no sense to me at all. The sun bleaches things - I would think it'd get lighter, not darker.
bassman314
I seem to be a verb, an evolutionary process...
UV light causes oxidation and degradation in plastics. This discolors them in many ways, but almost always this will be to darken something that is white.
Strong tea would have more of a darkening effect than coffee. Not sure how permanent the stain would be, though.
In all seriousness
Take it to a cigar store with a lounge where customers can hang out and smoke.
That will effect the pickguard most likely.
Deal with the smell it will fade.
Modern plastics are non reactive, meaning they hold their newness longer versus prolior years materials used.
My 94 pbass pickguard is yellowing all by doing nothing to it.
Try the cigar shop..
Take it to a cigar store with a lounge where customers can hang out and smoke.
That will effect the pickguard most likely.
Deal with the smell it will fade.
Modern plastics are non reactive, meaning they hold their newness longer versus prolior years materials used.
My 94 pbass pickguard is yellowing all by doing nothing to it.
Try the cigar shop..
Not sure if everybody who suggested it is aware, but cigarette smoke really stinks. If you're looking for a stinky pickguard, though, this approach will definitely get you there. Slowly.
Tea or coffee sounds like a good idea, and they will get you there, I guess. Slowly.
RIT dye = fast + easy , which is for me, because wvbass = lazy!
Not sure how well these pictures capture it but here is the pickguard I did:
The jazz bass has its original, unmodified pickguard. The precision has been through a RIT treatment. I wanted a subtle change, which I think I got. When I first dyed it, I really overdid it. I used the steel wool to remove some of the discoloration. The steel wool is very important. The dye won't stick at all to the smooth pickguard.
As you can see, it still looks like a white pickguard, but it doesn't look like its going to glow in the dark anymore. It is also easy to change the color very significantly, if you choose. The pictures of the guitar that are linked to in this thread look to be a lot more dramatic a color change than I wanted. I also used tan instead of yellow because I wanted a darker, duller color.
(If you look closely, you can see the grill of my Baby Blue reflected in the j bass pickguard. The steel wooled and dyed guard won't act like a mirror, which also cuts down on its perceived "brightness.")
Never seen a J that colour, beautiful !
Not true. Ever hung white woollens in the sun ie. thermals etc ?, yellows them real fast !
Well my white pickguard from 2005 now looks close to the silver bass on the left on the pic above. Aging works! Lol
+1 for RIT
We use it to dye r/c car parts all the time and it works really really well on most any plastic. Mix it double strength in a big pot, bring it to a nice simmer then submerge the guard. Keep it as warm as you can get away with and check it every few minutes until it's a little darker than what you want. Rinse it in cold water to set the dye, then wipe it down to desmut it. If it's not to your liking you can keep darkening it by dipping again. The longer you leave it in the dye bath the darker it will get.
I've dyed tons of white toy car disk wheels in a bunch of different colors and it doesn't take long for the white to disappear so keep an eye on it.
Unless you want a flat finish, don't sand it, just dye it and it will look more like a yellowed piece of plastic
We use it to dye r/c car parts all the time and it works really really well on most any plastic. Mix it double strength in a big pot, bring it to a nice simmer then submerge the guard. Keep it as warm as you can get away with and check it every few minutes until it's a little darker than what you want. Rinse it in cold water to set the dye, then wipe it down to desmut it. If it's not to your liking you can keep darkening it by dipping again. The longer you leave it in the dye bath the darker it will get.
I've dyed tons of white toy car disk wheels in a bunch of different colors and it doesn't take long for the white to disappear so keep an eye on it.
Unless you want a flat finish, don't sand it, just dye it and it will look more like a yellowed piece of plastic
