Deliberate sunlight UV finish fading

[22Top]

I'm following this closely. The grey black on my 08 cu24 has faded a little, and tbh the colour was not to my taste, even when I bought it. I really loved the feel and tone.

I wonder if I could fade it out to more of a Smokey grey?

But I'll let you be my canary here

 

[vchizzle]

Hey guys! I was wondering if anyone has had decent luck with this. I've seen quite a few (mostly les paul) forum posts about intentionally fading guitar finishes, but I am wondering how many of you have had success stories with it.

I've got an 08 Matteo blue custom 22 that I'm debating doing this with. It looks gorgeous when it is exposed to a decent amount of light, but in soft light environments or low light scenarios, I'm not a huge fan of the way it looks, and would love a lighter, more faded finish.

I'm in Florida, and I'm quite sure the sun is putting off quite a bit of strong UV light this time of year. But before I go crazy trying this for an extended period of time, I would love to hear some stories / see some before and after pics!

Sometimes works, sometimes not. If it was gonna fade, it probably would've by now(unless you keep it cased all the time).

edit: I've tried to get my whale blue CU22 to fade with pretty much zero success. I've had it 21 years.

 

[11top]

Here's a picture of day one in the sun. It's an 08 blue Matteo custom 22, sadly with no birds. I traded a 10 top McCarty for it because the tremolo is a must have, and I thought this had a pretty excellent top for a non tenner. I will post an inside pic too for comparison indoors. The top looks great in bright light, but even that bright blue top looks really dark and it is hard to see any flame at all in dinner room settings.

I'd use no less than SPF 30, or it might get sunburn.

 

[Lbushwhack88]

I'd use no less than SPF 30, or it might get sunburn.

Ahh no worries, I'll just snip some aloe from the yard and rub it right on, this guitar is gonna be extra tuff if it spends any more time with me in this Florida weather!

I am considering just selling it and picking up a color that I like more instead of risking the potential to cause damage to this axe. Also, after having a few models with birds, I feel like that is one of the reasons why I feel as though something is just off about this guitar. The playability and the sounds I get are great, but there's something about the birds that really draws me in too...I know I'm not alone here!

Also when I compare it to my santana, there's just really something funky about the edges of the top surface of the neck. My santana has binding on the edges of the neck, whereas my cu22 doesn't, and the lack of binding compared to my santana just looks really cheap for some reason, I can't put my finger on why though. After spending this kinda money on a true work of art like a prs axe, I'd like to enjoy my guitar the way it came in, rather than subjecting it to ridiculous temps and humidity for a SLIGHT chance it would lighten up to something cool over a long period of time.

I also learned recently to pay way more attention to the setting that a for sale guitar is being pictured in. If it has a wonderful hue of blue or orange on the top, but it's in direct sunlight being taken around high noon, then chances are I can't expect it to look like that in all cases, especially rooms that aren't well lit.

Unfortunately I probably couldn't even snag a faded blue jean or nice faded whale for double what I could sell this for though. Until I'm done with school maybe I should lower my expectations some :-D.

Sorry for the story, I'm just bored and rambling here. Time to go play something and get off here for a little!

 

[11top]

......... I feel as though something is just off about this guitar.

How 'bout trying some clear or black lampshade knobs against that blue?

 

[22Top]

How 'bout trying some clear or black lampshade knobs against that blue?

That's super sharp! I love that wide band passing just south of the stop tail.

Side note: I just realized how similar our names are. My wife accidentally created mine.

I was watching a love concert where a specific band had their name lot up in flames at the back of the stage. Missus came in from work, heard what she describes as "noodling" (any guitar solo) and walked around to look at the screen.

Misreading the stage backdrop, she said "Who are we even listening to? 22 Top?"

We still laugh about it to this day.

/hijack

 

[11top]

That's super sharp! I love that wide band passing just south of the stop tail.

Side note: I just realized how similar our names are. My wife accidentally created mine.

I was watching a love concert where a specific band had their name lot up in flames at the back of the stage. Missus came in from work, heard what she describes as "noodling" (any guitar solo) and walked around to look at the screen.

Misreading the stage backdrop, she said "Who are we even listening to? 22 Top?"

We still laugh about it to this day.

/hijack

Thanks for the kind words! I found that top in the vault and carried it around all morning so it wouldn't escape my sticky fingers. Then, after it was built, some guy posted a picture of it on a guitar forum (maybe old "Birds and Moons"?), and asked the question, "If you received this top, would you return it to the company?" I got a kick out of that! LOL! Anyway, PRS must have liked it, 'cause it made the calendar.

"22top" I like it. Good story, and twice an 11top!

 

[Lbushwhack88]

Wow now THAT is a top. Heck, you could probably stick some dollar tree mustard yellow knobs on that beauty and it would still look gorgeous Lol!

I'm gonna put some more thought into it, but I think in the end I'm just gonna sell this and save some on the side to pick up something I like more. I miss my rosewood neck McCarty dearly, but I also needed the tremolo so maybe I'll eventually find a cu24 or something with a rosewood neck, sounds like a dream!

 

[11top]

Wow now THAT is a top. Heck, you could probably stick some dollar tree mustard yellow knobs on that beauty and it would still look gorgeous Lol!

I'm gonna put some more thought into it, but I think in the end I'm just gonna sell this and save some on the side to pick up something I like more. I miss my rosewood neck McCarty dearly, but I also needed the tremolo so maybe I'll eventually find a cu24 or something with a rosewood neck, sounds like a dream!

Understood. I'm a rosewood neck junkie myself.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Never sell PRS, only buy.

How 'bout trying some clear or black lampshade knobs against that blue?

Yeah, amber is a curious selection for a blue guitar.

 

[Lbushwhack88]

I might snag some black lampshades and see how it looks. I was also entertaining the thought of putting cream tuner buttons on it too, I did that with my santana and it looks pretty good. When I first got this one it had the old black speed knobs and i wasnt a big fan of that look so i got these amber ones, Ive been pretty undecided since they went on. Decisions decisions...

 

[bodia]

How 'bout trying some clear or black lampshade knobs against that blue?

That's what I call character! Love it!

 

[22Top]

Thanks for the kind words! I found that top in the vault and carried it around all morning so it wouldn't escape my sticky fingers. Then, after it was built, some guy posted a picture of it on a guitar forum (maybe old "Birds and Moons"?), and asked the question, "If you received this top, would you return it to the company?" I got a kick out of that! LOL! Anyway, PRS must have liked it, 'cause it made the calendar.

"22top" I like it. Good story, and twice an 11top!

You definitely knew what you were doing by holding on to that baby.

I love that you get chirped by some chud on a forum, over aesthetics, and then the company agrees whmith your taste so far as to include it in a calendar.

You sir, can pick 'em.

When can we expect a catalog thread like Hans'?

 

[bluefade]

DITTO on the ROSEWOOD NECK, Mr. Top.

 

[Parralax view]

Some one asked about what the heat would do to pickups. It indeed might damage, or melt wax. Putting them out in weather above 85 degrees or so might be sketchy. In Hawaii, we have strong trade winds that blow continually on some days.. as in Guitar tan days. If it was still, I wouldn't put mine out for the 'treatment'. They will fade, or poly will brown if that is what you are looking for, but it won't be in 8 hours, it literally takes months to notice any discernible difference.

 

[Dougery]

What would help would be to slather it in coconut oil and put a cold drink next to it

Im sorry, but the photos of your guitar out in the sun on a towel just has me cracking up. I know that fading your guitar is a serious endeavor, and I sincerely hope it works out well, but the image of a sunbathing guitar is just too hilarious!

 

[Lbushwhack88]

I ended up deciding to stop. It's just not worth it to me, because I would hate to end up ruining it. I am going to be selling it and picking up something more along the lines of what I'm wanting, probably gonna snag a custom 24.

 

[AP515]

I ended up deciding to stop. It's just not worth it to me, because I would hate to end up ruining it. I am going to be selling it and picking up something more along the lines of what I'm wanting, probably gonna snag a custom 24.

Wise man...

 

[bodia]

I ended up deciding to stop. It's just not worth it to me, because I would hate to end up ruining it. I am going to be selling it and picking up something more along the lines of what I'm wanting, probably gonna snag a custom 24.

Oh yeah. What are you looking for in a Cu24? We should talk....

 

[Lbushwhack88]

Well I actually ended up purchasing one off eBay bodia, so that train has left the station unfortunately lol. It's a 2014 in faded whale, the top looks pretty sick from what I've seen! I can't wait to try the blade style pickup switch and the 59/09s!

Unfortunately, I used the wrong payment source when I was checking out so this has turned into a little fiasco that I wasn't expecting, but my bank already cancelled the transaction from PayPal so now I need to wait until PayPal then applies that balance due to my actual PayPal account so I can then use my proper credit card. Amazing how much can get screwed up so fast just by misclicking one button, lesson learned!!

I'll post some pics when it gets in, the top looked like a friggin glacier or something like that, pretty cool. It has all of the features I'm really needing for live gigs, so that made the high price worth it to me. Now let's hope I can sell my cu22 sometime relatively soon to comp some of this money!!