Help with colors...

[charliefrench]

There were some photos published here quite recently displaying the extent of the ageing, fade process on one or two blue guitars. It was not a show stopper but I think you should read this thread. I am using my phone right now and it is difficult for me to navigate properly but I hope somebody remembers more details than me and can link you to the discussion.

 

[charliefrench]

Oh and good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[veinbuster]

Someone brought up a good point that some of the colors change as the guitar ages. I'm concerned that it if I go with the Violet that it could turn a bit brownish. Anyone have any experience or knowledge about this?

IMO yellows, reds, browns and oranges age very gracefully; blues, greens, purples and blues not so much.

But the degree of fade is heavily dependant on where you keep the guitar. I have 20 year old PRS that ate virtually unchanged in colour. The secret is putting them back in the case when I am finished playing.
The more time they spend in sunlight, the more they will fade.
Violet will change dramatically if you leave it out.

 

[DavidRome]

But the degree of fade is heavily dependant on where you keep the guitar. I have 20 year old PRS that ate virtually unchanged in colour. The secret is putting them back in the case when I am finished playing.
The more time they spend in sunlight, the more they will fade.
Violet will change dramatically if you leave it out.

When you say leave it out...are you talking about just where sunlight gets in or in other interior lighting? I leave most of my guitars on stands in my studio with no windows. I alternate between florescent lighting (Cool Blue) and tracklights with BR30 65W spot bulbs. I wouldn't think the indoor lighting would be bad for them like sunlight. Of course, I could be wrong.

 

[DavidRome]

Anyone have experience with the different neck options? Is the unfinished Rosewood neck worth it? or the flame maple?

 

[CatStrangler]

But the degree of fade is heavily dependant on where you keep the guitar. I have 20 year old PRS that ate virtually unchanged in colour. The secret is putting them back in the case when I am finished playing.
The more time they spend in sunlight, the more they will fade.
Violet will change dramatically if you leave it out.

Agreed.

 

[veinbuster]

Anyone have experience with the different neck options? Is the unfinished Rosewood neck worth it? or the flame maple?

Yes, rosewood is worth it, at least to me. I really like the feel and I have a bias towards its earthy tone.
I like maple too, but I would get rosewood first.
http://mrpetesays.com/music/TheNecks.html

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Someone brought up a good point that some of the colors change as the guitar ages. I'm concerned that it if I go with the Violet that it could turn a bit brownish. Anyone have any experience or knowledge about this?

No, they don't turn brown -- purpleheart is an actual wood, and that does turn brownish. The violet and purple stains and paints tend to lose their blue aspect and become more of a raspberry, if anything. Which is perfectly fine for you, I would think.

 

[CVS]

David, when it comes to color, I think beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. A lot of people have made some great suggestions in this thread, but in the end, go with your gut & what is going to excite you to play this great guitar you are about to buy. I also agree with your assessment that the new HB's sound quite a bit different that the older ones (I have an HB I - 2008 with Archtops and an HB II 2014 57-08's).

 

[DavidRome]

David, when it comes to color, I think beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. A lot of people have made some great suggestions in this thread, but in the end, go with your gut & what is going to excite you to play this great guitar you are about to buy. I also agree with your assessment that the new HB's sound quite a bit different that the older ones (I have an HB I - 2008 with Archtops and an HB II 2014 57-08's).

Thanks for your comment. One reason I posted was to get to see some quilts in the colors I'm interested in because the flame tops look totally different even with the same color. Some guys have pointed me in helpful directions. So I appreciate everyone's input. I'm still trying to decide .....Lol

 

[CVS]

Seeing pics of all these great guitars that have been posted on this thread has opened my eyes to new GAS possibilities

 

[Parralax view]

well don't do Lavender, I saw one this weekend, I ran.....

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

I like the Aquamarine. I know violin sunburst is not on your list, but it is quite cool. As a side note, Quilt is not available in the Artist Package.

 

[Ovibos]

The correct answers are:
- black gold
- tortoise
- some kind of purple that doesn't fade

 

[DavidRome]

I like the Aquamarine. I know violin sunburst is not on your list, but it is quite cool. As a side note, Quilt is not available in the Artist Package.

Thanks for your comment. I will definitely be checking into that. All I know is what my Sweetwater rep tells me. I don't know how nice the quilt will be but my rep said I can request a quilt. It was also included when they sent it to PRS to get the original quote. My rep says we can send pics of something close to what we want and they will try to accommodate. If what you say is true I'm sure I'll find out soon because my rep is talking to PRS again this coming week to clarify some of my questions. I do know that I will not accept a guitar with a tight flame. Something wide might be fine. But I'm not spending that much money for something I don't like.

When it comes to color I've noticed the Blue Green tends to make the grain pop better than some other colors. It's like it changes slightly with the grain and glows in spots. I do like the aqua marine a lot but it doesn't seem to do that as much in the examples I've seen. The violet seems wildly unpredictable with the way they do the blue with the purple/red however they mix it but has a lot of potential. On the other hand, I haven't seen many Blue Greens (?rarer) but I have seen loads of Violet (common).

 

[DavidRome]

The correct answers are:
- black gold
- tortoise
- some kind of purple that doesn't fade

Thanks for the suggestions. While Black Gold wasn't on my list I have noticed some of them turn out quite stunning. Especially in a quilt. My thing is I'm trying to avoid a darker looking color that doesn't show the beauty unless it has a light on it. As an example, I had a beautiful whale blue that was hard to see unless you had light on it. That's why I'm drawn to brighter blues, greens, violet etc.

When you say "purple that doesn't fade" are you saying you've seen violet fade? (That would be a concern for me as well.)

Thank you.

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

My avatar is a Purple Hazel 12 string from 2013. Has not faded to date at all. Beautiful color! Strangely, a recent Artist Package NGD post showed this same color as Purple Mist. Purple Mist and Purple Hazel are two different colors. Purple Mist is one of a few Private stock colors making an appearance in the artist package. I hope the Purple Mist in the Artist Package format is not different from the PS version.

 

[Ovibos]

When you say "purple that doesn't fade" are you saying you've seen violet fade? (That would be a concern for me as well.)

I think it was mentioned on a recent thread that some purples lose the blue over time, especially when left out, and end up being more pinkish.

 

[DavidRome]

I think it was mentioned on a recent thread that some purples lose the blue over time, especially when left out, and end up being more pinkish.

Yes, I've heard that and it makes me cautious of picking violet even-though I like it a lot. At the same time, I don't leave my guitar any near sunlight. So maybe it's not an issue. Lol

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Its pretty easy for me to say ANY green...Mash Green, Jade, Evergreen, etc...but dammit, Les' Northern Lights is frickin' Magical!!!