What is the Most Durable Fadeproof Color?

[Alnus Rubra]

If I remember correctly the guitar on the second batch of photos was a forum members. I seem to recall it was in a thread.

The bright blue photo was the sale picture and it arrived like the second picture.

Apologies if it’s yours and you know this already.

 

[László]

Yes, you can slow down the fading by keep your blue PRS in case when not in use. But to my thought it's hillarious to keep casing/opening/casing/opening/casing bla bla bla to maintain a $6000 worth guitar to looks as beautiful as the 1st day of possession. I hope PRS addresses this problem seriously.

I doubt PRS is going to invent or create a new type of stain, and that’s the only way to make a change.

Lots of folks, myself included, don’t keep the guitars cased to prevent fading; that’s just a nice side benefit.

Mine are cased because the case buffers the daily and seasonal temperature and humidity changes that happen to all wooden instruments and affect their playability. That buffering effect doesn’t happen when they’re out.

Bob Taylor has written quite a few articles about maintaining wooden instruments, and how they should be kept cased for a variety of reasons. He’s a pretty experienced guy talking about the subject, and I’ve found his observations agree with mine. YMMV.

As to hilarity, I think it’s pretty weird that people think the two seconds it takes to open a case and pull out a guitar amount to some kind of difficulty. It takes one second longer than picking a guitar up off a stand or wall, and for that minuscule effort, the reward is that the guitars stay in better shape. So, no, not hilarious at all.

The look of a bunch of guitars hanging on little clips on a wall is one of those YMMV things. I don’t care for it, and that’s why I buy art that isn’t musical instruments.

However, the absolute finest looking wall-guitar things I’ve ever seen are Veinbuster’s wall mounted cabinets. They really add to the room and also buffer temp/humidity changes like a case does. They’re absolutely gorgeous. Of course, opening a door is like opening a case. Maybe that’s too much effort for some folks?

 

[alantig]

As to hilarity, I think it’s pretty weird that people think the two seconds it takes to open a case and pull out a guitar amount to some kind of difficulty. It takes one second longer than picking a guitar up off a stand or wall, and for that minuscule effort, the reward is that the guitars stay in better shape. So, no, not hilarious at all.

You're right - if you can store the cases in such a way that all you have to do is unlatch, open, lift. That, unfortunately, isn't my situation - my cased guitars are in a rack, so I have to pull the case out, carry it over to where I play, then lay it down and open it. That said, most of my guitars are cased - I have four PRSi that are on a rack ready to go, and a handful of other brands in another rack. FWIW, the rack and carry doesn't apply if I'm using a guitar for a project - it just stays on the floor by my amps. And that's where my PS pretty much permanently resides.

However, the absolute finest looking wall-guitar things I’ve ever seen are Veinbuster’s wall mounted cabinets. They really add to the room and also buffer temp/humidity changes like a case does. They’re absolutely gorgeous. Of course, opening a door is like opening a case. Maybe that’s too much effort for some folks?

I love those and would love to have a setup like that (or the wall hangers that other people have. But...space...

 

[FunkyFreeman]

If I remember correctly the guitar on the second batch of photos was a forum members. I seem to recall it was in a thread.

The bright blue photo was the sale picture and it arrived like the second picture.

Apologies if it’s yours and you know this already.

You're right. I saved these pics long time ago but can't recall where they're from.

None of them are mine as I don't like blue and green colors.

 

[FunkyFreeman]

I doubt PRS is going to invent or create a new type of stain, and that’s the only way to make a change.

Lots of folks, myself included, don’t keep the guitars cased to prevent fading; that’s just a nice side benefit.

Mine are cased because the case buffers the daily and seasonal temperature and humidity changes that happen to all wooden instruments and affect their playability. That buffering effect doesn’t happen when they’re out.

Bob Taylor has written quite a few articles about maintaining wooden instruments, and how they should be kept cased for a variety of reasons. He’s a pretty experienced guy talking about the subject, and I’ve found his observations agree with mine. YMMV.

As to hilarity, I think it’s pretty weird that people think the two seconds it takes to open a case and pull out a guitar amount to some kind of difficulty. It takes one second longer than picking a guitar up off a stand or wall, and for that minuscule effort, the reward is that the guitars stay in better shape. So, no, not hilarious at all.

The look of a bunch of guitars hanging on little clips on a wall is one of those YMMV things. I don’t care for it, and that’s why I buy art that isn’t musical instruments.

However, the absolute finest looking wall-guitar things I’ve ever seen are Veinbuster’s wall mounted cabinets. They really add to the room and also buffer temp/humidity changes like a case does. They’re absolutely gorgeous. Of course, opening a door is like opening a case. Maybe that’s too much effort for some folks?

I apologize if I used some inappropriate words.
PRS cases themselves are unnecessarily too heavy, especially with a guitar inside. To me its not fun to lift-open-put in-close and then do it again and again the next days. So I leave all my PRS on my stand outside, no matter it's a ME, McCarty, or SE acoustic. Luckily I don't like blue color so I have no blue PRS to worry about.

You have your legit reasons to keep them that way. I just prefer to save my back bones, that's my way of living with PRSs.

 

[bodia]

In your first and last photographs, I actually like the faded result.

I feel for the owner, but that’s just my personal preference.

The figuring in that top is stunning and the pale blue accents look almost iridescent!

Me too! Dig it.

 

[bodia]

In your first and last photographs, I actually like the faded result.

I feel for the owner, but that’s just my personal preference.

The figuring in that top is stunning and the pale blue accents look almost iridescent!

Me too! Dig it.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Me too! Dig it.

There’s that echo again!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Me too! Dig it.

There’s that echo again!

 

[bodia]

There’s that echo again!

Trying to up my post count

 

[alantig]

PRS cases themselves are unnecessarily too heavy, especially with a guitar inside.

I would take issue with the use of “unnecessary”. Not for your purposes, obviously - that’s not for me to say. But a case is designed to protect the guitar, and PRS cases do that and then some.

There was a somewhat famous thread in the old BaM forum - a neighbor of one of the members lost his house in a fire. His PRS was in the house. The forum member was there when they went through the debris and found the case. The case had some pretty significant damage. When they opened the case, the guitar was burnt at the headstock, but still intact. Not only intact, but in tune. On top of that, his last set list was still under the guitar, undamaged. The guy contacted PRSG about repairing the damage and replacing the case, but after PRSG saw the guitar, they asked if they could keep it and replace it. It was great testimony to the protective quality of the case.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Trying to up my post count

And your likes, I know your game!

 

[László]

I apologize if I used some inappropriate words.
PRS cases themselves are unnecessarily too heavy, especially with a guitar inside. To me its not fun to lift-open-put in-close and then do it again and again the next days. So I leave all my PRS on my stand outside, no matter it's a ME, McCarty, or SE acoustic. Luckily I don't like blue color so I have no blue PRS to worry about.

You have your legit reasons to keep them that way. I just prefer to save my back bones, that's my way of living with PRSs.

Yes, the PRS cases are heavy, and that’s a drawback. Though I suppose that’s what makes them good for shipping, etc.

I have a studio in my basement - much suckage there, but I like working from home and my wife isn’t into having a room full of gear on the main floor. However, I keep my guitars on the main floor because basements tend to have big temperature swings and if there’s a leak, that damned basement is where it’s headed, despite having the basement walls specially treated and with special seals on the wall-floor junction that were put it before I moved in. But if an upstairs window or patio door leaks, it’s going to wind up in the basement even if the basement walls aren’t the culprit. I’ve found this out by unfortunate experience!

So I actually carry them in their cases downstairs, which I admit is a little nuts, especially given my back situation, but it’s what I like to do. And there, yes, I’m way over the top.

One nice thing about a wooden case, as opposed to a gig bag, is that wood is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture. So the case tends to absorb moisture that helps buffer the guitar.

I have a friend whose son has invented a case for violinists that is very light and has a very advanced system to keep the guitar not only at the correct relative humidity, but it also keeps the guitar at a set temperature for travel, etc. It’s been on the market for a few years, and is expensive, but most of the classical violinists I know have invested gigantic money into their instruments and can’t afford to take chances with them. I have an acquaintance who plays a 200 year old cello, and he had to get a mortgage to own it, because it cost over six figures.

I think it’d be great for guitars, especially when artists travel from hot dry climates to cold ones in winter. I wish he’d market one.

 

[László]

You're right - if you can store the cases in such a way that all you have to do is unlatch, open, lift. That, unfortunately, isn't my situation - my cased guitars are in a rack, so I have to pull the case out, carry it over to where I play, then lay it down and open it.

I’m weird, of course. As I mentioned in my previous post, a few years back I moved my guitars from my studio to a spot in my den because I was lucky that a leaky window upstairs only damaged ceiling tiles in my basement; another day of that storm, and it would have reached my guitars.

That would have been upsetting.

So I take them, in their cases, up and down the stairs as sort of ‘insurance’. However, I need the exercise.

 

[Mozzi]

I live in an apartment - really its just a house that is split into an upstairs and downstairs apartments. As you can imagine with a house, especially a UK house living on just 1 floor of that is not exactly large - let alone the storage capacity without attics or basements. I live downstairs which isn't soundproofed and, as you can probably guess, playing an electric guitar at more than TV volume, volume that isn't too loud to annoy the people upstairs, is somewhat limiting.

I have 2 rooms that are suitable for keeping guitars - my Bedroom and Lounge. I keep my guitars in the bedroom on top of my chest of draws so they are not on the floor but having 6 (including my Acoustic) does take up quite some space. I keep mine cased too - not just for the benefits of the protection and no risks of UV fading, but also because those cases would still take up that amount of space, and I would have to find the space for 6 guitars to be kept safely.

I don't see keeping my guitars in their cases, in a different room (albeit on the same level), as being a 'big' problem. Its no worse than having CD's that you have to take out of their case to play as opposed to having all my albums on some digital service. I know its not as quick or as easy as having my guitars hanging on walls or kept in a stand in the lounge so I can basically just grab one and play but I also have the piece of mind that my guitars are safe and protected. I never had my compact discs strewn all around my Hi-fi to make it quicker and 'easier' than keeping them in their case on a shelf - risking them getting scratched for 'ease'.

Each to their own but I prefer to keep my guitars safe and, as I can only play 1 at a time, Its no hardship to swap guitars if I fancy a change. It maybe more important if I was recording and looking for different guitar sounds to layer over. Having the ability to just grab a guitar and see if that has the right sound for the part but I am not 'tone chasing', I play what I want, when I want. I wouldn't swap my HBii (if I was playing that) to maybe my 509 for some Hendrix or Gilmore SC's or maybe swap to my Special or Custom 24 to play some high gain metal type tones, I would just play it on my HBii - no one (but me) will hear and no-one can tell me its 'wrong' to play that guitar for those type of sounds. The notes are all the same, still the same picking and fretting...

 

[HANGAR18]

Floor space is extremely tight where I live. If I put my guitars in cases, they'd have to be stacked vertically in one spot (which is where I used to store the empty cases). Then of course, whichever guitar I would be looking for at any given moment would certainly be under many of the other guitars. I used to go through this drill all the time looking for the correct case for a particular guitar. Eventually I started labeling the edges of the cases with tape (an idea I borrowed from Rick Nielsen) so I would know right away how far I'd have to dig. Eventually, I installed makeshift flooring in the attic and the empty cases are now stacked up there. The wall hangers are now the permanent home for the guitars and I have reclaimed the floor space where the cases used to be stacked.

 

[Tonart]

I doubt PRS is going to invent or create a new type of stain, and that’s the only way to make a change.

Lots of folks, myself included, don’t keep the guitars cased to prevent fading; that’s just a nice side benefit.

Mine are cased because the case buffers the daily and seasonal temperature and humidity changes that happen to all wooden instruments and affect their playability. That buffering effect doesn’t happen when they’re out.

Bob Taylor has written quite a few articles about maintaining wooden instruments, and how they should be kept cased for a variety of reasons. He’s a pretty experienced guy talking about the subject, and I’ve found his observations agree with mine. YMMV.

As to hilarity, I think it’s pretty weird that people think the two seconds it takes to open a case and pull out a guitar amount to some kind of difficulty. It takes one second longer than picking a guitar up off a stand or wall, and for that minuscule effort, the reward is that the guitars stay in better shape. So, no, not hilarious at all.

The look of a bunch of guitars hanging on little clips on a wall is one of those YMMV things. I don’t care for it, and that’s why I buy art that isn’t musical instruments.

However, the absolute finest looking wall-guitar things I’ve ever seen are Veinbuster’s wall mounted cabinets. They really add to the room and also buffer temp/humidity changes like a case does. They’re absolutely gorgeous. Of course, opening a door is like opening a case. Maybe that’s too much effort for some folks?

Hear, hear! I keep mine religiously cased too. I’m the most sadistic guitar jailhouse warden ever. Doling out years in the hole solitary confinement without batting an eyelid. That’s me.

Letting a guitar be damaged just to save the effort in handling the case, is totally not worth it for me. Perhaps damaging a private stock on a multi-platinum album tour is. Just my personal preference though.

 

[HANGAR18]

Hear, hear! I keep mine religiously cased too. I’m the most sadistic guitar jailhouse warden ever. Doling out years in the hole solitary confinement without batting an eyelid. That’s me.

Letting a guitar be damaged just to save the effort in handling the case, is totally not worth it for me. Perhaps damaging a private stock on a multi-platinum album tour is. Just my personal preference though.

Hopefully none of your guitars have gold hardware. Once upon a time I bought a brand new Les Paul Custom style guitar with gold hardware. Never played it and kept it in the case for safe keeping. About a year later I opened the case and the gold hardware was rusted. I've never stored ANY guitar in a case ever since then.

 

[Tonart]

1. I agree with LSchefman said. PRS uses photosensitive pigments to enhance the wood grain and stunning appearance which the brand has been known for for three decades. But this kinda pigments fade out easily over time.

2. Blue Matteo gets faded quickest. See the sample pics I collected from the net below. Each picture consists of one same guitar shown in before/after its fading. The last one is an ME1 which almost completely faded out.

Other colors with blue pigment in it tend to fade too, no matter how expensive the color charges you, Northern Lights per say. But surprisingly, recently I met a WL McCarty owner finished with Bonnie Pink. Believe me or not, this color also fades slightly after less than 1 year of using. We knew this by unscrewing the pups ring to see the difference of color.

Yes, you can slow down the fading by keep your blue PRS in case when not in use. But to my thought it's hillarious to keep casing/opening/casing/opening/casing bla bla bla to maintain a $6000 worth guitar to looks as beautiful as the 1st day of possession. I hope PRS addresses this problem seriously.

As far as I see, the colors with least tendency to fade are amber, yellow, tortoise shell, black cherry, emerald green, etc.

The fading is quite substantial indeed. Thanks for the photos! Does it happen with other premium brands though, ie is it a inherent ‘guitar’ thingy.

I know for a fact the 59 LP’s faded in time. There’s a video by Anderson’s where Bernie Marsden removes the toggle switch ring from his famous LP “The Beast” and it was red underneath it while the entire guitar was a yellow lemon.

 

[Tonart]

Hopefully none of your guitars have gold hardware. Once upon a time I bought a brand new Les Paul Custom style guitar with gold hardware. Never played it and kept it in the case for safe keeping. About a year later I opened the case and the gold hardware was rusted. I've never stored ANY guitar in a case ever since then.

Yikes I do. I make it a point to take them out for a spin as frequently as possible. I also have silica gel inside the case to control moisture. So far so good. But I know what you mean!