Who does a bangup job aging poly finishes?

The title asks the question. I have a few poly guitars that I want mildly aged. I'd like to find the Mark Jenny of poly finishes, if there is one.

I don't want the guy to try to make the poly look like aged lacquer. I just want him/her to age the poly.

I can degloss a poly body myself. I've done it several times. But I want to go just one or two steps farther than that with these guitars.

Thanks.

I've never seen a poly "reliced" finish that didn't look completely fake. Poly will yellow, but it won't crack.

I've never seen a poly "reliced" finish that didn't look completely fake. Poly will yellow, but it won't crack.

I've never seen any relic, ever, that didn't look at least somewhat fake. And I don't want it checked. I want it to look like old poly, not like old lacquer. I'm building a replica of a famous early '70's Fender for one of them, and the other is a G&L, which I just want broken in a bit.

When poly does finally "fail" due to age and use, it sheets off. If you can find a very recent picture of Steve Morse's #1 Musicman guitar, you'll see what I mean.

I have a MIM that I am slowly aging. How am I doing it? I first stripped the poly and the poly sanding sealer and then did a clear shelac prime and black, then clear lacquer. Then I had an "oops", and my attempt to fix it made it way worse. I decided to start aging it rather than repainting the whole thing again. It plays really nice. I'm playing in services this Sunday with it.

How am I aging it? I lean it against the wall instead of putting it on a stand. Sometimes, I'll just lay it on my bag of stuff for gigs. I'm pretty much treating it like I did when I was 16. No sandpaper or dragging behind cars for me.........

Then UV light is your friend.

All the guys that do reliced finishes use nitro.

Unfortunately, there seen't too many nitro finished tele's by Fender. Only the road worn and custom shop ones come to mind. Road worn is already relic'd. And no one would change a CS. So that leaves only poly finished teles as available from Fender. The 52AVRI and Hot Rod are nitro over poly. I don't think any one would sand the nitro to expose the poly though.

I think the OP is on the right track and should continue doing it himself to get the desired result. A light touch is all that is needed.

Here's an idea...why not just spend the time and energy toward playing the crap out of the guitar?

My g/f builds guitars and will not take a Poly guitar in to relic.
The finish is too tough to make it look "natural".

Why do people even think this is possible???

Poly - will - not - age - or - wear.

Therefore...

Will not relic. People, stop the madness!!!!

Here's an idea...why not just spend the time and energy toward playing the crap out of the guitar?

Yeah! It only took eight posts before this was suggested. :roll:

So where are the "drag it behind your car for two miles" or "give it a teenager in a punk band" posters?

To the OP. Some of the poly finishers are so thick they can't be worked to make them look worn and aged.

Check out the thickness of this 52RI:

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/telecaster-discussion-forum/330285-best-uk-avri-52-refinish-options.html#post4206522

You may be better off following Lostheart's lead and removing the original poly finish.

:smile: Peter

Aged poly? You're barking up the wrong tree! Best bet is remove all the poly, and refinish in thin nitro. Then let nature take it's course.

Thanks,

So, back to the point, if anyone knows a good place that ages new poly to look like old poly (not like lacquer), please let me know. That's all I asked for, not to borrow two cents on the idea. I've got the "conceptual" and "design" elements clear and set in my mind without any input from committee. If you can help me find a place, thank you very much. If not, your comments will fall on deaf ears, so don't even waste your time.

So, back to the point, if anyone knows a good place that ages new poly to look like old poly (not like lacquer), please let me know. That's all I asked for, not to borrow two cents on the idea. I've got the "conceptual" and "design" elements clear and set in my mind without any input from committee. If you can help me find a place, thank you very much. If not, your comments will fall on deaf ears, so don't even waste your time.

Lol - you don't get it, do you?

So, back to the point, if anyone knows a good place that ages new poly to look like old poly (not like lacquer), please let me know. That's all I asked for, not to borrow two cents on the idea. I've got the "conceptual" and "design" elements clear and set in my mind without any input from committee. If you can help me find a place, thank you very much. If not, your comments will fall on deaf ears, so don't even waste your time.

If I were you, I'd search around for an older body, poly body, with a look you are after and build around that.

I say things can happen to poly; what exactly happens depends on the type of poly that formula was applied, and what type of use or abuse it was subjected to. These types of wear or degradation are not fashionable that I know of, so, to some extent you might have to approach this as a pioneer. I've seen the types of use, abuse, degradation and failure that various kinds of poly undergo and it reminds me of young women who spend all day at the beach for 8 years and look like overcooked Thanksgiving turkeys. Or the guitar looks like it was on meth. Does not please my eye.

I agree, Mr. Bubbanov, with that second paragraph. As for the first, that idea just won't work for these two particular projects.

The idea that poly never wears is ludicrous. One day of ownership, one gig, will put scratches and wear on a poly guitar. Nowhere near as much as with a lacquer guitar, so it takes a lot longer, but they do wear in their own way. And this is not to mention the hardware, which ages just the same as with any guitar. I've got several poly instruments from the '70's through the '90's that all look pretty aged and well used. In fact, my most beat up guitar by far has a poly finish.

Again, and I don't think many people are reading this bit, I don't want to make my poly guitars look like old lacquer. I know quite well that this cannot be done, nor would I ever want to try...nor do I even like relics in general. It would just work well for these particular ideas. I want to make them look like old poly; end of story. If you can suggest a relic service that can do this, I would appreciate it.

I have '90 MIJ '63 RI Strat that has seen 22 years of use and abuse. It's slightly dull in some spots and has several dings/dents and blemishes. Around all these points the finish just chips and cracks. If the same area is aggravated multiple times more chips have come off. This is all you will really get. As all have stated the finish won't "wear".

This would be really easy to simulate on your own. Wet sand/dull playing areas. And toss and bang it up as much as you desire.

Some Polyester (http://www.watkinsguitars.co.uk/renovation.htm) finishes do crack. Here's my early '60s Watkins Rapier 33:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/skb/misc%20stuff/Guitars/Watkins_Rapier_33/Watkins_Rapier_33011.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/skb/misc%20stuff/Guitars/Watkins_Rapier_33/Watkins_Rapier_33006.jpg

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programme (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/skb/misc%20stuff/Guitars/Beating-a-dead-Baja_Telecas.gif). :wink:

Some Polyester (http://www.watkinsguitars.co.uk/renovation.htm) finishes do crack. Here's my early '60s Watkins Rapier 33:

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programme (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/skb/misc%20stuff/Guitars/Beating-a-dead-Baja_Telecas.gif). :wink:

Umm. It looks like it was painted with a brush? Maybe it's just the photo?

Umm. It looks like it was painted with a brush? Maybe it's just the photo?
Nope, it's very common on the old Watkins guitars:
Paintwork and Body Problems (http://www.watkinsguitars.co.uk/renovation.htm)

Most Watkins/Wem/Wilson guitars were finished with a polyester spraying technique which gave a very solid bright colour and deep gloss. Unfortunately in later years the finish on most guitars shows extensive cracking of the paintwork. You really have to make a decision with your guitar whether you want a guitar which looks it's age or if the finish is so bad that a respray is the only answer. Generally, vintage guitars with original finish should stay that way to preserve value.

Nope, it's very common on the old Watkins guitars:


Interesting - guess I'd have to see one in person.

My main bass and main guitar are both poly finished, and both are aging decently due to my severe carelessness in how they are treated.

The bass is missing a good chunk from buckle rash, has multiple cracks where it has hit the ground/cymbals/walls/bleachers, lighter areas where my sweat has taken a toll on the finish. It's three years old, but has some good mojo.

The tele is missing a couple hunks of poly from falls/hard hits, and is wearing away where my arm rubs while strumming.

Both instruments have not been artificially relic'd in any way, shape or form. I just have really acidic sweat, and move around a lot when I play.

It may not always look the best but you can somewhat relic a poly finish. I did one for a friend a while back. His was a mid '90s american strat. I just did the wear (paint removed) at the forearm contour and a little wear around the belly cut. Other than that, all I can think of is dents, dings, scratches, burns, or scuffing for a matte finish. Also some make fake checks with a razor blade and I'm sure this could also be done. Anyway, in the right hands it can be done and look decent.

Why do people even think this is possible???

Poly - will - not - age - or - wear.

Therefore...

Will not relic. People, stop the madness!!!!

Not true at all. It may age at a much much slower rate than nitro but it does age/wear.

I have yet to see a Poly coat wear down at all (just dulled) at the usual contact points (around a belly cut, where picking arm rest on body, etc).

I have yet to see a Poly coat wear down at all (just dulled) at the usual contact points (around a belly cut, where picking arm rest on body, etc).

My tele is down to bare wood where the picking arm rubs... It's a squier CV thinline. Obviously poly.

Have you considered asking your garden variety dragon or Godzilla and friends? They'll probably do an excellent job...and then some. :mrgreen::mrgreen:

Seriously, I have a 14 year old Squier Affinity Strat that I picked up with a Crate GX-15 for $10. The Affinity has a poly finish that was originally White...but has aged into a soft yellowish white that's pleasing to the eye...along with the stickers placed by the previous owner.

Now that's a garage sale find! I thought I got a good deal when I bought a mint Squier Affinity for $40 last summer, but you have me beat (although I did get a Hamer Slammer for $20 last summer).

I've seen poly white finishes yellow slightly to that nice shade of white too and it looks great. No idea how to get that look by relicing though. Wish I did!

I have a 79 that's starting to 'relic' but it's very subtle. The finish gets eggshell like cracks and chips that just expose unyellowed poly. Or big chips with bare wood. Not very 'cool':(

I once used a heat gun on a translucent blue poly finish. It seemed to give the blue a dark green tint and removed the glossiness. It's easy to go too far and cook it off though.