New-ish guitar is showing signs of use already.

It likely has a thin lacquer finish so it will wear quickly. Some of Fender's thin skin finishes wear and chip if you just look sideways at them.

 

Like a good pair of old jeans..or your favourite slippers...they look better and better as they wear and age...enjoy your guitar...i would give my eye teeth for one that looked ancient after a month or 5

 

That's cool.

People pay the Custom Shop good money to do what you are doing for free.

 

I’ve got an AVRI Precision that is wearing quite quickly. A stern look is enough to cause a small chip, which is fine by me as I am saving a ton over buying a relic’d model.

 

They literally start to wear the moment you pick it up and play...normal.

Some players sweat also attacks finish more so than others. Acidic sweat may result from acidosis, which is a buildup of too much acid in your body from your diet, your body's inability to break down acids, or even from exercising too frequently.

 

Are you using it? Well then it will wear.

 

I believe honest wear is a good thing.

 

My Baja looks the same as it was, on the day I bought it. That's because it is encased in poly, like amber encases a prehistoric bug. And while I do pride myself on caring for all my guitars, I haven't babied it at all. It is my most gigged guitar, I should call it moneymaker.

It still is the most fun guitar I've played...

I am still trying to create some aging, but I won't treat it like a farm animal....

 

Wear the wear proudly! You've got a great replica of a 70 year old iconic guitar with real wear, YOUR wear. What could be cooler?

 

Yeah that's what thin skins are for. I do have a LP Tribute '60's from 2012, that has a thin coat of nitro and it has shown nice areas of wear, with normal handling. Don't fret about it; it looks cool to me. The P90's are supportive of my single coil love and crunch like nobody's business on overdrive. It has stabilized, as the most wear occurred in the first 2-3 years. I play it more often now.

 

love the amber and bug comparison...my gretsch G2504 i got new in 1999 is like that...used hard gigged ...dropped etc...not a mark on it great lil guitar though....modded mine a lilbit
you dont see many of these...they were one of the last Gretsches before Fender got hold of them

 

Wear and wearing out are two different things. A guitar with a thin nitro finish shows wear early on. Cheap tuning machines, pots, bridges wear out fast. Cheap hardware never looks aged. It looks like junk. There’s a big difference. Don’t sweat the it.... Actually, a little sweat will help the natural aging process along.

 

needed a propane torch to strip that...singed it a bit...back and sides are black...a small brass weight is hidden in the headstock..drilled and set in...increases sustain a LOT...brass bridge with integral brass block (old Ibanez)..blocked with slice of hammershaft grounded direct to block..no claw or spring with vintage style bent steel saddles was seafoam green with mint guard and 3 pups like strat with one vol one tone..i got 2 for price of one because i emailed a complaint
things we do to make them look ancient....and yours is doing it all by itself
Lactic acid build up is not a good thing in your body either...it does much more than tarnish your guitar...it builds up in your muscles and can cause problems

 

Even though it's considered "normal", I get where you are coming from. It's seems most things made today show signs of wear the moment you start to use them. I do not like artificially relic'd guitars any more than I like scratches or finish problems with "new" guitars. My sweat should not affect the finish if I wipe it off after I play.

I would also recommend Gibson's restorative finish cream...seems you have to buy the 3pk with lemon oil and polish as I have not seen it listed separate. It's the bomb for your nitro's.

 

not electrics i know...the 12 i attacked the soundboard with an industrial scotchbrite pad and also took the finish off back of neck..its my summer outdoor workhorse
the other is a rescue case...crud to good thanks to sheet of sandpaper a wipe with a wet kitchen towel (thin coat danish oil) soundboard again...scotchbrited back almost to bare wood...both have bone saddles both play and sound top dog
guitars do look better "lived in"

 

my nitro Gibsons are 20 years old and have no wear other than clouding. and the necks and arm area still get gunky. one of them was practically the only guitar i played every day for 15 years. nitro wear on the body looks cool, but i’m a poly neck guy from here on out - they more or less always feel clean and feel the same. i don’t have patience to wait on a modern nitro neck wearing down.

 

personally i like wear n tear....would i pay for a custom shop relic??..no..i can make a guitar look well worn in no time flat (except that gretsch)..some love their instruments to look new ..i do get that and your advice for that is excellent

 

Loop do you hear a more resonate open sound from your nitro's as opposed to poly?