Who likes/hates Fades (guitar finishes)?

[Ebidis]

It's ok, but any burst is never my first choice. That said, I have a TTSB Baja Tele that I wouldn't trade for anything.

 

[AAT65]

I’m not a fan of bursts and I haven’t seen a fade that I‘m keen on either… but at least a fade isn’t a sunburst or a butterscotch blonde!!

 

[HoodieMcFoodie]

Only if the fade to grey...

 

[hemingway]

Not a fan of any kind of burst. But the worst are those with black on them. Just fugly

 

[VintageSG]

My ambivalence fades toward damp indifference.
I may see one one day that tips the balance, but thus far, meh.

I do like Fender style 2+3TSB as per my avatar pic, but that's where my piqued interest peaks, then fades.

 

[Colo Springs E]

I know that I'm too much of a traditionalist when it comes to Burst finishes, but I love the way that the traditional burst outlines and accents the shape of the guitar.

I've got GAS for the Gibson/Epiphone Les Paul Modern, but don't like how the Fade loses the shape of the Lower bout. I would prefer either no burst or a traditional burst.

Who's with me on this?

Here's an example: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Epipho...ric-Guitar-Magma-Orange-Fade-1500000326750.gc

Agreed, that looks weird. And awful.

 

[brookdalebill]

I like it, so there!

 

[421JAM]

I’ve read this whole thread and still don’t know what a fade is. I get the Sweetwater catalog and spend a fair amount of time looking at guitar content on the internet and in print magazines, but I’m coming up blank. Would someone mind posting a photo of a fade and a regular sunburst so I can learn and compare?

 

[JL_LI]

All my guitars are solid color with the single exception of my CS’69 Stratocaster. That one’s a heavy relic burst. I never liked relic’d solids. They just look beat up. But I like the relic on the burst. I’m six weeks short of 72. I think fades will no longer be a thing before I care if they are or aren’t. My initial thought is that fades were being marketed to younger players who didn’t want to be playing their father’s guitar, but they seem to be priced for empty nester fathers. Maybe it’s just new for its own sake.

 

[arlum]

I don't own any with the faded tops but I do like them very much.

 

[lowatter]

I did a "black burst plaintop" refinish on this Studio Lite. I liked the way it turned out.
I'm not big on cherry or honey bursts and I prefer plaintops over flames.

 

[Electric Warrior]

I’ve read this whole thread and still don’t know what a fade is. I get the Sweetwater catalog and spend a fair amount of time looking at guitar content on the internet and in print magazines, but I’m coming up blank. Would someone mind posting a photo of a fade and a regular sunburst so I can learn and compare?

How I interpret it...the first is an R8 advertised as a "fade." See how the outer edge of the burst sort of fades away as it approaches the lower bout. I really like the look.

The second is a Standard 60s. You can see the darker edge is present all along the top, including lower bout. Also looks good to me.

Since clown bursts were mentioned, the third is an old Tokai. It is right on the edge of clown burst territory, a yellow teardrop in the middle of cherry red. Not much of a blended transition as it approaches the edges and quite a bit of red at that. Not a fan, killer guitar but it always bothered me to look at.

 

[String Tree]

I'm ambivalent.

I am Extremly Ambivalent!

 

[David Barnett]

Here's an example: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Epipho...ric-Guitar-Magma-Orange-Fade-1500000326750.gc

Oh those are nasty. Looks like they were trying to spray a burst and missed.

 

[aFewGoodTaters]

On the cheaper Epiphones and other guitars made in China / Korea, etc., fades generally look pretty ugly. On the Gibson Custom Shop models (like some pictured in this thread already) I think they look killer.

Of course, there is a massive price difference so it's hard to compare them.

 

[ZenGuitarist]

I guess I disagree with the OP. The lower bout on my 1978 LP Custom Sliverburst is all black and I love it that way.

Good luck trying to pry this guitar from my hands. 1978 Silverbursts are very rare. They weren't an official finish offered by Gibson that year but they did make a few. All of the ones I've been able to track down were sold in Canada. My guess is that Gibson was prototyping the finish in 1978 and decided not to sell any of these prototypes in the USA. I'm glad I was able to buy one. I've seen a few of the official 1979-1982(?) Silverburst models and every one of those I've seen has a greenish tinge to it but mine doesn't.

 

[Fiesta Red]

I don’t like them…but a lot of people probably don’t like my favorite finishes, so…

 

[brookdalebill]

Oh those are nasty. Looks like they were trying to spray a burst and missed.

Though I don’t agree, I like the comparison!

 

[Dan German]

I don’t much like burst finishes. The linked orange fade is like a bad burst. Then again, it was an unfair choice, because I can’t think of many guitars that would look good in that insipid orange whether it was fade, burst, trans finish, or anything else.

 

[aging_rocker]

I'm not a fan of sunbursts in general, including fades, which IMHO are just half-done bursts anyway. My favourite finish would be nice natural wood with a thin finish, probably oiled.

This coming from someone whose current guitars are both matt rattle-can specials