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Post by nicholas on Oct 6, 2018 13:22:17 GMT -7
So, after a good long run I've got old faithful all boxed up and ready to ship out for a re-finish. I've posted about this guitar before. My wife has always said it's ugly, so I've dubbed it "old ugly". Truth is it's the best playing Gibson I've ever had and I've had many. The neck feels so smooth and slinky with the perfect carve for my hands. It's pretty chunky actually, which I love. I've never had tuning issues or any fret buzz and I think I touched the truss rod adjustment last 2 years ago. It's rock steady (and rock heavy lol). However the finish is really starting to show it's age. It's in great shape. Not really any dings or dents. Just an aging finish. I love this guitar so much. It plays so well and sounds excellent. I'm thinking of giving it another life with a fresh professional re finish. I've always wanted an ebony Custom. Getting ready to ship out old ugly for a new tuxedo. What say you? Anything I might not have thought through? Getting cold feet.
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Post by purpletele on Oct 6, 2018 13:56:12 GMT -7
Nick,
I think it is really cool the way it is now.
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Post by KeithA on Oct 6, 2018 14:18:44 GMT -7
My everyday LP is uglier. I wouldn't refinish mine. Yours looks loved. I wouldn't do the refin if it were me.
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Post by headshrinker (Marc) on Oct 6, 2018 14:30:39 GMT -7
I agree, don't do it. It's worn in and feels good like a good pair of broken in boots. You know how new boots feel, that's a refinished guitar to me. I don't like fake relics, love natural one's. If you ever do decide to sell it, the refin will kill some of the value.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2018 14:35:32 GMT -7
I wouldn't do it. It looks like a white Custom should.
Have you owned a black guitar? I have a couple and they are super hard to keep clean.
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Post by Russell B on Oct 6, 2018 14:48:08 GMT -7
I agree with the others here. Don’t do it!
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Post by lowbudget on Oct 6, 2018 15:06:24 GMT -7
Although I too very much like the way it looks now, that's not the reason I wouldn't do it. You say it plays great and you love the feel of the neck, and you generally extoll the guitar's virtues all around. You never know what changing any one variable will do to the sound of the instrument or even the feel of the neck. Sometimes darker colors just never completely dry out and are always sticky.
If I had one I loved that much, I wouldn't change so much as a pickguard screw.
Just one opinion but I'm voting with the others so far.
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Post by nmz on Oct 6, 2018 15:08:58 GMT -7
Don’t do it!
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Post by Alan M (aka 'Milky') on Oct 6, 2018 16:00:26 GMT -7
Don't do it. Keep it as is and start looking for a black custom. See how helpful I can be.......sometimes!
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Oct 6, 2018 16:18:57 GMT -7
Have to agree with everyone else on this. It takes awhile to get a broken in finish, a right of passage so to speak. Plus, shipping guitars is always risky. I think it looks awesome as is!
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Oct 6, 2018 16:20:04 GMT -7
By the way, what years is that LP?
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Post by nicholas on Oct 6, 2018 16:44:58 GMT -7
By the way, what years is that LP? It's from 1987. Bought it in 92. I'm from 1974. Maybe I should just let it get old with me.
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Post by nicholas on Oct 6, 2018 16:47:21 GMT -7
You guys are making me re-think this. Lots of good advice. Thanks.
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Post by zpilot on Oct 6, 2018 17:47:16 GMT -7
No, no, no, no. That aging is called patina and in my mind a guitar has to earn it. It means that someone (in this case YOU) loved and played it because they liked it. I'm not a fan of that color when new but when they yellow like that I think they are pretty cool.
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Oct 6, 2018 17:54:25 GMT -7
Me too. I love the look of a yellowed finish. That vintage ivory color rules. I often jones on-line for a Custom like that, kind of has the Rhoads look.
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Post by mudman on Oct 6, 2018 18:05:57 GMT -7
Old ugly looks lovely to me. I wouldn’t touch a thing. Not to mention you’ll devalue it by 50%.
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Post by Buzz Fretwear (Ignatius) on Oct 6, 2018 18:07:57 GMT -7
I absolutely love it the way it is. My vote: nope, don’t do it!
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Post by dcarver on Oct 6, 2018 19:13:04 GMT -7
I gotta agree with what everybody else has said, especially fasteddie. The most important thing to me at least is how a guitar feels and plays. If it feels good and plays good, don't change a thing. It'll never be the same. It might feel good in your hands or it might not. But it won't be the same. I wouldn't risk it.
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Post by lowbudget on Oct 6, 2018 19:31:48 GMT -7
Chilly G might have the most important point of all.
I pack guitars and amps to hopefully survive a nuclear holocaust but I never breathe easy until they arrive safe.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2018 20:11:17 GMT -7
Go for it, but don’t trade ome boring color for another. Do it in candy lime or red metallic flake—have a little fun! Otherwise, leave it as is.
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Oct 6, 2018 20:33:29 GMT -7
You'll be sorry. It shows in your opening post. Don't do it.
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Post by pcns on Oct 6, 2018 21:15:16 GMT -7
I wouldn't change a thing
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Oct 7, 2018 4:26:56 GMT -7
You probably are getting tired of hearing this, but please don't do it. It's got soul and personality, it plays and sounds great. Besides, in the last 20 or 25 years people have been paying top dollar to get a new guitar to look like yours already does. I dig it as is.
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Post by Stan on Oct 7, 2018 5:27:10 GMT -7
Old is beautiful
Let it be as is it
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Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Oct 7, 2018 5:38:06 GMT -7
No!
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Post by greenblues58 on Oct 7, 2018 6:29:38 GMT -7
Enough said.
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Oct 7, 2018 7:11:00 GMT -7
Nick, make sure the wife reads this thread. Maybe she’ll gainsome appreciation for it and change the name from Old Ugly to Snow White or something. 😎
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Post by nicholas on Oct 7, 2018 8:37:15 GMT -7
Wow, this is unanimous! Lol. Thanks for the concerns and suggestions. I know everyone is into the patina, relic, whatever you want to call it. Sometimes after so long it would just be nice for a change.
It's cool to look at, it brings back some memories. I'll never sell it whether I re-finish or not. But I want to get into playing it more. I think a new color and clean up would do so. These things are meant to be played. In person it looks pretty grubby. I wish it was more uniform in color like the one in the video greenblues posted. I suppose mine looks like that in pictures too. But in person it looks like a dirty t shirt lol.
Although I originally dismissed Flealux's post. It got me thinking about doing something different.
This decision needs more thought. Shipping on hold.
Thanks again for all the suggestions and thoughts. Part of my decision is that I don't think I'll ever shell out the kind of cash for a high end guitar again. I'm good with what I've got. They'll be with me till I can't use them anymore. Even if I did buy a new custom in a different color, it would just render old ugly to a case under the bed. It don't deserve that.
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Post by John on Oct 7, 2018 8:57:19 GMT -7
Have you owned a black guitar? I have a couple and they are super hard to keep clean.
I have a black LP Custom I bought new when I was a teenager. It's the reason I've never bought a black car.
As for painting your guitar: NO NO NO NO!!! It is what it is...don't do it.
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Post by purpletele on Oct 7, 2018 10:20:57 GMT -7
Put an STP sticker below the tailpiece, that will give it some spank!
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