Plastic aging

[Gahr]

I just got a new pickguard for my Les Paul. I didn't like the "1960" inscription on the original, so I swapped it out. As I have mentioned in other threads before, finding a replacement pickguard with the exact same color has proven difficult. But I decided to bite the bullet and replace it anyway. The pics below show the difference between the new and old pickguard. The thing is, all the original plastic on the guitar more or less has the exact same color; the binding, poker chip, pickup rings and pickguard. The new pickguard is lighter than the original one. Now my question is: will the new pickguard "catch up" as it is aging, and will exposure to light take care of business? I'm really nitpicking here, it's not like it's really important at all, and I'm not going to do anything to accelerate the process, but it would be nice if the colors ended up matching like they used to.

With the new pickguard:

Here's the old one for comparison:

 

[JohnnyGoo]

The plastic that came on the guitar looks like a creamy off white color.No idea if the new plastic will catch up as you say Gahr.

 

[Hackmaster]

I've had good luck soaking plastic in strong coffee.
I take the grounds after my wife is done making coffee, and make a slurry of coffee grounds & warm water.
Usually a 10 minute soak is enough.

Note: This does not work on all plastics, but it cost's nothing to try.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

What i was gonna say Hack but Gahr said he wasnt gonna do nothing to try to age the pickguard. Ive used the coffee trick and it works well.

 

[Gahr]

I've had good luck soaking plastic in strong coffee.
I take the grounds after my wife is done making coffee, and make a slurry of coffee grounds & warm water.
Usually a 10 minute soak is enough.

Note: This does not work on all plastics, but it cost's nothing to try.

What i was gonna say Hack but Gahr said he wasnt gonna do nothing to try to age the pickguard. Ive used the coffee trick and it works well.

Weeeeeeel, I drink a lot of coffee, so I just might try that after all. Not sure, though. I don't think it looks that out of place as is. We'll see! Thanks a lot for the tip anyway!

 

[BlackSG91]

I would say much longer than 10 minutes...hope you have a huge coffee mug Gahr.

;>)/

 

[Gahr]

I posted this on the MLP forum too, and got a tip that I just had to test. The guy who gave the tip had tried it himself on several pickguards. He used fine steel wool to buff out the number, and polished the plastic afterwards. I figured I had nothing to loose, so I pulled out the original pickguard and had a go at it. I couldn't find any steel wool, so I tried using a fine scouring pad instead. It actually worked a treat! If I hold the pickguard up to the light at a specific angle and look really closely I can still see the numbers very faintly, but you really have to look hard to see it. Why didn't I ask someone for advice before I bought the new pickguard? I now have yet another spare one... If I put together all the spare SG and Lester pickguards I have lying around I could open a fekking store...

Ill post a picture later, the light is too weak here now.

 

[eSGEe]

plastic aging

 

[BlackSG91]

^
Looks like Joan Rivers!


;>)/

 

[flatrockmobile]

I was going to say get one in cream. Those are great LPs, aren't they.

 

[Session 5]

A friend of mine told me yesterday, He had a new white trim plate the bindings that were originally white had turned off white over time. To make the trim match he soaked the Truss rod cover plate overnight in a mix of water and yellow Curry powder and it worked.

 

[syscokid]

^
Looks like Joan Rivers!


;>)/

FWIW...
That's Amanda Lepore. Celebrity transgendered of massive excesses.

 

[jtcnj]

Now, if you just leave the pick guard off, problem solved.

 

[Gahr]

Just an update on the plastics on my goldtop, in case anyone is interested:

Like I said earlier, I followed a tip given by a guy on the MLP forum, and used a scrubbing pad to buff out the "1960" inscription on the pickguard. And I ended up swapping the pickup rings for a set of the taller "historically correct" ones. They match the color nicely. It's a minor detail, really, but I like it. A couple of pics below. Not too good ones, but I guess you can see the difference.

Before (pic taken a few days ago):

After:

 

[Session 5]

Looking mighty fine Gahr!!!

 

[Inspector #20]

Just an update on the plastics on my goldtop, in case anyone is interested:

Like I said earlier, I followed a tip given by a guy on the MLP forum, and used a scrubbing pad to buff out the "1960" inscription on the pickguard. And I ended up swapping the pickup rings for a set of the taller "historically correct" ones. They match the color nicely. It's a minor detail, really, but I like it. A couple of pics below. Not too good ones, but I guess you can see the difference.

Before (pic taken a few days ago):

After:

Have you looked in the cavity on this one???

 

[Thatbastarddon]

Nice work sir!

 

[syscokid]

Nice job. I can feel the Mojo building up on this one. Now you need to replace the pickguard's bracket phillips head screw with a slotted head screw...

 

[Gahr]

Nice job. I can feel the Mojo building up on this one. Now you need to replace the pickguard's bracket phillips head screw with a slotted head screw...

I'm on the case!

And then sub the Nashville bridge for an ABR! (Yes, I said it! Come on everybody. Tell me what a stupid idea that would be, because the Nashville bridge is better!)

 

[Gahr]

Have you looked in the cavity on this one???

Oh, yes. I changed the pickups soon after I got it. I'll post a picture when I have time for it. I haven't changed anything with the wiring. It works very well the way it is, but who knows?