Keeping a white guitar from turning yellow... Proof that sunlight bleaches the finish.

[MacFangus]

I've always thought that it was the sun that causes a white guitar to yellow. Well, this is apparently wrong! I've owned several white LP guitars of the years the exhibited intense yellowing underneath the pick guard. If you do a Google search, nearly every "how can I yellow my white guitar" thread results in recommendations that reference leaving your guitar in sunlight. Here is a pic of my USA Jackson that clearly shows yellowing underneath the rear cavity plate. This is proof that sunlight exposure bleaches the finish.

[Grant Harding]

You sure the previous owner didn't mask the whole guitar except that bit and leave it in the sun?

 

But seriously, thanks for the tip!

[MacFangus]

I don't like the idea of leaving my Jackson RR LTD out of its case, but I don't want it turning yellow either... I suppose I could place it on a wall hanger. Looks cool on most guitars (IMO), but I prefer the Rhoads to remain white.

[mikesr1963]

Yellowing is what makes white guitars cool.

[GAS Man]

I know that's true, because I used to own MIJ Fender 90s Telecaster Custom, an almost toooo pretty Telecaster that was white with pearloid PG and gold hardware. I bought it for my girlfriend who BS'd me into believing she wanted to learn to play guitar and wanted that color guitar. Well it turns out that she loves "procurement" far more than "execution", so it became a total case dweller until I finally sold it off to a better home.

 

But point being, that neglected guitar went from being very white to creme colored. I really had no problem with the change in color, I just thought it was an interesting phenomena; but it was fairly dramatic how much and how quickly its color changed while spending 99.9% of its time with me in a case and probably no time in the sun. But that was a MIJ with poly finish, I don't know about a MIA LP with a nitro finish.

 

 

But yeah, I remember when I first saw that guitar in a local store, I thought it would be a perfect "Wedding Singer's Guitar" since it was so white and blingy. That guitar also was available in black with a black pearloid PG + the gold hardware. I told my GF that if she wasn't sure about learning to play, I'd rather get the black one since it looked more manly, but she wanted the white one. After it got more creme colored, I agree it did look more cool. But it also need better p'ups than its rather anemic MIJ pickups, so rather than sinking more money into it, I let it go. But I hate letting good guitars go and this is one that I miss from time to time.

 

[Grant Harding]

I wonder if the chemicals in the pickguard and binding had anything to do with how extreme the yellowing is.

[6down1togo]

I had taken a nearly brand new Epiphone SG in trade. It was pure white. I threw it in a box in the closet and literally forgot about it for 15 years. It never saw the light of day and when I finally pulled it out of the box the finish had yellowed to a cream color but was still snow white under the pickguard.

[billybilly]

Beautiful guitar, love the yellowing!

[MacFangus]

Its not sunlight it is oxidation and chemistry' date=' sunlight UV will do the opposite and bleach the color [u']out[/u] of things. This has long been a problem for vintage computer guys and can also impact on older music keyboards My 1980's Korgs are fine but I have some decidedly yellow Yamahas that look like they are smoke stained from decades of jazz club work. (I will photo my vintage NEC computer, it is a serious example)

So I guess it is whatever they used as the white pigment, probably the same yellow prone stuff they use in domestic paint.

Anyway if you research the computer and vintage game guys they use a number of methods but usually hydrogen peroxide bleaching and UV to re whiten. If you want to strip down a guitar and risk it start with a cheapo!

A similar problem also afflicts early Russian and Japanese camera lenses which contain traces of a radioactive element (Thorium) in the lens which makes the glass go brown over decades, Again UV or a week in California sun will bleach the glass clear

This article opens the 'peroxide gel' door, very effective

http://www.retrofixes.com/2013/10/ho...-plastics.html

Exactly! Most seem to think UV rays are what turns a white guitar finish yellow... The opposite is true.

[MacFangus]

A few pics of my LTD... I'd like to keep it white, if I can.

[Into Nation]

It's dark matter causing this. There is no escape, it's everywhere.

[GAS Man]

Thanks. There's times I wish I hadn't sold off that guitar, but it went to a better home where it will get played more. But as time has gone on, it's a bit more striking how unique the appointments were on that guitar. OTOH, it also had the thinnest gold plating that I'd ever had on guitar hardware, but then again, when the silvery metal wore through the gold finish, it still gave it a cool relic look.

[MacFangus]

I know that's true, because I used to own MIJ Fender 90s Telecaster Custom, an almost toooo pretty Telecaster that was white with pearloid PG and gold hardware. I bought it for my girlfriend who BS'd me into believing she wanted to learn to play guitar and wanted that color guitar. Well it turns out that she loves "procurement" far more than "execution", so it became a total case dweller until I finally sold it off to a better home.

 

But point being, that neglected guitar went from being very white to creme colored. I really had no problem with the change in color, I just thought it was an interesting phenomena; but it was fairly dramatic how much and how quickly its color changed while spending 99.9% of its time with me in a case and probably no time in the sun. But that was a MIJ with poly finish, I don't know about a MIA LP with a nitro finish.

 

 

But yeah, I remember when I first saw that guitar in a local store, I thought it would be a perfect "Wedding Singer's Guitar" since it was so white and blingy. That guitar also was available in black with a black pearloid PG + the gold hardware. I told my GF that if she wasn't sure about learning to play, I'd rather get the black one since it looked more manly, but she wanted the white one. After it got more creme colored, I agree it did look more cool. But it also need better p'ups than its rather anemic MIJ pickups, so rather than sinking more money into it, I let it go. But I hate letting good guitars go and this is one that I miss from time to time.

 

Nice!

[AlamoJoe]

I'm mystified as to why anyone cares what color their guitar is. When the color of your guitar makes your statement for you....Why play it? Just stand there with it and look pretty.

 

[MacFangus]

I'm mystified as to why anyone cares what color their guitar is. When the color of your guitar makes your statement for you....Why play it? Just stand there with it and look pretty.

Exactly!

[Phil O'Keefe]

Try it with a lacquered guitar sometime instead of poly - it will definitely yellow over time as opposed to bleach.

[Ancient Mariner]

Because no-one ever bought a guitar for the way it looks.

 

The colour change is usually on the surface, and areas that get worn from regular rubbing will show the original colour. For a nitro finish you could try a car paint cutting compound, followed by suitable wax and polish to restore the colour, though you'd need to be careful not to go right through the finish. Not sure it would work with a poly finish.

[MacFangus]

Try it with a lacquered guitar sometime instead of poly - it will definitely yellow over time as opposed to bleach.

The Jackson LTD's were sprayed with poly. At least, I think they were? I suspect the yellowing is caused by 'perpetual combustion', which continues regardless of whether the instrument is stored in or out of sunlight... Could UV radiation be bleaching-out the yellowing effects of perpetual combustion?