Members ESchmidt Posted October 15, 2007 Members Share Posted October 15, 2007 I recently bought a USA Tele with a maple fretboad. I am wondering if it will "yellow" with age. On the fender website, it says the neck is finished with polyurathane satin. The neck is almost white right now. I am wondering in a few decades will this neck be an amber or yellow color, or will the finish prevent it from aging like the older Fender necks. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lndianScout Posted October 15, 2007 Members Share Posted October 15, 2007 my 1998 MIM has aged very nicely, it's dark and looks good.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted October 15, 2007 Members Share Posted October 15, 2007 It'll age...more so if you leave it out of the case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Grimace Posted October 15, 2007 Members Share Posted October 15, 2007 I recently bought a USA Tele with a maple fretboad. I am wondering if it will "yellow" with age. On the fender website, it says the neck is finished with polyurathane satin. The neck is almost white right now. I am wondering in a few decades will this neck be an amber or yellow color, or will the finish prevent it from aging like the older Fender necks. Thanks. It should NOT yellow with age; the yellowing is a process of either finishing that way or having a nitrocellulose finish that ages that way; ever seen an Alpine White Les Paul Custom from the 80s? They're sort of cream now due to yellowing; the yellowing is a reaction of lacquer with air and UV light that you shouldn't get with poly finishes; and you won't get that at all with a satin finish. It might get a bit darkers but it won't ever look like a 50s Fender neck. The original necks were not amber when they shipped and they aren't supposed to turn yellow, that's a function of "poor" finishes used in the 50s and 60s. Now, my wolfgang has no finish on it's fretboard and it looks like I left it in a pile of mud lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members needmorecowbell Posted October 15, 2007 Members Share Posted October 15, 2007 It should NOT yellow with age; the yellowing is a process of either finishing that way or having a nitrocellulose finish that ages that way; ever seen an Alpine White Les Paul Custom from the 80s? They're sort of cream now due to yellowing; the yellowing is a reaction of lacquer with air and UV light that you shouldn't get with poly finishes; and you won't get that at all with a satin finish. It might get a bit darkers but it won't ever look like a 50s Fender neck. The original necks were not amber when they shipped and they aren't supposed to turn yellow, that's a function of "poor" finishes used in the 50s and 60s. Now, my wolfgang has no finish on it's fretboard and it looks like I left it in a pile of mud lol hmmm, it's funny though. my alpine white agile has turned quite creamish except for the heel of the neck... though that could be due to the green lining of my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GibsonLester Posted October 15, 2007 Members Share Posted October 15, 2007 By the time your dead and your grandson has it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Grimace Posted October 15, 2007 Members Share Posted October 15, 2007 hmmm, it's funny though. my alpine white agile has turned quite creamish except for the heel of the neck... though that could be due to the green lining of my case. Could be; remember that yellowing is not considered desirable by 95% of the corporate users of paint; that's why poly exists and is used (that and nitro is somewhat toxic and dangereous). It's not just that they are cheap bastards; although that's part of it; plus, finish has virtually no effect on tone unless you're crazy. If it was, they wouldn't finish guitars at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ESchmidt Posted October 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Thanks for all the info. I know it wont "relic" like 50s fenders and get all the wear marks, but I was just wondering if it will yellow up a bit becasue its extremely white right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ESchmidt Posted October 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Also, if it will stay the exact color it is now, is there a safe way to remove the satin finish without harming the wood underneath? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ESchmidt Posted October 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ILikeGuitar Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 meh i've been thinking the same thing with my 06 mim maple board and neck.. headstock looks more yellowy than at the beginning.. but then again i could be seeing things. i like the more yellow vintagey fretboard look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mddawso Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 maybe if you had yellow hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ute Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Well, I remember thinking the neck on my Strat was really white when I bought it about 9 years ago. I thought it would be nice if it was a bit darker. The last time I took it out of the case it struck me that it seemed yellower than it used to. It looked a lot better to me. It could all be in my head, but it sure looks yellowed compared to my Tele that I got a couple of weeks ago. The difference is a bit more noticeable in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TomCTC Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I love the yellowed look. I would love to get a neck from the '60s or '70s on my Tele just for the feel and the worn in aged look of it. I've heard of some folks rubbing brown shoe polish on the neck after sanding it down to darken it up, although I can't say I've tried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Professor Tom Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I don't like those new maple necks, they look as if they have been bleached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ESchmidt Posted October 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I love the yellowed look. I would love to get a neck from the '60s or '70s on my Tele just for the feel and the worn in aged look of it.I've heard of some folks rubbing brown shoe polish on the neck after sanding it down to darken it up, although I can't say I've tried it. Ive heard the same thing. I dont want to screw up my the neck, but I would love to have somebody who knows what they are doing do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Ive heard the same thing. I dont want to screw up my the neck, but I would love to have somebody who knows what they are doing do it. I did this with a Squier 51 Maple neck and it works surprizingly well. What really shocked me is that it does not wear off. I thought that would be the issue. Just take your time and apply it evenly. And then do another coat if you want it darker. Almost like working with stain. If you want it correct. then just like spraying or staining it............you have to remove all the hardware. BTW here's a shot of that neck/guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ESchmidt Posted October 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I did this with a Squier 51 Maple neck and it works surprizingly well. What really shocked me is that it does not wear off. I thought that would be the issue. Just take your time and apply it evenly. And then do another coat if you want it darker. Almost like working with stain. If you want it correct. then just like spraying or staining it............you have to remove all the hardware. My neck has a satin ployurathane finish on it already. Do I need to strip that off or just put it over the finish thats already on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I thought I had a better shot? I'll take a few more and get em up by late today tommorrow. The neck looks good, the guitars the same except I put Black Tele knobs on which I thought looked better. Looks good with the Black PG and Seymour Duncan Tele pup though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 My neck has a satin ployurathane finish on it already. Do I need to strip that off or just put it over the finish thats already on it? You don't have to do anything to a Satin finsih. I've done a few that way. Just go right over it. BUT. I have never done a High Gloss Maple neck. So that I can't speak on. But those are usually heavily tinted anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ESchmidt Posted October 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I thought I had a better shot? I'll take a few more and get em up by late today tommorrow. The neck looks good, the guitars the same except I put Black Tele knobs on which I thought looked better. Looks good with the Black PG and Seymour Duncan Tele pup though? Wow that does look great. Thats the nicest Squier 51 Ive ever seen. The neck looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peavey_impact Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 My 1989 Hamer USA Californian has aged to a nice 'nilla puddin color.....as far as I know every bit of it is poly finished (although it is very thin). The neck has a nice golden tint also. This is a bad pic; its actually much more yellowed in person. You can see the white in the spot where my fingers/pick rub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I don't like those new maple necks, they look as if they have been bleached. And a little Kiwi BROWN will straighten it right out. Let me look around, I have a few shots of a Lite Ash Fender Tele I did also. These Lite Ash Fender's are EXACTLY like Tom is talking about. Stark White when they are new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddastrat Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 It should NOT yellow with age; the yellowing is a process of either finishing that way or having a nitrocellulose finish that ages that way; ever seen an Alpine White Les Paul Custom from the 80s? They're sort of cream now due to yellowing; the yellowing is a reaction of lacquer with air and UV light that you shouldn't get with poly finishes; and you won't get that at all with a satin finish. It might get a bit darkers but it won't ever look like a 50s Fender neck. The original necks were not amber when they shipped and they aren't supposed to turn yellow, that's a function of "poor" finishes used in the 50s and 60s.Now, my wolfgang has no finish on it's fretboard and it looks like I left it in a pile of mud lol Have you seen some of the poly finished olympic white guitars from the 80's? They're very yellowed now. They age/yellow too. The satin neck won't age much, and you'll wait a loooonnnnnggg time to get anything. Get the neck you want now. Or get it refinished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Melody Maker Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 It will not turn "yellow", but with time it will darken to a deeper tan color. Yellowing is a property of the old lacquer finishes. Polyurethane ages differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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