Binding Starting to Yellow....

[pushover]

As I mentioned in previous threads, I have some nice new PG's courtesy of Cryoman. An interesting side effect of putting the new PG on with it's shiny new black-white-black-white ply is that I now notice how the white binding on the rest of the guitar is starting to yellow. This is NOT a big deal as you have to be looking pretty closely to be able to notice it, but it's pretty obvious once brought to your attention.  It might even be more noticeable simply because my guitar is black so the contrast is more obvious.

 

[NB. I tried to take a pix, cause I know this group loves pix, but it doesn't really show]

 

So what  I'm wondering from the experience of others, is the following: Whether this yellowing will continue to increase? And perhaps over what timeframe? And are there any tricks or techniques to stop, or slow it down (i.e. sunscreen works well to stop me from turning a different color, maybe it would work here  ;D)?

 

My guitar is an 06 so it's still pretty new and this represents only a few years of aging. Like I said I don't mind, it gives the guitar more character, but I am curious about how this might proceed over the next few years?

[cod65]

I thought the samev of mine the other day. But maybe that's just 'cream' color.

I love it!

[drewzee87t]

Yeah, seems there were different varieties of finish or something. My 2000 millenium binding is aging and yellowing very nicely (IMHO). It actually is starting to look vintage. I took her to a jam session this weekend with some friends (I think I might be in a band here pretty soonish, just for fun do a few gigs and get to play with other humans). The other guit player was looking her over and thought it was a vintage till he realized the 2000 was right in the fingerboard inlay. Anyway, the millenium binding is just yellowed up and is even starting to crackle a bit vertically in certain spots. She has been in her case maybe half of her life, and the rest in stands out in the air. I think being out of the case is the key, but it could be finish differences. I am not all too thrilled about the binding crackling, but that's what it does due to expansion/contraction cycling with the wood. The funny thing is the Roy is 3 years older than the millie and looks fresh from the factory in terms of finish and binding. I think it's whether you let it out of the box or not that ages it. Might be sunlight too, I had her hanging for a couple years on a wall in a room with a very bright sunlit in the afternoons (west facing sliding glass door to the room). No reason to worry about it. It's like hair, you lose it or you don't, and if you do, you just do. No point trying to fudge natures intent.

[High Flying Bird]

It's like hair, you lose it or you don't, and if you do, you just do. No point trying to fudge natures intent.

 

Amen brother.  One day a few of the ladies I worked with were laughing at my thin hair.  I reminded them that the, "turkey meat" swaying under their laughing chins was dangerous to children.  Like a shot they all covered themselves.  The hair issue never came back up. 

 

I think the light that we look at our guitars in has a lot to do with the way they look over all.  That one reason photos don't show what your eye can see and at other times show what your eye can't see.  If that makes sense. 

 

Binding and trim set off a guitars looks.  If a binding ages so be it.  I like the effect of the aged binding.  If I could do something about nose hair I would be even happier.

[Dick Seacup]

There are any number of reasons why binding looks 'yellow.'  The binding may have started out cream (not white), it may have started out white and mellowed, or, it may still be white but the lacquer has started to yellow.  The yellowing of lacquer is what gives everything that warm, custard-y color and it will continue to increase over time, up to a point.  At least that's my understanding. 

[big bob]

coffee has changed the binding on my teeth. :brushteeth:

 

maybe your guitar has been drinking coffee when your not around.

 

  :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2:

 

Oh, sorry that sounded stupid, I must not be awake yet...

 

 

I'd better get some coffee.

[Thundersteel]

If I could do something about nose hair I would be even happier.

 

How about cutting it? 

 

 

The binding on my '89 LP is yellowing as well; I really like the look of it! But it'll probably be awhile before the binding on my '06 Heritages start to yellow--my LP has a 17-year head start.

[big bob]

  :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2:

[chico]

This thread reminds me of the H-150 CM-CL that I saw at the factory on a recent visit.  --pearl white with creme binding/pickguard.  I was awesome looking.  When that guitar starts aging some it is going to be even more gorgeous.

 

My creme binding is yellowing quite nicely on my H150 (2002), the white binding on my Millie has yet to really show any change (2003).

 

Not sure what the binding is made of, but yellowing over time is quite natural for plastic/polymers.  I have a Strat Plus ('93) with Lace Sensors, one of the pickups (which are white) had to be replaced--you would be how surprised how much whiter the new one is compared to the other two.

 

I think there is a chemical change with these compounds over time that includes a slight yellowing.  Light may have something to do with it, but I think it is more a chemical change...

 

any chemical engineer types here??

[yoslate]

... it may still be white but the lacquer has started to yellow.  The yellowing of lacquer is what gives everything that warm, custard-y color and it will continue to increase over time, up to a point. 

 

I've had a lot of guitars change color over time, some more, some less.  Once had an LP Custom, which started life pearly white.  By the time it was not even ten years old it had turned that custard color to which Dick refers, not just the binding, the whole guitar!  I think sunlight, smoky bars, varying batch chemical composition of both lacquer and plastic all contribute.  I had my thirty-year-old LP Standard refinished six years ago to get rid of the sunburst on the sides, back, and back of the neck.  David Sheppard did an immaculate job, but in the process, some of the lacquer was removed from the binding.  It wasn't until that happened I realized how much the binding on that guitar had changed color, and I was disapppointed to see that natural aging had been removed.  As I approach my late fifties, and my wife her early, I've come to appreciate those changes that come naturally.  Hanging on to an instrument long enough for the binding to age a bit can only mean good things where I come from.

[GuitArtMan]

I want my binding to yellow...

[yoslate]

Just occurred to me that Dick posted a pic of his H-160V not too long ago, and had mentioned, incidentally, its turning from white to a light custard.  Nice patina; nice pic!  Nice guitar!!  I think that's what they're supposed to do....

[brentrocks]

the binding on my 170 is REALLY yellowed, and it looks really sweet.....judging by the smell of the case, it was bar smoke induced

[111518]

My understanding is that most of the yellowing is in the lacquer, as Dick stated in his post.  We notice it more on the binding, but it's a natural and inevitable part of the way nitro lacquer ages.  Sunlight does seem to speed it up a bit, but it will happen nonetheless. 

[doggy1972]

I love yellowing on binding anyway. Looks classy. I like dings in guitars too. Look played, used and loved. PPL pay money for that mojo you know 

[cod65]

just think about how in some fender custom shoppe somewhere a guy is putting out cigarette

butts on the Jaco Pastorius custom J Bass

[Gitfiddler]

I'm still waiting for the WHITE binding to turn to a more vintage mellow yellow on my '93 Golden Eagle. 

 

Maybe if I stuck a tea bag in her case... 8)