Any Historic Makeovers in the UK

Sassafras

Just buy another R8 that's got a darker board.

WezV

ThePrettyDamned said:

poopot said:

The dyes etc never last… what you need is

It's either a secret formula or fairy liquid. 

I'm saying fairy liquid - time for us to get dish soap on our most expensive guitars!! 

@poopot at work

hyperben

markslade07 said:

Could try some Monty’s Montepresso, but not sure how effective the results would be. Cheaper and easier than replacement though

I’ve used this. If the fretboard is really dry it darkens it quite a lot and looks miles better, but if your fretboard is already fairly oily it only makes a very small difference. 

hyperben

JerkMoans said:

FWIW, while other's experiences of Montypresso were, to put it mildly, variable, I got great results om my Pau Ferro Electric Xii.  Slow and steady: clean with naphtha first which seemed to make a difference, and then probably 6-8 coats, leaving each to sink in before polishing off.

A few before and after shots.  Last one being rubbed by walnuts.  Niche kinky shit.

Just like this 

Basher

@scovell001 I think your Les Paul looks pretty cool actually!

I've got a '99 Historic with a 'board that looks like dogshit compared to that! It's got very contrasting light-dark streaks in a not-very-nice pattern.

It's also got rather "workmanlike" inlays that look like they were put in by a particularly ham-fisted brickie who was in a hurry to knock-off early on a Friday. Yours seems to have the lovely, crisp outline that you get these days.






On the plus side, they do get darker over the years. The above shots were, I'm guessing, around 15 years ago. Here's a more recent closeup on one of the horrible inlays that shows a much darker shade.



It's probably a combination of being a flash photo, plus an application of fret doctor once every year or so, plus getting played and/or just getting older.  

I would love to get a new fretboard with super-dark, close-grained, chocolate brown rosewood and new inlays that don't look like they've been made from Liberace's bog seat but have to face the fact that such a mod would cost more than the guitar is worth! (Which is not that much, by LP standards.) 

Even if I had the money, which I don't, making my LP look a bit nicer would probably lose out to most of the cost of another guitar. I realise that you might feel differently but it's a heck of a lot of work and money for a cosmetic upgrade. That said, plenty of folks get guitars they like refinished when they hate the colour so I suppose it might be worth it to you. It's a lovely Les Paul that you have, either way.

WezV

Now that's a great looking board!

Seziertisch

chrisv said:

Try https://huwpriceguitar.com/ – he's done a lot of restoration/relic'ing work over the past few years, as documented in the mag and on Guitar.com

Huw Price is nothing if not ambitious in the projects he takes on. This one is probably of most relevance to the original poster https://guitar.com/guides/diy-workshop/converting-1989-greco-1954-goldtop-les-paul/

JerkMoans

scovell001 said:

So, you literally got some walnuts and just rubbed them on the fb ? Lol ! - what does that do ? 

Conditions the fretboard, allegedly.  I just like doing it as it creates mess and makes me look like some hippy shaman.  Or some shit like that. 

photek

Montys Montypresso worked well on a Tokai LP I had in for a set up, that’s one coat left on for half hour. It’s about £14 and the tub lasts for years, has worked on quite a few light boards so far but as mentioned above didn’t do much on older oily boards without cleaning them with naphtha first.