Also the halo under the pickguard is usually a different colour from UV light darkening the finish surrounding the pickguard area. The blacklight thing only works if there is a different colour of finish applied as anyone can get yellow or red dye to look right under it. Even black is not an indicator of original finish. This is easy to fool people with. I don't rely on it - ever. Another thing is that when a guitar is refinished the holes around the pickguard screws on electric guitars won't have the discolouration from rust as original guitars that have been played a lot will have. Sometimes the finish (if it's solid) will show sanding marks in the wood grain if not done properly when preparing the surface. Uneven sanding around flat areas is also a very good indicator that a guitar has been refinished. Mismatches in areas especially large ones and small ones where it's been touched up and a very glossy neck with dead skin under it is an over sprayed area where they didn't sand or clean it but spray painted right on over it! I too am a luthier, dealer, and collector of new and used modern and vintage gear. Mostly it's guitars that people try to fake. I've been doing this for over thirty years and I've seen all kinds of fakery on even newer guitars in an attempt to imitate a rare or very desirable guitar.
I have a 60s Harmony Sovereign that was refinished and they tried to sand the “belly” out of it. The bridge area is sanded to half the thickness of the rest of the top. Remarkably amateur
Thank you for the excellent short dissertation on this subject of key importance to vintage guitar enthusiasts. For follow up, can you further elaborate on the use and reliability of the blacklight for finish authentication?
Thanks! You’re in luck, a couple years ago we did a video specifically on the subject entitled “the myth of blacklight authentication.” It’s on the ECG channel and should cover any questions you have on the matter!
Also the halo under the pickguard is usually a different colour from UV light darkening the finish surrounding the pickguard area. The blacklight thing only works if there is a different colour of finish applied as anyone can get yellow or red dye to look right under it. Even black is not an indicator of original finish. This is easy to fool people with. I don't rely on it - ever. Another thing is that when a guitar is refinished the holes around the pickguard screws on electric guitars won't have the discolouration from rust as original guitars that have been played a lot will have. Sometimes the finish (if it's solid) will show sanding marks in the wood grain if not done properly when preparing the surface. Uneven sanding around flat areas is also a very good indicator that a guitar has been refinished.
Mismatches in areas especially large ones and small ones where it's been touched up and a very glossy neck with dead skin under it is an over sprayed area where they didn't sand or clean it but spray painted right on over it! I too am a luthier, dealer, and collector of new and used modern and vintage gear. Mostly it's guitars that people try to fake. I've been doing this for over thirty years and I've seen all kinds of fakery on even newer guitars in an attempt to imitate a rare or very desirable guitar.
Love Tyler's vids, thanks!
I love the proper explanation thank you
I have a 60s Harmony Sovereign that was refinished and they tried to sand the “belly” out of it. The bridge area is sanded to half the thickness of the rest of the top. Remarkably amateur
I love these videos.It’s crazy how much I’ve learned from these videos.
Great video, this is really valuable to the community!
Thank you for the excellent short dissertation on this subject of key importance to vintage guitar enthusiasts. For follow up, can you further elaborate on the use and reliability of the blacklight for finish authentication?
Thanks! You’re in luck, a couple years ago we did a video specifically on the subject entitled “the myth of blacklight authentication.” It’s on the ECG channel and should cover any questions you have on the matter!
Old Gibsons have a very distinctive smell. Refins or forgeries never smell right.