Is there a difference between "Faded" and "Worn" finished Gibson SG's ?

[old mark]

I have a 2007 Gibson SG Special 3 pickup version in "Worn White"...I was wondering if there is a difference between "Faded" finish and "Worn" finish...

I also wonder why the hell Gibson stopped making these things after 2 years...a very useful guitar!

mark

 

[Sootio]

That's a cool looking guitar! I'm not sure where they came up with "Faded". I've really never seen one fade into that particular kind of finish.

 

[Delboy]

I think that the faded is just a finish that will look worn quicker than a gloss finish. Where as a worn finish is already pre-worn, ie slightly relic.

 

[Hammer]

Faded = a pair of Levis that you've washed once or twice.
Worn = your favorite pair of Levis that are so broken in you hide them, so your wife won't throw them away.

 

[OttoParts]

I thought 'faded' was a very thin, low luster finish; and 'worn' was a somewhat thicker finish that's been lightly relic'd.

 

[old mark]

That's what it seemed like to me...The pickup covers were added and are NOT factory, otherwise this is how it was made.
I never even heard of them before I found this one for sale... I had owned a 3 pickup Epiphone SG/Les Paul and liked it, but it just was not quite right...this one feels great!

If anyone is interested they were also made in black...They are pretty hard to find in either color.

Here's the official description...

http://www.everythingsg.com/index.php/special-faded-3-pu.html

mark

 

[Col Mustard]

I think it's about the filler... The 'faded' finishes are either brown or red, and are transparent so that the grain of the guitar shows through very well. The worn finishes are opaque in my understanding, and so thicker as was said above.

the faded finish guitars use only a little filler. mahogany is an open grain wood, and you can see how the crevices look dark. That's filler, and looks great to my eye under a thin coat of non gloss lacquer. The necks on all Gibsons are well filled and sanded to be smooth and lightning quick... one of the SG's characteristics.

When they are going to apply an opaque finish, they can use more mis-matched pieces of wood, and lots of filler to make a smooth surface for the paint. After all that prep work, they then 'antique' the surface of the paint and call it "Worn.'

So I'd guess that the 'worn' finishes cost more than the 'faded' ones, but that's for Gibson's efficiency experts to figure out. But it's like you say, these are very useful guitars.
The idea was that people are willing to pay high prices for scarce early models, most of which are 'worn' in the real sense. So Gibson and Fender offer these guitars which look like old ones but don't cost as much. I like that idea, especially since the 'worn' ones sound great if you do your part. I bought a 2007 faded Special and it's my favorite guitar of all.

Most of my guitars were bought used, so a shiny new one would stand out too much. My 2007 Faded SG looks great on a stand next to my 1936 Martin 0-17, they're both about the same size, both mahogany... see attached pic. The Martin was 70 years old in 2006 when the Gibson was still a bunch of boards in a drying shed, so I think that Gibson really nailed it with this faded finish. I've seen old Gibsons for sale that actually did look like this too.

People get excited about whether a guitar has a one piece body or is made of several pieces, but I don't think there's an issue. Glued together bodies sound fine IMHO. Leo Fender never thought anything of it either. "Glue 'em up, cut 'em out, sand 'em down, paint 'em if they don't match and ship 'em." In a blindfold test, putting one piece bodies and multi piece guitars into the same amp and playing them, I don't think very many people could hear a difference... (that could be attributed to body joint(s), if any)

Just my opinion, but I'm interested in others' take on this. Let's hear it:
The white SG looks killer. Rosetta Tharpe would grab it and rock your socks off, or save your soul, or both.

 

[Hammer]

People get excited about whether a guitar has a one piece body or is made of several pieces, but I don't think there's an issue. Glued together bodies sound fine IMHO. Leo Fender never thought anything of it either. "Glue 'em up, cut 'em out, sand 'em down, paint 'em if they don't match and ship 'em." In a blindfold test, putting one piece bodies and multi piece guitars into the same amp and playing them, I don't think very many people could hear a difference... (that could be attributed to body joint(s), if any)

Just my opinion, but I'm interested in others' take on this. Let's hear it:

Totally agree. I liken it to wine tasting, which I consider utter rubbish, so the cork sniffer moniker is definitely apt. I'm sure there is some scientific way to measure the sonic resonance of a 1 piece versus multi, but your ears sure as hell aren't going to be the gauge that is used.

 

[Biddlin]

I think the Col.'s right, although, due to all the handwork, it also has a lot to do with who does the work . I have Worn Brown and Faded Cherry Special SGs and the "Worn" finish is unbelievably thin, allowing the wood to show all of its grain and texture, much more so than the Faded Cherry . The Guitar One polish gives the Worn Brown a "wet" shine that really makes the neck grain pop. The Faded Cherry has a much heavier finish, that does not reveal nearly so much, but takes a mike stand hit a little better.

As the Col. says, both lightning fast .
Biddlin ;>)/

 

[smolder]

so the SG I'm in the process of refinishing I bought without parts. It was a faded model (that's the name of the model of guitar) and as a result did not have the filler and the gloss finish. It was also worn, as in relic'd... with wear spots put on intentionally.

I've seen fades, and I've seen worn fades, but I've never seen just a worn SG.

 

[shreddy bender]

here's a worn sg. it's worn because it's been worn by me for 10 years!
it actually looks in better shape in the photos than it does in real life!
no relicing just honest buckle rash, strap wear on the bass horn and a little forearm burnishing on the bass side bevel. plus various nicks, dents, and bumps.

 

[Col Mustard]

that's great... I've admired this axe before and on other threads, along with her name.

a faded special that's been worn too. I believe that this is the way an SG ought to look. If you found one like this in a pawn shop, you could tell it was a player because it's been played. My 2007 faded is getting more and more blonde on the back of the neck, from being played. If you want to see worn SGs, go shop around in pawn shops in big cities. There's plenty of them out there. the SG is the workingman's Gibson, along with the Epiphone G400. The SG is Gibson's best selling guitar, and they've been making SGs without stopping since 1961. there's jillions of them in the environment, and some of them are really worn.

I don't really believe in pristine guitars. Get 'em out in the world and get them dirty and dinged up. SGs are made for the back seats of old Pontiacs, and the beds of Chevy vans, and to bounce around in rusty Ford pickup trucks. no Limos and white glove roadies... that's the way any guitar is supposed to look IMHO, but especially an SG.

not to say that the first dent or scratch doesn't hurt. I've got a new SG... only had it for a few months and it's undented and undaunted. I haven't taken it to a gig yet. Which means it hasn't found its place in my 'necessaries.' I bought it for potential, and on a whim I confess. So I have to play that one a lot before it comes into its own. I'll heave a sigh when I make the first dent in it, but I won't cry any tears. It's mine, and I'm hard on my stuff.

 

[old mark]

Col M. - I have 2 other SG's, both Specials and both from 1999. One is a special finish, transparent black, called Ebony Stain...they made maybe 200 per year, and it's a 1 piece body in very good shape for its age. The other one is a plain jane all black Ebony SG that was used in a bar band and later in a studio as a recording guitar. It has been around the block more than a few times, and it has the dings and scratches-even rust on the pole pieces. It sounds great to me, and is my favorite SG (The worn white is still waiting for my early August birthday to become "officially" one of my guitars...)

I have several bought-new guitars and at times they make me a little nervous to have them out and about, and I probably would never play them in public.

I'm kind of old and well used myself, and I like my guitars the same way.

mark

Added: My 3 SG's - The old rusty beat up '99, the pretty '99 and the worn white 3 pup 2007 that is still put away for my birthday...