Kollaps Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 I was wondering what the deal was or how one verifies the authenticity of the Guitar Center exclusive Standard Silverbursts due to the weird serial number system (for those that don't know, mine, for example, has a serial number of GC529). How would I, or someone else for that matter, figure out information such as the year it was made? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 Are they still painting these with metallic car paint ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kollaps Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 Not sure what you mean.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 The original Silverburst were painted using a metallic car paint. The paint affected the tone of the guitar, which some player loved or hated. Over time the paint sometimes would discolor to a yellow or a green tint. Often times the paint would wear off on the back of neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 The original Silverburst were painted using a metallic car paint. The paint affected the tone of the guitar' date=' which some player loved or hated. Over time the paint sometimes would discolor to a yellow or a green tint. Often times the paint would wear off on the back of neck.[/quote'] Based on what you just said, I would say no they do not use car paint anymore. I've heard that new silverbursts won't turn green like the old ones did. If this thing ever greened I'd bash my head against the wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I think the color changed was based on exposure to smoke. I've seen many vintage Silverburst that haven't changed colors. So it's not something that happened to every Silverburst produced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kollaps Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 Ahh--yes, I know what you mean now. From what I've read, the new silverbursts DO NOT change color due to the new paint being chemically different (not sure if there's less/no metal, etc). The silverbursts from '78-'84 and, well, anything (if anything was made) prior to '88 had the oxidizing paint, which would not only change the color of the guitar over time, but would also change the TONE over time. Apparently, the metals would seep into the wood, giving the original bursts their darker, edgier sound. At the time, most "experts" saw this as a negative change, which is why you apparently used to be able to pick one up for around $800 USD, until Adam Jones started playing them. I don't think exposure to smoke affects the rate of oxidization--I think the rate of oxidization (and all models with the old paint WILL oxidize at some point) is based solely on exposure to air in general, as well as the salinity of the air and humidity. In other words, a 'burst with the original paint will oxidize much faster if the owner lives in Honolulu, HI compared to Phoenix, AZ. I've heard that the reason they stopped using this paint is due to more strict environmental laws being passed over the years. Because of this, the new ones will never sound like the old ones. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing, as I've read several reviews by owners of both the new and old bursts claiming that the new ones actually sound better, while there are others that insist the old ones sound better than the new. Purely taste I guess.... All this being said, though, this is just what I've read over the past few months prior to buying my own 'burst, so I don't know how accurate any of it is, but it seems to make sense. So, as for the original question, anyone have any ideas/info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverbursted Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I was advised to give a call to Gibson to check it out (I have GC 558). But these are the real deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TattooedCarrot Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I think the color changed was based on exposure to smoke. I've seen many vintageSilverburst that haven't changed colors. So it's not something that happened to every Silverburst produced. It was oxidization of the finish, not really the smoke. It would have happened to one that was played in a smoke-free home as well as the others. The new ones do not use the car paint, they are painted like the rest, just a different color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 My 84 silverburst has yellowed up a lot (not really green), but it has nothing to do with the paint, it's all the laquer truning yellow. It's just much more noticable on a silver guitar than on a regular burst. It has NEVER been around smoke and very little exposure to sunlight (I have had it since it was new). I think the thing about the paint changing the tone is just myth. I have had offers for it since then and nothing as low as $800 EVER. Someone offered $1500 in the mid 90's, 2k around 2000, and based on eBay it's worth upward of 3k now. The only way the new ones wont turn is if they are using poly instead of laquer (which I doubt). It's funy. Mine stayed silver for about 15 years, and then over about a 3 year span it turned and then hasent changed much since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleSixx Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Eddie, Did you play your's often ? Have you had it out of the case more in the last 3 years ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I played it a lot it's first 5 years after I got it in 84, then less and less (got a real job and married). It actually went into it's case in in the closet for almost 10 years, then I redicovered my love of playing. When it came out it looked fine. Then it went back into the case for a few moths while we were moved and it stayed in storage over the winter. When I got it out, it looked like it had changed color a lot. After doing some mods on it, I can tell it's not from light exposure. parts that don't get light, but got laquer on them turned as well. So maybe it was it's sudden exposure to light and air again that did it. It's not bad, but it's not "silver" anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalpaul Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 They have the GC in the serial number because it was a GC exclusive, and they only made them in 2007. They actually only did one run of them for GC's anniversary month and there's just a lot of them still out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kollaps Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 They have the GC in the serial number because it was a GC exclusive' date=' and they only made them in 2007. They actually only did one run of them for GC's anniversary month and there's just a lot of them still out there.[/quote'] Sorry, I was away for awhile and haven't had a chance to check this thread. This is more or less the info I was looking for--what year(s) they were made, what classification they were (ie Standard, Custom, etc), and what features they came with (more specifically, what kind of humbuckers they come with). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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