LarryA Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 I pulled out my ES-335 Dot yesterday as I hadn't played it in some time. I noticed something sticky on the back, turned it over and found a large area where the finish had bubbled, melted, and ran down the back. There is also a sticky glob in the case where it dripped off the guitar. It has been stored in its original Gibson case standing in a bedroom closet. The temperature has not been over 80 degrees F, and probably not that high. Anyone know what this is all about? It is obviously going to be a pretty expensive repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 Lighten up on the windowpane, dude...... (kidding). Did you buy it new? If so you're covered. Probably. If not, I have no idea. Best of luck. Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 Wow....sounds like some serious chemical reaction, to something "in" the case??? Never heard of anything like that, especially in a home environment, where no temperature extremes were experienced. Fascinating...let us know, what you find out. Nito can "outgas" in a closed case, for a long time. Old Gretsch guitars were notorious, for "binding rot" (Nitro-cellulose binding), do to that...which also had a tendency to fog the finish, and tarnish the metal parts, as well. But, to actually melt the paint??? That (whatever is causing it) is just too wild! Pack it up, as is, with your observations, and storage conditions noted, and send it back to Gibson, Right Away! It may be a case of some bad paint or related finishing chemicals? They should fix it, at no cost to you, based on your description, anyway. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 you said it's in a localized area? have you played it outdoors or used any kind of polishing products on it? I don't have vast experience with nitro guitars, but I've never heard about stuff like that happening. I do have a nitro finished trombone, and nothing like that has happened. weird. definitely contact Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanC Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 I've had the color run on a '74 Les Paul Custom. It was almost brand new at the time. I took it back to the store I purchased it from and they gave me a replacement Les Paul Custom (20th Anniversary). See my photo - that's the replacement! It worked out well for me as the replacement was a much better guitar and I got to pick it out from a batch of ten Customs. Take it back!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Are you sure that it isn't the other way around? Maybe the sticky glob is something that dripped into the case interior and reacted with the guitar finish? A piece of vinyl tab from a guitar strap? By the way if you're not the original owner under warranty, it might not necessarily be such an expensive repair because nitro is very forgiving in terms of being able to blend in a spot repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Are you sure that it isn't the other way around? Maybe the sticky glob is something that dripped into the case interior and reacted with the guitar finish? A piece of vinyl tab from a guitar strap? By the way if you're not the original owner under warranty' date=' it might not necessarily be such an expensive repair because nitro is very forgiving in terms of being able to blend in a spot repair.[/quote'] + 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryA Posted November 10, 2009 Author Share Posted November 10, 2009 Are you sure that it isn't the other way around? Maybe the sticky glob is something that dripped into the case interior and reacted with the guitar finish? A piece of vinyl tab from a guitar strap? By the way if you're not the original owner under warranty' date=' it might not necessarily be such an expensive repair because nitro is very forgiving in terms of being able to blend in a spot repair.[/quote'] I don't know how anything would have dripped into the case. It has never been out of my house except for a setup shortly after I got it two years ago. I haven't used a vinyl strap on it, a leather strap on occasion, but it has always been removed after playing. I normally open the case every month or so to renew the water in a humidifier kept in the case storage compartment. It is a plastic soap box with a kitchen sponge in it. There is no indication in the compartment that water ever actually got out of it. I don't soak the sponge, just dampen in. Could it be from glue in case manufacturing? New cases often smell bad for a while, but this one is at least 3 years old. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 OK I'm stumped. Then again, you left out the detail about leaving a wet sponge in the case, so maybe you forgot to mention the loosely capped pint of bourbon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Probably a half pint, Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryA Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 I have decided it must be the wet sponge. Water must have ran down behind the lining to the bottom of the case while it was standing. I would never leave a bottle of good bourbon around with a loose cap, or with anything left in it! What is the best option on getting it repaired? Send it back to Gibson or find someone local? Dumb question, eh?! Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Water? Hmmmm, that doesn't sound right, to me. How would water "melt" the finish, to the point it ran down the guitar? Is it possible, the color that ran down the guitar, was in fact the case lining dye? IF...that's the case, you may be able to polish it off the surface of your guitar...unless it really is "melted" or embedded, some way. Sounds very strange, to me. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sok66 Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Wow, sorry to hear about this one. If you could post a photo perhaps we can determine the cause of the issue and suggest a remedy short of a refin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Ok it would be worse if it was whiskey, mostly in terms of the waste. Seriously, the nitro finish on a Gibson is very forgiving in terms of being able to make a spot-repair invisible. The material melts into itself and you won't see where the new stuff meets the old, unless there's some color matching issue. A good luthier should have no problem sorting it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie_39 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 A day return from a presentation and somewhat similar step. Before leaving the pub leave the open case to keep my guitar on a chair. Possibly someone I spill inside the case something of alcohol (Bourbon), I did not realized and keep it. When I utilize it again, the next morning, even was the interior a little humid, even smell existed and the I liquidate to weigh that had evaporated abandonment a notorious mark in the nitro finish. A very similar effect to which you describe. I do not imagine another motive ruling out a chemical reaction with some component of the case, above all if is the one that the manufacturer sold with the guitar. Please post a Photo!. Greetings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Okay, here's what happened to me once: insect repellent. Turns a guitar finish to water. Boom. Yeah, I learned that lesson the hard way the summer of '64. There may be other substances that have similar effects and/or chemical composition that might have gotten onto the guitar and/or into the case. I've heard it suggested that a certain brand of women's makeup might be a problem for guitar finishes too - I can't remember which so I won't point a finger when it may be wrong. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.