Preferred burst pattern?

[NeoConMan]

I was looking at the Gibson site and scrolling thru the product lines to see what's new.

 

(Dusk Tiger - WTF were they thinking?)

 

Anyhow, I noticed a pic of the Epiphone "Ltd Ed Les Paul Custom Silverburst" and thought of my neighbor.

See pic below;

 

 

 

 

He bought a new Gibson LP Silverburst and we were talking about how much the finishes vary.

I told him that has always been the case since the guitars are painted by hand.

You really only get one shot with a faded effect like that - make a second pass and it becomes a stripe.

 

Then I realized that the Silver/black color combo has the most contrast of anything in the Gibson product line.

So the slightest variation would be most obvious where something like the Cherry burst is more subtle.

 

 

As the discussion progressed, I told him how some Les Pauls look damned good to me while others are just okay.

Nothing you can really put a finger on.

Kinda like two pretty women - you'll still find one of them more attractive for some reason....

 

Okay, so we agreed to put wood grain and various top configurations aside for the sake of discussion.

We're talking paint and paint only here....

 

 

There's all sorts of slang terminology I've heard over the years to describe the different paint effects.

Target Burst is one that comes to mind - there's a stripe around the perimeter of the guitar and it's two

distinctly different colors because there's no translucence to create the thin, misted, fading effect.

Mostly in the 70's I think.

A Cherry burst was basically amber/yellow in the center with a bright red stripe around it.

Many Desert, Honey and Tobacco bursts were the same way.

 

So, what's good or bad?

What's better or best?

Sometimes simply being different is pretty damned cool.

 

 

It occurred to me that my favorite is a burst that has a nice transition in color, but gets distinct before reaching

the edge of the binding. Some of the lighter bursts just don't do it for me - beautiful as they may be.

 

Then one more thing;

I have always preferred the burst to follow the perimeter shape all the way around the selector switch and

lower horn instead of the usual teardrop where the base color tapers to a point at the neck pickup.

 

Kinda like the Epi pic above.

 

Anybody ever give this way too much thought like I did with my neighbor?

Any preference?

 

Here's my Classic Plus, with a finish I have always loved.

The red covers completely but still allows the Maple grain to show through and play under the lights.

 

 

The only change I would make if I was standing in the paint booth at Gibson would be to contour the red kinda

like the black on the Epi pictured above - while retaining the nice translucent blend in the colors.

 

Post pics, discuss freely.

[pohatu771]

To me, it's all based on the shape of the guitar. With a Les Paul, I can go either way for the burst shape, but with an acoustic or other large-bodied guitar, it needs to follow the perimeter.

 

Looking at a lot of Epiphone Casinos, I really dislike the teardrop-shaped modern finish. The Kalamazoo/Elitist/Lennon pattern is much better. That goes for all ES-whatever models. Another issue I have, which is a discussion we've had multiple times on the Epiphone forum, is the way the back of the Casino gets treated, but that's an Epiphone-specific issue with all of their burst guitars.

 

I can't stand the 30s/40s burst you see on a lot of Gibsons. If there's a three-inch strip of "sun" in the center, why not just go all the way black? I know the burst was started to hide imperfections in the wood, but I would have rather bought a solid black guitar than that mostly-black finish. Maybe people seventy years ago disagreed.

 

I also don't like bursts that have obvious "layers." When you see a burst go from light, then a strip of dark, then a strip of black, it just shouts "70s" to me. It's mostly on Les Paul Customs and Strats.

 

Bad:

 

Good:

[cookieman15061]

I couldn't agree more Neo. Thats why I went with the epi. I love the silverburst but not in the teardrop and I figure at some point to replace all the cheap electronics when I have a little extra time for a project.

 

[Lowdown]

I've been thinking about this (since I've never really given it much thought before) and decided that I love the original cherry burst.

 

But damn,it's a hard one. There's so many beautiful finishes ain't there...

[swleary]

Way too many finishes out there, so little cash lol.

 

Heritage cherry burst is one of my favs, I like the Silver burst a lot and Ice Tea finish.

[Hector Arcadius]

Since we agree that all the 'bursts are different, due to man-factor included in the process, it's a matter of.. item.

 

Generally speaking:

 

Vintage Sunburst

Tobacco Sunburst

Iced Tea

Desert Sunburst

 

although I do have seen, for example, desert sunburst that just did not ''look right''. Silverburst is mighty mpressive as well...

 

However, my personal reply to the question: ''Which 'burst'' is this one: The Goldtop man! LOL!

[mwink822]

I prefer a burst pattern that follows the shape of the body, as for color, I LOVE the Iced Tea Burst, and also really like the look of the Light Burst finish. Oddly, I've never cared much for a pure Cherry Burst.

[AXE®]

I see the point was missed by some.

 

I prefer a lightly faded teardrop.

 

Or an unburst. ie: lemonburst fartburst ect'...

[The Brockinator]

I have a LP standard which is desert burst and to be honest i have eyes only for the desert burst now I personally think it's the best out of the bunch even though most of them a pretty impressive like the Cherry Burst. The one i dislike the most is silver burst, it lacks in colour for me...

[pippy]

With the exceptions of both Tobacco and Vintage sunbursts I prefer a very gradual fade; so much so that it's difficult to say where the change from edge colour to amber is!

 

I don't really like a thin line around the switch. I prefer a faded teardrop shape but the fading to become apparent roughly level with the neck p-ups height adjusting screw.

 

TBSB and VSB I love the 'Joe Perry' look.

 

I really love Lemon-drop, though...

[deepblue]

I really love Lemon-drop, though...

 

Cherryburst will always be my fav, but I agree...Theres nothing like a Lemon drop, especially with

some sweet flame underneath.

[jameswithesg]

first of all those epi bursts look horrid

 

and as far as silver bursts go

 

good

 

 

 

bad

[DAS44]

Personally I like it when the finish slowly "fades" into/ out tf the other color as opposed to the rather immediate change I see in the epi.

[ShredAstaire]

I couldn't agree more Neo. Thats why I went with the epi. I love the silverburst but not in the teardrop and I figure at some point to replace all the cheap electronics when I have a little extra time for a project.

 

 

Yup....the Epi Silverburts looks great....and it sounds good too!

 

I like it better than the teardrop burst....as it follows the shape of the axe....so pretty. I guess Jameswithesg and I are exact opposites. :)

[Hall]

Burst Burst

[ctkarslake]

I have to say the teardrop burst is far more of a classic look. The rimburst looks cheap/cheesy to me. The color transition needs to be subtle so as not to distract from the wood or design of the body. Too intense a transition between colors leads to the dreaded clownburst. I also feel that the color on the edge looks best when it is very thin and soft, not a fat, garish line. Re: Jimmy Page's #1=classic, beautiful and a plaintop to boost.

 

My 2c.

[Murph]

I just bought a Wine Red Studio, because I realized every guitar I own is a burst, or wood.

 

It was getting old.

[rocketman]

Lately I'm really starting to like brockbursts. To me it's somewhere between a cherry and desert burst. Here's one I really like...

 

[Tim Plains]

^ that's my dream top, right there.

 

Fixed your post.

 

first of all those epi bursts look horrid

 

and as far as silver bursts go

 

good

 

 

 

bad

[mwink822]

Lately I'm really starting to like brockbursts. To me it's somewhere between a cherry and desert burst. Here's one I really like...

 

 

That's a gorgeous guitar with an awesome burst

[jnastynebr]

I like the wood burst.

[renin74]

like the teardrop one better.

My order would be desertburst, lemonburst, cherryburst, iced tea, even though I just picked up a 54 reissue goldtop with dark back from Bizarre here recently@!

[gromaj]

I like the teardrop, but I generally prefer the edge/rim burst.

 

Since the Classic Custom Silverburst has been labeled as "bad" . . . we might as well have a picture, eh? Here is mine from the '07 GOW series:

 

[Shnate McDuanus]

I like teardrop Desert Burst, but the fade must be gradual, with the majority of the burst being transitional.

 

Of course, I've always been more of a Goldtop, Natural Finish, or Ebony with Cream pick guard kind of guy.

 

Not sure why. I like bursts just fine, though--when they're done right.

[charlie brown]

I like the teardrop' date=' but I generally prefer the edge/rim burst.

 

Since the Classic Custom Silverburst has been labeled as "bad" . . . we might as well have a picture, eh? Here is mine from the '07 GOW series:

 

[img']http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/3948684711_8b60239b19.jpg[/img]

 

Nah..that's a nice guitar! "Bad" as in GOOD! LOL! Enjoy...

 

CB