Just curious guys,
How long does it take for parts like the knobs and pickups covers to yellow with age? Do they still yellow what with the new plastics and such? or was it largely because of the different types of plastic (if indeed they are different) they used back on the old strats?

Cheers, Ray

I have no idea, but fender sells yellowed knobs / mint green pickguard for that aged look if that's what youre aiming at. I've also heard soaking the knobs, trem arm tip, selector tip in coffee overnight will do the same.

they yellow naturally, even the new ones, i've had my dtrat 3 years and everything is disticnctly creamier, even the dimarzios I put in a year ago match now....

My ten-year-old MIA std strat's pickguard is still white, but the knobs are noticeably darker. Hmm!

I have a Deluxe Strat with aged pickups and knob. I buy new in 2000.

Since 3 years the plastic parts become to be white !!! Yes they loose their aged looking.

Yes put in coffe or tea should works. I have friend doing it and it work

The pickup covers on my '92 SRV are close to the same color os the mint green pickguard I put on but the volume and tone knobs are still pretty white... aside from the dirt.

_________________
Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

White plastic always yellows naturally. As long as its not coated, within a year it will start to yellow (you may not notice). Quick way to speed it up is to soak in it coffee.

_________________
"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


facebook.com/313DBC

TIME !! but if you want to age your parts, soak your knobs and pickups covers in hot coffee for 15-20 minutes. I tried this on my '08 MIM strat parts and looks AWESOME

Well...and this is my own personal opinion as always but...I think how long it takes really depends on the guitar's environment. In my case for example, my wife and I are both smokers (as are most of the other musicians I tend to work with) and I almost never store my guitars in their cases or anything. I've noticed over the past year or so that my '96 MIM is really starting to get a nice yellowish tint to it. Now granted, I took the white parts off years ago and had those sitting in a box until recently but I just pulled them out...thinking about putting them on the '03 MIM I just picked up and they too have started to yellow very nicely.

Now in contrast, last year I had picked up two different Squier Strats...both black with white plastic. I don't really know the history of either guitar (and have since sold the MIK) but here's some observations. One was a '91 MIK and the other is my '85 MIJ. Now the MIK...that one was -really- yellow...had a very "vintage" look to it, especially the plastics. This guitar was really more of an "entry level" instrument and I doubt anyone over the years really took very good care of it. The '85 MIJ however was in nearly mint condition when I bought her last fall...very little fretwear, no nicks or dings or anything, so I suspect that this one had been kept in a case most of it's life. As such, it's even less yellow than my '96 MIM is even though the '96 is clearly 11 years younger.

So again, I'd really have to say that how long really depends on your environment...if you're a non-smoker and the guitar is locked up tight in it's case when it's not being played, then yea...it's going to take longer for those parts to "age". That said, as others have indicated there are ways to artificially age the parts and there are certainly plenty of after-market parts available for "relic" projects...just search Google and/or keep an eye on Ebay and you should find plenty.

BTW...personally I find that "cream" colored pickup covers and knobs on a white pickguard really give a nice "aged" look without getting carried away...but that's just me.

Peace,
Jim

My method... buy a Strat when you're a kid and keep it for 40 plus years.
000_0112 by John Bohn, on Flickr
000_0131 by John Bohn, on Flickr
It takes time and patience but natural aging definitely works.

John

They don't age like they used too do to modern plastics. Knobs may look like they are aging faster then the guard but thats just from dirt and oils on the hands.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Yeah, you're right, CV. Then again, I doubt if I will be around 40 more years to compare my '08 American Standard's aging to the '65's.

John

When I am on ebay the big line now is kept in my smoke free room. People really are stretching things

Nicotine will stain things like amp grille cloths.
I don't smoke anymore and my son brought my Mesa Boogie he's been gigging with in clubs for a small repair,the dang thing stinks to high heaven from smoke.
I bought a Marshall 2x12 combo back in the 70s that stunk like that,but it had the mojo,just wish I still had it.
That's why people on auction sites state that the items are from a smoke free home,tobacco stinks to non smokers! especially if you kick the habit.

To me that has -never- been a selling point. I was an avid non-smoker until I was actually 25 years old...it was two months before my wedding and I was not only working 45+ hours a week, I was also pulling 14 credit hours in college...between that and getting ready for the wedding I was a complete nervous wreck so it was either start smoking or become and alcoholic...and cigarettes were cheaper back then. Either way though both of my parents were always heavy smokers when I was growing up as was my older brother so issues like "smell" never really bothered me at all. Also, I'm a major "critter person"...right now I have 3 dogs and 3 cats in the house plus I do animal care volunteer work at a nature center...every Monday I get to pickup up 15 different kinds of animal crap, so in my book there -are- things that stink a lot worse than cigarette smells. Try being stuck in a cage on a 90 degree day with fox pee...suddenly cigarette smoke don't smell that bad at all! LOL!!! I used to work in a machine shop where I stood around all day smelling kerosene and other various chemicals...same thing. You get used to it.

I also have to say that it tends to annoy me when a former smoker who quits goes on about this stuff...it's like they've -completely- forgotten what it's like to be a smoker. We lost one drummer because the lady was a "born again non-smoker" (emphasis on "born again") and said the smell made her sick (even though we had warned her ahead of time that we were all smokers!). I'm sorry...my house...my studio and my wife and I both smoke...deal with it.

Anyways, I'm sure that all came off sounding a bit ruder than I intended (sorry) but to me, I always have to laugh at those folks who go out of their way to advertise that something is from a non-smoking household...like somehow it adds value to the given item or something. Maybe it does for some people and maybe it's just one of those messed up priority things but when it comes to things like guitars and amps and such, to me that's just plain silly...it's still a guitar or an amp and again there are -CONSIDERABLY- worse things they could smell like.

Jim