Pictures - Aged Soundboards

[Marco Polo]

Spruce Top Aging

skyisland's thread on their 'newly acquired' 30-year old 812 gave me an idea. 

Let's see your aged soundboards

This is my 'old family'  The left two have since been replaced by a 150e

Left to right model years...1996, 2009, 2013, and 2013. 

Comparing the two 2013 model-year guitars, it looks like the PS56ce was previously a 'case queen'...before my ownership 

[TaylorGirl]

My 2002 414...Sitka spruce (taken a few years ago). The aged striping adds some nice character to the top.

[Geosh]

My ~18 year old 414ce and my 2016 412ce 12-fret. It’s gotten noticeably darker

[Earl]

Here is one to show with and without light exposure.  I removed a peeling pick guard when that 410 was about age 16, since the corners were lifting.  You can see where the more transparent portions of the tortoiseshell pick guard left "freckles".  I tried masking it off and it spent about 35-40 hours in direct sunlight, but the light and dark portions never really blended back together.  Maybe a couple hundred hours with a UV lamp might have fixed it, but that was beyond my patience level for that project. 

In the end, I just put on a plain black pick guard in the standard Taylor shape.

[StrummingMadMan]

Here is one to show with and without light exposure.  I removed a peeling pick guard when that 410 was about age 16, since the corners were lifting.  You can see where the more transparent portions of the tortoiseshell pick guard left "freckles".  I tried masking it off and it spent about 35-40 hours in direct sunlight, but the light and dark portions never really blended back together.  Maybe a couple hundred hours with a UV lamp might have fixed it, but that was beyond my patience level for that project. 

In the end, I just put on a plain black pick guard in the standard Taylor shape.

In a few years it will blend in to the rest of the top

[Earl]

Maybe so, but I put a black pick guard on it and sold it last year, as part of my general downsizing.

[Marco Polo]

Beautiful pictures!  Please keep 'em coming.

...and agree Susie...that soundboard has character!

[CodeBlueEMT]

 2011 314ce. My first Taylor.

 

[TaylorGirl]

Beautiful pictures!  Please keep 'em coming.

...and agree Susie...that soundboard has character!

Thanks Marco!

[Edward]

MarcoPolo,

Your '96 looks amazing! 

Edward

[Fellrunner]

This is my 2001 712ce with an engleman top which has gone a golden yellow over the years

[TaylorGirl]

Here is one to show with and without light exposure.  I removed a peeling pick guard when that 410 was about age 16, since the corners were lifting.  You can see where the more transparent portions of the tortoiseshell pick guard left "freckles".  I tried masking it off and it spent about 35-40 hours in direct sunlight, but the light and dark portions never really blended back together.  Maybe a couple hundred hours with a UV lamp might have fixed it, but that was beyond my patience level for that project. 

In the end, I just put on a plain black pick guard in the standard Taylor shape.

Wow, what a change.

[Earl]

Yeah, it was pretty dramatic.  That is why I held out no hope for it ever blending with the rest of the top again and put on a solid black PG in the Taylor shape.  The new owner was pleased both acoustically and visually.  I gave him the choice of black or tortoise.

[Marco Polo]

Beautiful guitars!

Thanks all for sharing.

Any other 'golden tops'?

[Strumming Fool]

Here's one: my 1995 GA-KS - 23 years old and still beautiful!

https://imgur.com/d83Ji80