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#1
10-18-2019, 09:45 AM
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Woods changing color with age
I've been practicing Intarsia because it holds some promise for application in my guitar building. In this process I came across this handy little reference chart of how woods will change color with age. I thought I'd share it for those that might find it helpful:
 
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Mark Hatcher www.hatcherguitars.com “"A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking". Steven Wright 
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#3
10-18-2019, 10:01 AM
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Quote:
__________________
Mark Hatcher www.hatcherguitars.com “"A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking". Steven Wright
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#4
10-18-2019, 10:30 AM
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huh i dont see birch listed there
I have a birch harmony stella from 1969 that almost looks orange now Maybe its an aging toner? Maybe its the birch?
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12 Fret, Slotted Headstock, 1-7/8" Nut Width Fanatic
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#5
10-18-2019, 10:44 AM
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Quote:
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Mark Hatcher www.hatcherguitars.com “"A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking". Steven Wright
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#6
10-18-2019, 10:57 AM
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Quote:
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12 Fret, Slotted Headstock, 1-7/8" Nut Width Fanatic
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#7
10-18-2019, 11:11 AM
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The chart says of walnut, no change. That's not been my experience in using it for over 30 years. It generally starts as brown with a hint of gray and develops reds and yellows over time, and is one of the few woods I've used that can actually lighten a bit.
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#8
10-18-2019, 12:02 PM
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#9
10-18-2019, 02:28 PM
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Even allowing for the colour variation between these pictures (different cameras) you can see how much the Italian Alpine Spruce top on my 2011 Martin JDP II has darkened. (I treated the bridge with F-One in the last shot)
The wedges in the rosette have also changed colour.   
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Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird Last edited by Brucebubs; 10-18-2019 at 02:38 PM.
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#10
10-22-2019, 07:56 AM
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My Martin GCPA 4 with spruce top, about 10 years old, has a cedar-like hue, with a touch of honey, very very nice. My 48 year old oak floors are quite a bit darker but gorgeous too. I won't touch the finish on either despite wear spots. Anyone else have input on how spruces age (not on chart).
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Neil M, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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#12
10-22-2019, 09:22 AM
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#13
10-22-2019, 10:28 AM
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The chart is dead wrong re Pernambuco. P darkens and becomes less fluorescent.
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#14
10-23-2019, 10:40 AM
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The color change of the wood can differ depending on the finish as well, irrespective of the change in the finish itself. Much also seems to depend on light and air exposure. I've seen varnished mahogany that turned lighter over time when out doors but out of direct weather. Purple heart tends to bleach out in the sun under shellac, as does blood wood.
Rosewoods often turn lighter with age, sometimes by quite a lot. I remember seeing a hundred year old piano lid with the light imprint of a window in it's otherwise dark BRW veneer. I saw a BRW clock in a museum that was as orange as a pumpkin. Again, this may depend on the finish. I'll vouch for how dark Osage orange can get. I once did a 'sunburst' rosette on Osage and walnut, and after a few years the values had reversed: the osage 'sun' was darker than the walnut 'background'. One of the best pieces of advice I've seen about inlay was the point that all woods turn brown with age. You can't count on those purple heart mountains to stay purple for any length of time. If you think in terms of grey scale, with your lightest wood being 'white' and the darkest being 'black', you can construct a picture that should make sense even after the woods have changed color.
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