G&L Custom Shop Icon Inspired Legacy in nitrocellulose lacquer 3-Tone Sunburst over alder

[Craig]

From a post on G&L's facebook page (1/12/2025):

G&L Custom Shop Icon Inspired Legacy in nitrocellulose lacquer 3-Tone Sunburst over alder.
Built for Sweetwater.

[Expert_Fretwork]

Before anyone chimes in with "it's too heavy on the aging", it's Inspired by Stevie Ray Vaughan, so if anything I went too light.

[Tooslowhand]

How do you make the cracks in the finish?

[DanDoulogos]

I would not hesitate to welcome that into my barn.

I've wanted G&L version of SRV's No.1 for as long as I've loved G&L guitars.

Nice. Reallly Nice...

[sam]

While not always a "relic" fan this one looks like it just wants to be played, well done James and team!

Ditto to Tooslowhand, how were the cracks accomplished, or is it an Expert_Freetwork trade secret?

[Expert_Fretwork]

How do you make the cracks in the finish?

After buffing the guitar, I install the hardware and pickguard. Then I use a big set of keys to put small dings in a few specific spots where they might look correct, on all sides of the guitar. Then we throw the body in the freezer for about 40-60 minutes. Sometimes I'll take it out and rotate it 180 degrees and put it back in for a bit.

Putting the painted body in the freezer will contract the wood. The lacquer can shrink a bit, but it can't shrink as much as the wood can, and so it stress cracks. This same process will naturally happen slowly over years of continuous environmental changes with lacquer eventually. Putting it in the freezer just speeds this process up.

[Tooslowhand]

Interesting. Thanks

[SUaPYG]

Putting it in the freezer also guarantees a 'cool' sound