How does this happen?

[Mark M.]

I found these pics posted on the internet. I can envision years of hanging on a wall with heavy sunlight exposure doing this to the top, but how to explain the back?

[Spook410]

Given the red where the pickguard was looks like UV on the front. Maybe it was hanging in a place where sunlight hit back and front. Overall looks like it was stored in a shed.

[Jimmy Mack]

Gretschy.....

Bad refin? Toxic environment?

I had a '64 Epiphone Riviera with a back that resembled that one, but it was consistent with the overall factory finish. Maybe the one in the photo was poorly finished at the factory?? factory second?

[Dave70]

I think it looks kinda cool.

[customxke]

The 50s (58/59) cherry finishes Gibson applied often faded extensively.

[sgosnell]

It looks like that guitar has been hit by a lot of UV radiation. Maybe at home, maybe in a club. It might be from the sun, but I suspect blacklights may have been involved, over a long period. But obviously I have no actual knowledge of what happened.

[Litterick]

I took the OP's photos on a ride with Google Lens, which is useful for finding similar images. There are many faded archtops out there. I suppose it happened because the makers could not predict the futures of their varnishes.

[Chris236]

Looks like small caliber rounds, but I think an attempt on its life was made.

[Hammertone]

Looks like small caliber rounds, but I think an attempt on its life was made.

Bigsby B-7 bites.

[pauln]

I've noticed that of all the paints, pigments,
and dyes it is the red shades that seem the
most influenced (fading) from UV exposure.

[Christian Miller]

They’ll make that into a custom relic scheme at the Murphy lab and charge a 2000usd premium.

[Herbie]

The owner just used to go to solarium weekly and liked to play guitar there.

[Archie]

I've noticed that of all the paints, pigments,
and dyes it is the red shades that seem the
most influenced (fading) from UV exposure.

Same with cars.

[Jimmy Mack]

Off-gassing in the case? Could be the case is the culprit.

[Mark M.]

Off-gassing in the case? Could be the case is the culprit.

Interesting theory. But, how does it explain the relative lack of fading under the pickguard?

[AllanAllen]

The pick guard took those gases.

[Jimmy Mack]

As did the p/up covers. Now I get it! My L5 has covers that look like those. P/G is history.

[Mark M.]

Off-gassing in the case? Could be the case is the culprit.

Hmmm…maybe we have a winner in the first episode of “Forensic Guitar Investigators”.

[Gilpy]

Looks to be a late 50s-early 60s ES-355 that has seen a lot of sunlight. I had one of those, and it faded all over too, though not nearly as much.
I believe Gibson changed their red dye formula around 1960 to prevent that.
There were very few red ES Gibsons made before the early 60s, mostly 355s. That’s why you don’t see a lot of faded ones.

[Sam Sherry]

Looks like refinish work to me.

a) The finish between the bridge and stop-bar is not a place which people touch. It looks buffed-out but not all the way.
b) The fissures in the plywood don't have corresponding fissures in the lacquer.
c) That gouge above the bass-side tailpiece stud should not have finish.

[Mark M.]

Great observations and a new theory in our forensic quest. You’re saying this is a crime scene, not the scene of an accident.

[Christian Miller]

Looks to be a late 50s-early 60s ES-355 that has seen a lot of sunlight. I had one of those, and it faded all over too, though not nearly as much.
I believe Gibson changed their red dye formula around 1960 to prevent that.
There were very few red ES Gibsons made before the early 60s, mostly 355s. That’s why you don’t see a lot of faded ones.

My prediction will be entirely borne out, then!