Opinions on lacing color

trippy1313

Starting Player
Hey, so I just bought a used Mizuno GCP51 of Ebay, and depending on the actual condition of the glove and laces when it shows up, I'm considering trying to relace it needed. But if I do, I'm debating on keeping it black laces, or getting fancy and adding some contrast.

I'm a huge mariners fan, so I was thinking Teal, or dark blue. But also thinking a traditional Tan. Or maybe even white... but I'm thinking white is just gonna get dirt stained over time. Open o opinions if other colors, or pictures of your black glove with colored laces.

Edit: Just to be sure I don't get heat, I am browsing through the threads looking for restoration pics, but there's a lot more brown gloves than black, so curious more about black glove pics.

Screenshot_20220527-193853_eBay.jpg
 
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mkaufm1

Member
I like my blue laces, but they do bleed onto everything. Black with Tan laces is a good combo (Ken Griffey G Jr special). The Black and Blonde combo seems to be in vogue these days, and may be a good combo with the welting on that glove. White always looks weird to me…grey / white.
 

trippy1313

Starting Player
I like my blue laces, but they do bleed onto everything. Black with Tan laces is a good combo (Ken Griffey G Jr special). The Black and Blonde combo seems to be in vogue these days, and may be a good combo with the welting on that glove. White always looks weird to me…grey / white.
I kinda felt that way with the white. On one hand I think it'll look kinda flashy... but.. I'm really not a super flashy kinda guy... but I'm kinda curious if Teal would look good.

And yeah, I've always loved the simple Black with Tan laces, very clean and classy look. And Griffey of course was my favorite growing up in Seattle area.
 

lorichie56

Active Member
Could always use 2 different colors if you're worried about it being too flashy. Seattle green on the web and the rest black etc...
 

etnstudios

Addicted to Softballfans
don't go white, the quality is always lower than other colors. blues always look good on black. teal would also. tan is classic. have you ever relaced anything before? starting with an Ichiro trap is a bold move lol.
 

Hiltz

Built for comfort
don't go white, the quality is always lower than other colors.
I'll second this. Every white lace I've ever touched has started out plastic-stiff and quickly gone floppy. They discolour if you look at them funny and they actually smell bad compared to other colours.

blues always look good on black. teal would also. tan is classic.
Coloured laces are generally softer than tan, tan starts out stiffer and stays that way longer. If you like a firm, well-formed glove tan is the way to go. If you're ok with your glove playing a little softer then feel free to play with colours.
 

trippy1313

Starting Player
Okay, see I wasn't aware color can affect the quality/stiffness/strength of the lacing.

For me, I like a glove soft/easy to squeeze, but I like the fingers stiff/solid at the tips so they don't bend out if I catch one on the fingers.

I'm a tinkerer... I've never fully relaced baseball glove but I've gone through and retightened laces a bunch, done some sewing on other things... maybe I'm wrong but looking at a glove I feel like, follow the old lace out with the new lace in.. but yeah around the top of the basket does look tricky.

I haven't recieved the glove yet, the laces may even be fine as is... just preparing that I may do a relace.

I already have some tan from having to fix a hand stall that was missing laces once.
 

littleman13

The Veteran
So, you have a great glove there. I picked up a GCP17 off here 10 years ago and seb swapped a tan GMP I-web onto it for my first go at relacing which is probably one of the hardest relaces you could do filling extra holes and all. So don't let the ichiro trap scare you. Just take ALOT of before pictures at every angle and replace the lace one step at a time as you pull it out. A few months later I picked up a basically new GMP51 for an OF glove and I am actually debating what color lace I want to put in it now too. There used to be a guy on here, Liberty1 that had one and relaced it all kinds of colors. I personally think a gray would be coolest, if you want more flashy, go whatever bold color you like. If you really want to go all out, pick up some fliebings leather dye and do the piping also.....
 

trippy1313

Starting Player
So, you have a great glove there. I picked up a GCP17 off here 10 years ago and seb swapped a tan GMP I-web onto it for my first go at relacing which is probably one of the hardest relaces you could do filling extra holes and all. So don't let the ichiro trap scare you. Just take ALOT of before pictures at every angle and replace the lace one step at a time as you pull it out. A few months later I picked up a basically new GMP51 for an OF glove and I am actually debating what color lace I want to put in it now too. There used to be a guy on here, Liberty1 that had one and relaced it all kinds of colors. I personally think a gray would be coolest, if you want more flashy, go whatever bold color you like. If you really want to go all out, pick up some fliebings leather dye and do the piping also.....
Good advice with many pictures. I plan to keep this style trap for a while cause I've always wanted to try a glove with it, but frankly most were all outta my budget.

So... side question cause I can't tell the difference...

What is the difference between the GCP, GMP and GZP 51's? Appears the GCP may be the cheapest? Maybe oldest model?
 

etnstudios

Addicted to Softballfans
gotta find fred's posts on here. if i recall, gcp is a slightly lower tiered offering. gmp is their top and gzp was the highest that they offered at the time some years ago. not quite on par with the gmp.
 

trippy1313

Starting Player
gotta find fred's posts on here. if i recall, gcp is a slightly lower tiered offering. gmp is their top and gzp was the highest that they offered at the time some years ago. not quite on par with the gmp.
I'll look it up. That's kinda maybe what I was thinking but hadn't actually heard of the GMP. Thanks!

Glove is supposed to show up today so I'll see what kind of shape its actually in tonight.
 

mkaufm1

Member
I'll look it up. That's kinda maybe what I was thinking but hadn't actually heard of the GMP. Thanks!

Glove is supposed to show up today so I'll see what kind of shape its actually in tonight.
I think it’s this one…


I have a GMP first base mitt. 3 years old. Maybe used for 9 games total and the occassional catch…tell me I’m not the only one with an infrequent use first base mitt. :) It’s still very stiff, but Fred’s comment on easy to breakin is true.
 
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littleman13

The Veteran
I think it was Rous had a rundown of the GCP51 vs the GMP7. The GCP played more like a 12.75-13" and the GMP was more like a 12.5 with the same pocket depth. The GMP is the deguchi leather. I have a GMP I web on my GCP17 and you can tell the GMP leather is a little better quality. I love my GCP51 for OF only, the tip is too floppy for Infield, hence my GCP17 so if you plan to use it for any infield, consider strengthening up your web wrap when you relace it.
 

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
I think it was Rous had a rundown of the GCP51 vs the GMP7. The GCP played more like a 12.75-13" and the GMP was more like a 12.5 with the same pocket depth. The GMP is the deguchi leather. I have a GMP I web on my GCP17 and you can tell the GMP leather is a little better quality. I love my GCP51 for OF only, the tip is too floppy for Infield, hence my GCP17 so if you plan to use it for any infield, consider strengthening up your web wrap when you relace it.
Yep, the GCP51 is a longer glove than the GMP7. I really like that GCP51 pattern. So weird, there was a one year period where I relaced about 5 of them.

Old school tan laces are actually alum-tanned leather (technically, it's not even tanned). It is tougher than chrome tanned lace, but it cannot handle water or heat as well. All the other colors of lace from Tanners, Buyfastpitchgloves, etc. (including chocolate, camel, etc) are chrome tanned lace, just like the rest of a glove. It can handle water and heat better, but gets softer than tan with use. I am not sure what they do to make the really plasticy feeling lace. It may actually be chrome tanned or maybe some other process.

Nothing looks better on an all black glove than tanned lace!!! (IMHO)
 
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