How to refinish?

Jon Nygren · Post by **Jon Nygren** » 25 Sep 2009 8:05 am

Doug Beaumier wrote:
I'll have to set the hardware back in place and see how it looks then.
It looks like most of the brown areas will be covered by the hardware. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how good it looks when the bridge plates, fretboards, and tuner pans are in place.

I agree with you and Chris.

I kind of like worn guitars anyway.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 25 Sep 2009 8:43 am

I kind of like worn guitars anyway.

Me too!

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 25 Sep 2009 9:51 am

It's the short scale, 22.5".

I paid to have one refinished (the pink Dlx 8 ) but the professional job wasn't as good as I could do on my own. This time I'm able to do it myself, if I end up going that way (an injury prevented me from doing it before).

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 25 Sep 2009 6:14 pm

Here ere are some pics with the hardware set in place:

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 25 Sep 2009 6:40 pm

Not too bad. Most of the original finish is still there. I would leave it as is.

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 25 Sep 2009 9:25 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:It looks like most of the brown areas will be covered by the hardware. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how good it looks when the bridge plates, fretboards, and tuner pans are in place.

Let's just say I was not pleasantly surprised. It could be that after many hours of peeling off brown paint I've grown to dislike it more than a little.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 25 Sep 2009 11:10 pm

I'd refinish it .... In it's present state, it no longer has the cool vibe of a "worn" vintage guitar.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 26 Sep 2009 7:08 am

It could be that after many hours of peeling off brown paint I've grown to dislike it more than a little.

You gave it as fair a shot as anyone could. Looking forward to seeing it in its upcoming new glory!

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 26 Sep 2009 11:17 am

You've gotten this far, Lynn. I'd use a little steel wool and remove the remainder of the brown.
If you hit it a little too hard and go down to the wood, you might blend it to make it look like the finish is worn off.

But, I'd refinish it.
You and Willie Nelson might have the same blood type, Lynn.

Allan Munro · Post by **Allan Munro** » 26 Sep 2009 11:33 am

Based on your post in a thread I started recently I would say that you know your stuff - this thing is past looking like a well used but well loved guitar. 'sides, I never understood 'relic-ed' as a concept. I like instruments to look as good as they sound and that means bright and shiny in my book.
Re-finish it!

Doesn't matter what you decide, for the first few days after you start working on it you are gonna wish you had gone the other way - that's human nature.

Just bite the bullet and get stuck in.

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 29 Sep 2009 8:54 am

Thanks for all the comments about preserving the original finish. In my opinion the condition of the original finish just wasn't good enough to keep, even though it didn't completely show in the photos.

Yesterday I removed the finish:

The most popular refinish option seems to be blonde, which in this case relates to the original finish. What I don't understand is the idea that a blonde finish shows off the grain, since the original finish was opaque enough that there was maybe just a hint of the grain showing. I refinished my Dlx 8 with blonde, leaving more grain showing:

The difficulty (for me) with this approach--and you can see it in the photo--is that the lighter you go with the color coat, the more obvious are any variations in thickness. I'm not anxious to try this on three necks, so if I go with blonde again I'll make it about as opaque as the original finish.

While I think blonde is a great look for Stringmasters, given that I'll essentially be putting an opaque color coat on, I'm also thinking about other options.

Does anyone have pictures of Stringmasters refinished in other colors?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 29 Sep 2009 10:07 am

Forum member Alan Brookes recently refinished his Guyatone with a dark cream, with a hint of green. A nice, warm color, in my opinion.

I would go with some shade of blonde or cream. I really detest loud, gaudy finishes on steel guitars, especially vintage ones. Again, my opinion.

Will you be using nitro or poly?

Rich Hlaves · Post by **Rich Hlaves** » 29 Sep 2009 10:13 am

Lynn,

Your re-fin Deluxe 8 is as correct as they come with the grain showing through. I have a '56 model Deluxe 8 that is just about as minty as they come, same see-through blonde. I think they all start that way and then age to the yellowish color over time with exposure to sunlight(UV)and other things like smoke when played in bars.

I also own a '56 dual six that has aged to the yellowish tint hiding most of the grain.

If it where me I would also consider using a trans-red finish as on a Deluxe Players Strat. I love red guitars with grain. The choclate brown that Fender used shows off the chrome real well and would be a consideration too. Sorry no pics to share of non-stock colors.

I have two Fender Champ bodies that where refinned before I came to own them. Eventually one will become solid sea foam green (this one has a few extra hole in the bottom) and the other trans-red (now metalic red and a crappy job too).

Dennis Brooker · Post by **Dennis Brooker** » 29 Sep 2009 10:53 am

Lynn - I'm gonna ask a silly question after reading the thread - Are you re-finishing this guitar for yourself and as a keeper or to re-sell? It looks like the majority would like to see it look as though it came from the factory but if you're doing it for yourself then..... You can't please everyone so ya got to please yourself - DB

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 29 Sep 2009 11:12 am

Doug: I'll be using nitro. I'm not a big fan of poly.

Rich: I haven't seen a Fender transparent red from the 50's; the new strats look like a dye/stain to me. It's more than I want to take on to use a dye on this project.

Dennis: I bought it to play, not sell. Of course I may decide to sell it at some point in the future.

Here's a picture of Eddie Rivers playing his refinished quad:

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 7 Jan 2010 12:26 am

I can't believe it has been so long since I started this thread/project. Except for the decal, which is on order, it is finished. I ended up stopping at 1200 grit rather than buffing to a gloss finish because I thought that fit in better with the age of the instrument. The picture does not show the actual color very well for some reason.

The original case is in really bad shape, so while I may eventually take a crack at repairing it I got a Gator GK-49 case. This is a 15" by 38" keyboard case with two wide padded straps inside; the T8 fits well, with enough room at one end for a volume pedal.

I'm thinking of just getting a leg bag and putting the legs inside the case, perhaps with some padding between the bag and the guitar. Does anyone have any better suggestions for storing the legs?

Ron Simpson · Post by **Ron Simpson** » 7 Jan 2010 3:31 am

You have done a beautiful job. Congratulations and enjoy the guitar.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 7 Jan 2010 9:48 am

It looks great!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 7 Jan 2010 9:49 am

Nice work, Lynn.

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 8 Jan 2010 10:54 am

The last step is applying the decal. I messed up the first one so I ordered a second, which came with detailed instructions. Following the instructions exactly, here is what it looked like after being soaked for 1 minute (directions specify 1 to 2 minutes:

Can anyone offer any advice on dealing with this type of decal?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 8 Jan 2010 11:19 am

I've never had much luck with those decals either. Lynn, are you going to apply a clear coat after the decal is on?

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 8 Jan 2010 11:24 am

Nice job on the finish Lynn!

I have not done a lot of the water slide decals, but as I recall the process was to dip for about 5 seconds, then set it on a dry paper towel while the backing softens.

Lynn Oliver · Post by **Lynn Oliver** » 8 Jan 2010 11:25 am

I just found this stuff, which looks like it should help: Microscale Liquid Decal Film.

I was not planning to clear coat after the decal is on. I don't believe Fender did.

Rich Hlaves · Post by **Rich Hlaves** » 8 Jan 2010 3:25 pm

Lynn,

Thanks for the tip on Microscale. I've been looking for that stuff and their clear coats for years! Local hobby shops had no idea what I was talking about.

Super!

Rich

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 8 Jan 2010 5:13 pm

Lynn Oliver wrote:The last step is applying the decal. I messed up the first one so I ordered a second, which came with detailed instructions. Following the instructions exactly, here is what it looked like after being soaked for 1 minute (directions specify 1 to 2 minutes:

Can anyone offer any advice on dealing with this type of decal?

I had exactly the same thing happen to me when I restored Basil's Stringmaster. I think some of the transfers have been in stock for a long time and deteriorated.

I succeeded on the third try, and even then I had to put it back together and align it after it was on the guitar. You'll have to get a few transfers and keep trying.

If it's any consolation, I have the same problem applying logos and numbers to model railway locomotives. Once you do get it attached and it's dried, give it a light spray of artists' fixative to prevent it from peeling off.

Nice paint job, by the way. You did right to strip it down and refinish it.