The Steel Guitar Forum

Following Garry's example I removed some of the pink finish from the tuner cavity, but it's looking like I won't find any date written there. There appears to be a "C" in pencil under the original finish:



The only numbers visible on the pots are the ones I listed:



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Lynn Oliver
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Lynn Oliver on 22 October 2006 at 03:36 PM.]</p></FONT>

Lynn, that C pencil marking looks like initials, and to the left it looks like the date might be there - you just have to remove more pinkness.
Sometimes Fender dates are really faint and hard to read. It will have the month and year, like 7/57 or 12/56 - under the clear coat.

So far it just looks like a doodle:



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Lynn Oliver

WOW!, a Fender doodle!

Lynn, that looks very encouraging! It seems to me that the new pink paint is just lying on top of the original finish with maybe with a minimal amount of bonding between the original and new paint. A little more experimentation might provide more info. Try it on the back and see if works as well. It would be nice to see if Pinky is really a blond or what. Unless it really doesn't matter to you, and that is absolutely fine also!

Also it appears that the pots were replaced at some time (probably the same time it was repainted). Not a real big deal, unless you are a fanatic like me. You can find original replacements if you are so inclined without too much difficultly.

I know this is very slow, methodical work and if you really want to keep it as original as possible and don't have the time, I can ask my bro David at String Theory instrument repair for an estimate to do the job for you if you want. He is very reasonable.

Garry, I spent most of the afternoon carefully removing the newer finish from a section of the back. Where the original clear coat is intact it is possible to clean off just the pink finish.

In some places the clear coat must have been worn through, because the new finish seems to have combined with the orignal finish and both come up at the same time.

I like what I can see of the original blonde finish, but it's going to take more skill than I have to save it. It's going in to the refinish guy tomorrow, and we'll see if he thinks it is doable.

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Lynn Oliver

What values were the original pots? Where do you go for original replacements?


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Lynn Oliver

Tone pot: 1 Meg ohm linear
Volume pot: 250k audio
Blend pot: 250K audio
Cap: .050

Your pot values are fine; someone just replaced them with new ones. Some prefer new ones, but I like to find vintage replacements. It's just my preference. It makes me happy
Vintage guitar shows are a good place to find parts. David found me a rare Rick-National machine tuner at the Arlington,Tx show last weekend!
I've also found parts on eBay and don't forget the "Wanted to Buy" section of the Forum.

(edited to correct original specs. for pot values)
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Garry Vanderlinde on 28 October 2006 at 10:53 PM.]</p></FONT>

<SMALL>I like to find vintage replacements.</SMALL>

Interesting. Vintage pots on a guitar that you acutally play? I would think they would wear out quickly.

I've replaced one volume pot with sa brand new one, but kept the original just for build-year verification.

I am really surprised that anyone could have scraped away a finish and ended up with the original that clean! Awesome.

I thought that pink was pretty cool in a surfy kind of way. Unless it was a bad refin I would have kept it pink.

If you check out my myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/bullfiddlebebop

You will see my pink Fender D8. I also have a walnut D8 and a Blond T3. I painted it pink because I always liked the color. That guitar originally looked like it was someones sawhorse. trashed.

Tom

<SMALL>Unless it was a bad refin I would have kept it pink.</SMALL>

It was very poorly done. There were runs, sags, and fingerprints in the finish and it was generally uneven. Instead of removing the logo plate it was masked, poorly, so some of the original finish was showing.

I had higher hopes for it but at least the problems made the decision to refinish pretty obvious...

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Lynn Oliver

Did the Deluxe models ever have decals on the front like the Stringmasters?

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Lynn Oliver

Unfortunately they did not. No decal, only the metal name plate on top. I think the decal would have been really cool if they did. But, no, not original, it doesn't mean you can't put one on a refin if you want to.

BTW... how's Pinky doing?

I'm wondering if the edge of a single neck Deluxe is too short to fit the standard decal. It sure looks that way from the catalog pictures in the Volk book.

Pinky is in the process of becoming a blonde. She should be back home in another two weeks.

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Lynn Oliver