Re-birth of an Emmons. I couldn't resist it ! ! ! !

Barry Gaskell · Post by **Barry Gaskell** » 13 May 2008 8:08 am

Hi Guys.
I know most of the replies I got when I posted about refinishing my early seventies Emmons were to leave it alone.I decided to do just that and learn to live with the awful colour.
Well I failed at the first fence, could not stand the yukky green and set about redoing her,and Lo and behold she's turned out to be a cinderella.
She's not finished yet. I tried to resur

rect the fret board but gave up. I think a chrome job would look the biz. She's not wired up yet either, so a little work still to do, but I think she is Gorgeous. All done by hand and even sprayed using aerosol lacquer. Eight coats, rubbed down and polished.
The before and after pics.

What do you think ?. I think she glows with life.
A keeper.
Cheers
Barry
Barry [/b]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 13 May 2008 8:20 am

Barry, you have done a beautiful thing. Those pictures literally warm my heart. Congratulations!

David Wren · Post by **David Wren** » 13 May 2008 8:20 am

Barry, she's a real beauty! Nice job!

Benton Allen · Post by **Benton Allen** » 13 May 2008 8:26 am

WOW Barry!
That is some beautiful wood!
Great job!

Cheers!
Benton

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 13 May 2008 9:18 am

GREAT JOB

guitar looks amazing, beautiful

Db

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 13 May 2008 9:21 am

Spectacular job! Is it "Music Wood"

?

Greg

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 13 May 2008 9:25 am

Beautiful natural birdseye..Definitely a keeper.

BF

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 13 May 2008 9:44 am

Barry - that's an excellent job. You took a gamble and it paid off handsomely. That birdseye is wonderful. There is something about natural wood finish. You would never think it was the same guitar, full stop.

Mike Poholsky · Post by **Mike Poholsky** » 13 May 2008 9:55 am

Barry, That is one BEAUTIFUL Guitar! Although I've owned a Formica, and there are many that look great, I've always been a Wood Man! LOL Excellent job! That really looks fantastic!

Barry Gaskell · Post by **Barry Gaskell** » 13 May 2008 10:19 am

Hi Guys
Thanks for comments. She really is beautiful.
I can't pass it without stopping and staring.
Hi Ken
It's amazing to think that birdseye was lurking under that awful colour. It was hard to see any figuring under the old finish. The original colour was blue and I've left a section of it under the neck if anyone in the future wants to restore it back to original. As I took the old finish off I was stunned by the maple underneath.
Hi Greg
It didn't invite you to play it before, but now the wood draws you in and screams at you to play it. Maybe it's all in the mind, but I'll make sure she sings now.
Who do you think you would make a better job of making love to ?. The Wicked Witch or Marilyn Monroe ???? Exactly.
Not the best analogy maybe, but true.
Thanks guys
Barry

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 13 May 2008 10:24 am

Barry Gaskell wrote:Who do you think you would make a better job of making love to ?. The Wicked Witch or Marilyn Monroe ????

Well, ya know, they both would have their 'aspects'; there's something exciting about that 'bad-girl' thing, doncha think?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 May 2008 10:33 am

nice barry...you were wise not to listen to us!!

how did you take it down to the original wood? when i refinished mine, i just sanded off the old finish, prepped and refinished with color lacquer. did you use chemicals or sandpaper...looks beautiful! i ask because i don't think i got mine that clean to be able to go natural.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 13 May 2008 10:34 am

Beautiful, Barry!!!!

Never mind all the 'original finish' talk - there's no contest in this particular case. Well done!

(Talking of witches, when I was a single man in the '70s, and touring around Britain, guitarist Billy Bremner once named me the 'Witchfinder General'.....; he could talk, though - he came up with some oddities himself!)

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 13 May 2008 12:07 pm

Barry, that's absouletely gorgeous. What a waiste of that brill maple covered up for so long. Clever guy you, well done!!!

Micky Byrne U.K.

Barry Gaskell · Post by **Barry Gaskell** » 13 May 2008 12:26 pm

Hi Chris
I tried chemicals on a small patch under the neck and it was so messy and only took off a thin layer I decided that wasn't the way to go.Then I tried a metal ruler, and keeping it flat I started chipping the lacquer off with the end. The exposed parts that had faded to a green came off quite easily, while the original blue lacquer under the metalware was really hard to get off. I ended up chipping all the already crazed exposed lacquer off with the ruler, and with care, took the whole lot off without damage.
A light sanding, and the first coat of clear lacquer
really showed the quality of the grain and as I added more layers the grain started to really show through. It only took me about two hours to strip the guitar down to the wood.
Hi Roger
Thanks for the comments.
I'm sure you remember Phil Brady. Well when he'd copped off , it was yours truly who had to entertain the friend. It's remarkable how you never got two gorgeous girls together.
Hi Jim
I guess you like a challenge huh ???
It's the old saying, 'Aint never gone to bed with an ugly woman, but sure have woken up with a few' !!
Cheers
Barry

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 13 May 2008 12:34 pm

Sonny Curtis (ex-Cricket and great songwriter) told us of his days on the road when smooth and debonair Jerry Naylor was also a 'Cricket'; he said: 'Jerry could get ***** when I couldn't get drinking water!'

Then he added - '...or I'd end up with the girl who looked like Earnest Borgnine!'

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 13 May 2008 12:44 pm

What a beauty. Nice job!

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 13 May 2008 3:48 pm

That is a gorgeous guitar, makes me wonder why that lovely wood was covered with the original colour.

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 13 May 2008 9:57 pm

Wow! Soooo much better than that ghastly, uneven black shading. Congratulations!

Robbie Roberts · Post by **Robbie Roberts** » 14 May 2008 2:42 am

A beautiful transformation Barry, excellent work.

Is this the guitar you'll be using for standard E9 set up now?

Dave Diehl · Post by **Dave Diehl** » 14 May 2008 3:34 am

Does look nice. Something to be very proud of.

Barry Gaskell · Post by **Barry Gaskell** » 14 May 2008 8:17 am

Hi Guys
Thanks for all the comments, I appreciate them.
Hi Robbie
I've still to put an up lever on it yet, but then I'm hoping to use her for lessons as she's light and very transportable.
Cheers
Barry

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 15 May 2008 5:24 am

Barry , great job, Did you buy it from JD..