Restoring Lacquer Fullback P/P

Rainer Hackstaette · From: Bohmte, Germany

I want to restore my 1976 lacquer fullback P/P (metal necks). The guitar was spray-painted by a previous owner with metallic blue car paint.

I took off the left endplate (keyhead side) and scraped some blue paint off. Under the blue there are several coats of white grounding/filler paint. The wood underneath that looks very dark, almost black. There is a decorative strip of wood inlay - squares of dark and light wood alternating like a single row on a chess board. I expect it to run the length of the front apron on top with a second one across the bottom. Likewise on the back apron.

I have talked to some local carpenters specializing in the restauration of antique furniture about the best method to get the old paint off:
- sand it off
- use chemical paint stripper
- use a heat gun.

Questions to the "Restauration Gurus" on this forum:
1. How would you take the old paint off?
2. What will I - most likely - find under the paint? Unstained maple? Stained maple? A "solid" lacquer coat? (I can't tell, as I have only scraped off 1/2 square inch.)
3. If there are dings in the wood that the filler paint leveled out, how far down can I sand before the inlay is destroyed? Or, in other words, how thick is the inlay?
4. How do I restain the aprons WITHOUT staining the inlay?
5. What type of lacquer should I use for a protective high gloss finish?
6. What do you think of shellack as a clear coat?

Or should I just forget about it and respray with hubcap silver?

Thanks,
Rainer

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Remington D-10 8+7, Sierra Crown D-10 gearless 8+8, Sierra Session S-14 gearless 8+5, '76 Emmons D-10 8+4, Peavey Session 400 LTD

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

The inlay is terribly thin, like 1/32", so you want to sand as little as possible over it!

Forget about using shellac. It's not waterproof. It's only advantages are that it's easy to reflow (with alcohol), and easy to remove. The inlay (or the other wood) can be masked with tape while you are restaining the guitar. Do the staining with a piece of cloth lightly dipped into the stain. Never use a brush!

[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 05 October 2003 at 05:40 AM.]

Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

I`m not a guru by any means but man,please don`t use the heat gun...

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Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

Bobbe Seymour has a guy here in Nashville that is excellent at refinishing laquer cabinets. Just look at Bobbe's Steel Guitar Nashville website and see some of the Emmons & Sho-Bud's he's done. Since you've already got the guitar torn down to work on. Maybe you should consider sending it to him and have it done professionally. You'll be assured of a nice job and the guitar will be worth alot more in the end especially if it;s an Emmons P/P. Nick

Nicholas Dedring · From: Beacon, New York, USA

http://www.constantines.com/ecatalog/page11/page11.htm

In case the inlay does get damaged, this seems to be a pretty comprehensive set of pre-laid inlay trim strips... if replacement becomes an issue.

Graham Bland · From: Tennessee, USA

What Nick Said!!!!

Rainer Hackstaette · From: Bohmte, Germany

Donny,

thanks for the advice. I am a little worried that whatever dye/stain/paint I'll use would "creep" by osmosis from the stained wood to the inlay. Masking alone would not prevent that, would it?

Damir,

hey man, it's only wood! If I charr it too badly I can always turn it into a kitchen table by covering it with mica!

Nick and Graham,

thanks for your suggestions. If I lived anywhere in the continental U.S.A. this would be a no-brainer. I'd ship the guitar to a professional repair shop in a heartbeat! But to do that from Germany (and back) would instantly double the restauration costs. The value of the restored guitar doesn't really come into play unless I want to sell it. I want only two things from this guitar: 1. deliver beautiful music - note that I avoided the four-letter "T"-word

- and 2. look as beautiful as I can (afford to) make it. This horn is a keeper. Let my heirs worry about value.

Nicholas,

cool site! Thanks a lot. I would have a hard time choosing a replacement inlay - they all look so purdy!

Thanks again, y'all, and keep the suggestions coming.
Rainer

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Remington D-10 8+7, Sierra Crown D-10 gearless 8+8, Sierra Session S-14 gearless 8+5, '76 Emmons D-10 8+4, Peavey Session 400 LTD

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I just got done refinishing a Fender T-8 Stringmaster. I used a paint stripper in an aersol can from Wal Mart. It really did a nice job. If your guitar has several coats of paint on it, you need to give it several applications. It is a lot easier than sanding and a lot less destructive.
Erv

P.S. If you find some dark spots on the guitar after you strip off the paint, use some Hilex to bleach them out. My guitar had some cigarette burns and it took them out.

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 06 October 2003 at 01:26 PM.]

MARK GILES · From: HAMILTON, TEXAS

Use stripper to remove the old paint. Don't leave it on too long. Some Emmons were covered with birds-eye venneer. This is very thin so don't sand through it and don't leave the stripper on too long as it may effect the glue underneath the veneer. Mask off the guitar leaving the inlays exposed. put on 2 to 3 coats of sealer. take off masking, then mask off the inlay before appling the stain. Use nitrocellulose lacquer.

Ray Walker · From: Smithfield, NC, USA, R.I.P.

Hi Rainer....I refinish Steel bodies here in North Carolina. If you would like to e-mail me I will be happy to see if I can help you through the process. The reason I can't go through all the things that may come up is because it would simply take up a whole lot of space here on the forum. There are way to many variables. The Emmons inlays are fairly easy to get so that wouldn't be a problem. I use a machine to remove and replace inlays. Ron Lashley did some pretty tricky things over the years and one would have to actually see the guitar in the state it is in today and investigate the possibilities for restoration. And by the way DON'T USE THE HEAT GUN". Also please don't rely on the carpenter. Carpentry is an admiral trade but the sounds and tones in wood species goes beyond the average capabilities of some of the best carpenters. Hope this helps a bit.

Ray Walker

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I used to be an antique restorer. By all means, use a stripper, but DO NOT use a stripper that has to be cleaned off with water. Water is bad! I always liked Strypeeze (I think that's how it's spelled). You should remove the stripper residue with Naptha/Benzene. This will not raise the grain at all.
If there are dents and dings, clean the paint out with the stripper, naptha using 0000 grade steel wool. Then dampen the corner of a washcloth, place it over the ding, and use an iron to turn the water (in this case water is good, but just a little) into steam. The steam will force its way into the dented wood fibers, and hopefully restore them.
Good Luck, take your time, JB

John McGann · From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.

BENZENE is a SERIOUS CARCINOGEN- my best friend, luthier John Zeidler, died of leukemia last year and he was convinced it was the benzene in the crazy glue he used- so if you must use it USE PLENTY of ventilation and realize it can be absorbed through your skin just as easily.

Johan Jansen · From: Europe

A good friend of mine, Wolfgang Schonrock, from Simmerath,Eifel, Germany, delivers work that makes you drool!Old Sho-buds, that look like new again,all the wood and alu-work! P/P Emmons, every part worked up like new, and playing with super action!
He is a good player and an ace in mechanics!So goood!!!
Wolfgang, 0049 247 387 827

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Sounds to me like you should get in touch with Wolf! Check out his work and get a price. Yeah, benzene is nasty stuff. I always wear a respirator and rubber gloves when stripping and finishing. Benzene may no longer be available. I actually use Naptha, but I seem to remember the product being sold years ago as Naptha/Benzene. Anybody else remember this? You could probably use mineral spirits for this job. You just don't want anything that evaporates to quickly. And be careful with the waste rags, paper towels and steel wool. They're very flamable. Can spontaneously combust.

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