Refinishing vintage guitars... opinions needed
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Posted on Aug 07, 2008 09:59 am
Hue
Pinnipedal Czar (: 3=
Member Since: Apr 11, 2004
I have a 'well-worn' '77 Les Paul Custom that I've owned since 2000, that I don't play that often because of it's neck finish being sticky due to a refinish of it after what seems to have been a refretting . The guitars actions and sound are beautiful, it just a PITA to play with the way the neck 'sticks' as I slide my hand up/down it . So, I've decided that since I'm never going to sell it(family heirloom), I'm going to refinish it so that it is both playable and beautiful . I also have a 1998 American Stratocaster that I want done in the same emerald-green finish . I found a local luthier with a good rep, that does exquisite work, and spoke with him over the phone . He voiced concern as to me losing some of the resale value of the LPC by radially changing it's original appearance from the chipped, and rubbed-off red that it is .
What do you guys think ? Should I simply have the neck done with a nice satin/matte finish,(which it would at least make it playable) and skip the repaint, or should I give it the 'big-love' and have the old red taken off, and wash it in a nice translucent green, along with the Strat to have a couple of matching American beauties ?
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Aug 07, 2008 10:03 am Well, it depends what your goal is. Is it an investment for you, or a guitar. If you goal is as an investment, keep it as is, hang it on the wall and leave it...much like somebody with a mid 60's Corvette Split Window, if they are in for the investment you keep the same paint color, same interior material, etc...if you wanna pimp it out, well, go for it.
You have to figure out what your goal is and then act accordingly. I HATE finished necks, it's a requirement of any purchase of mine that is is unfinished, or matte...so I totally feel your pain on that issue.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Aug 07, 2008 10:24 am i think if ya not worried about selling it and you wanna keep playing it etc. give it the big love as you put it and paint that baby, after all you're the one playing it, so at least have it the way you want it.
Aug 07, 2008 10:25 am of course that also makes one wonder exactly how much resale are we talking here...if it's some limited edition model that is worth some obscene amount of money, then it'd be stupid, you'd be better off selling it for a ton of cash and spending time and energy finding another...
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Aug 07, 2008 10:35 am Dig that . The luthier kind'a freaked out when I told him the LPC has a maple fretboard... he'd never seen one before . Overall, he seemed pretty geeked about the entire project... I guess he'd done something like this before with a couple of Telecasters .
Found him on Craigs List...
detroit.craigslist.org/msg/742467843.html
The Strat is getting done from the ground up . I only have a neck and a body for it, so any suggestions as to what pickups, nut, and tuners, etc... would be good to go into a heavy-metal-strat would be appreciated .
I noticed a couple of pickup companys have pre-loaded pick guards for some 'signiture' set-ups... I guess that's one route .
TallChapAnswer:On a good day, lipstick.Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004
Aug 07, 2008 07:01 pm Those Maple jobbies are a bit rare, aren't they?
Anyway, a GOOD luthier - sorry, make that a REAL luthier - will be able to make the guitar playable. Sounds like the last refret/refinish was a hack job, so the value of the guitar (possibly into the $3000 up) may be blown already.
As for the Strat, take a look at Seymour Duncan's website. They have depth charts for pickups and recorded tones....
Pick the wood, the type of guitar, the type of music...tada....here's the pickup you need....that style of kidney.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 07, 2008 08:24 pm Hue, on the pickups for the Srat. For what you want in music style I would suggest looking into the DiMarzio Fast Track II. That is what I use in the middle pickup spot on Frankenstein and I love it. It is basically a Humbucker in a single coil frame. It can be coil tapped so you can really get the exact sound you want out of it. Think of 3 of those babies in that strat. What a frickin tone machine that would be. And you can still make it sound pretty much like a regular strat with them in single coil mode.
On the refin. Well, the others have covered all the bases there.
BeerHunterwww.TheLondonProject.caMember
Since: Feb 07, 2005
Aug 07, 2008 09:31 pm What is the sticky stuff you are talking about? I would look into what is causing that first. Maybe some Hawkins Lemon Oil will clean the "residue" (if that's what it is). You said something about the fret work??? I would avoid at all costs doing any "destructive" work to a 30 year old guitar. It might be cigarette smoke residue and you could clean that off. Might not help the problem with any gouges but you might not care as much if you can get the stickiness dealt with. It would be a same to do a lot of work to the axe just to have it do the same again.
Clear nail polish or something to fill the wholes maybe... or??
BTW - Not "well worn"... lot's of character
.... it is calling out.... noooo.... don't strip me....
oh well, its your conscience - lol
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Aug 07, 2008 09:55 pm just don't finish it with spar varnish :)
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 07, 2008 10:11 pm I have to side with dB on the finished neck thing as well. I hate, and I do mean hate a finished neck. Frankenstein has a nice smooth well sanded raw neck. Nothing but human oil on that baby. I keep it very clean and it is so comfy and smooth.
All my past guitars save for a few have had raw necks. I do so prefer it, and it just feels more comfy.
I would indeed check though on the value of the warn guitar before doing a re-work on it. Just in case.
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Aug 08, 2008 09:33 am TallChap: Yeah, they are few and far between . The one I have is the only one I've ever 'held', and the only one I've heard of(seen) outside that was in perfect shape and listed around $12,500... the guy was asking $7500 for it on Craigs List . My dad left me this guitar before passing, so it's worth alot more than that to me... I'm not planning on ever selling it, but I also don't want to make an 'abomination' out of it... just want to show it proper love, and make it more playable .
BeerHunter: It's deffinately not a residue... and yes, I too hear that voice .
zek : I have no idea what 'spar varnish' is .
Noize: Those pickups sound really sweet ! I'll deffinately be looking into them .
Thanks guys, you've been quite helpful !
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 08, 2008 09:05 pm Hue, I ended up having all my pickups on that guitar custom wound. although to be honest I could have probably left the Fast Track II alone as it is the middle pickup on that guitar and I didn't get that much difference in having it wound hotter. The neck and bridge are custom wound and are what I mainly use. All 3 pickups are coil tapped for these 3 settings. Humbucker, single or parallel. But I love the sound of that Fast Track II as it gets me that country twang or a real heavy bit when I need it. When I use it with either the neck or bridge in full hum mode it really adds some killer crispy bite to the sound.
Go here, www.dimarzio.com/site/#/pickups/ and choose Strat, then Hum Canceling They have a wide array of that type of pickup now that will let you set it up with all 3 different pickups that are suited to each position on the guitar. But the Fast Track II is the grinder of the bunch, and the hottest of them all.
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Aug 09, 2008 10:07 am Thanks Noize... what a cool site ! I was thinking Dmarzio would be a good call, too . I have a Super Distortion, that I've been popping in and out of guitars since '93, currently in my RG320 . That's one hot pickup... perfect for adding that bite of which you speak . But yeah, these humbucking-single coils seem to be the ticket .
I must admit, THIS project has me utterly stoked ! I can't wait to see these two ladys side by side ! Yes, I've made my decision on the refinish... the fact that I want to keep and play it for the rest of my life has alot to do with my go-ahead . While I'm sure that I'm going to go with a nice emerald-green, I wont know if it's going to be stain, or paint until I can see the condition of the wood underneath the two . The Strat has actually had dammage 'inflicted' upon it... really... the previous owner actually took a philips screwdriver to the body... don't ask me why one would do such a thing... idiot . I'm hoping that it's not bad enough to make the staining of it impossible . Nothing wrong with a nice deep paint-job, though . : )
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Aug 09, 2008 01:04 pm This is what I've come up with after some thought, and listening to the soundbites :
Bridge: Super Distortion S(DP218) . In an attempt to keep that 'signature Hue sound' . bah!
Middle: Fastrack II(DP118) As per your recomendation, and the soundbites .
Neck: YJM(217) . Does nice things to the notes higher-up on the neck .
The website these guys run is simply awesome ! The hardest part of deciding on a set of pickups is (not)knowing what they're capeable of in the position you place them . Best part of the site is that it helps clarify that aspect pretty well . Thanks again for the linky... very insightful .
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 09, 2008 07:45 pm Yep, it has been that way since day one. They give you pretty much everything you need to know to pick the right pickup, or base one from if you want it custom wound.
Good choice on the YJM for the neck as well. Now if you are going to go all out you can get yourself 3 of those tiny little 3 way switches and coil tap all 3 of those pickups. The directions come with the pickups and are on the site as well. I had a friend help me with doing mine as I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted. But now I am set up with just 1 volume knob, the 5 way Ibanez switch which is set up the same as a strat and the 3 coil tap switches. No tone pot at all as I hate those things, they just degrade the tone. And the coil tap does enough to give me the different tones I want.
You'll love it for sure.
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Aug 11, 2008 09:23 am To "Go all out" is deffinately the mindset with this one... it is a rare oportunity that has been virtually placed in my lap . Don't ask me how the neck and body(with no hardware on either) of a '98 American Strat, ends up in the lost and found of a Detroit area cab company . Finding it there was a bit like like walking in on a murder scene . The body is pretty messed up, with stickers, and some gouging that was appearently done with a philips screwdriver, but no damage on the structural-level... the maple w/rosewood neck is flawless . I figure I'll put slightly less into it than what it would cost to flat-out buy one, and prolly end up with something worth much more than that... not to mention the value of being able to personalize a guitar on a ground-up level .
So yes, coil taps all 'round it is ! Ths puppy's going to be one sick dog .
Oh, and good call on eliminating the tone pot . I may go with a separate volume on the bridge pickup, to be able to blend-in that edgyness .
I offered this guy $150 for this guitar, for the parts, then I could save a few bucks by flipping that same 'ol Super Distortion that I've been using for years in the bridge-position . : ) We'll see if he bites...
detroit.craigslist.org/msg/790441338.html
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 11, 2008 09:20 pm Thas pretty!!!
Nice neck with the Bubinga strip in it.
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Aug 29, 2008 11:54 am Update:
The 'lil voice that Beer Hunter was refering to got to me . I can't bring myself to strip 'er down... just can't . She's earned those scars .
The guy with the strat bit for $150, but then disappeared . Whatever . The strat rebuild will have to wait a bit .
I ended up fending-off my gear lust by buying one of my coworkers guitars... a custom Ibanez SA with a killer pearl binding, then I installed a D'marzio Evolution in the bridge possition . There's some pics of it in ma profile . Pretty 'lil beast .
BeerHunterwww.TheLondonProject.caMember
Since: Feb 07, 2005
Aug 29, 2008 12:49 pm Whew :)
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Aug 29, 2008 01:20 pm Right on, bro .
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Aug 30, 2008 01:27 am Veddy Niiiiiccce!!!!
