uncle fester Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 5 hours ago, Larsongs said: The Martin needed some Work done & I wanted to add Factory Fishman Electronics... I called Martin & arranged to send it to them & did so. While it was there I called them & asked them if they would refinish it to New Condition... Their answer, NO! They asked me how long I'd had the Guitar? I told them. They said, It will take that long for it to sound as good as it does now... This convinced me not to refinish... but that's coming from a person who (pretends) to chase sound. I could see refinishing one though if the guitar was a lost cause before the work, and after the work the new look enticed whoever to pick it up more often... i.e. a gift to a newbie or youngster or something. I keep thinking you're going to ruin the sound though, and that causes me to cringe, but then with your background - I'd love to see what type of refinish work you could do. You should see if you could find a local builder and try and finish a couple of new guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 for my personal Guitars, I prefer Original.. no matter how beat.. even if a headstock is Busted and repaired.. the finish remains original.. I love tone and Texture.. the only time Ive ever refinished a Guitar has been for a stage Player upon request.. and its only been to a Custom color where Gibson or any other maker has not done before.. eg; a Es295 from 1992 with a Jack patch was placed from prior severe damage.. ,, then a complete strip of finish and Black base layed down with Illusion Color over top.. .. its a stage guitar used in San Francisco.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvi Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 on a j 40 I think you cant go too wrong, on a 40s j whatever, no refins please...j Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nnall Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 On 4/12/2013 at 8:52 AM, tpbiii said: a good refinish does not generally degrade sound quality -- there are just too many really great sounding old refins out there. However, a bad refin can destroy a guitar by over-thinning the top Collector concerns aside, can a refinish ever be a means to improving the stability or 'crack-resistance' of a top? I have a super light 67 Country Western which seems fairly dried out on the top and has a few pre-crack lines where I'm afraid all it will take is one wrong bump to turn them into full-on cracks. Assuming its done well, could refinishing be a means to "fortify" the top, or increase its resilience against cracking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malstewart Posted February 13, 2022 Share Posted February 13, 2022 It all depends on what is meant by refinishing if the top of a good acoustic is cracked or wearing thin or holing through then that’s fine by me but to just refinish an old guitar to make it appear new that’s not for me I like the dings and marks a guitar has picked up it tells a little about what has happened to it along the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 My wife bought my D-35 new for my Birthday. It is now 47 years old… If you read my Post re; asking Martin to refinish it when I sent it to them a few years ago for Repairs & Warranty work they told me “No” because it take that many years for it to get the Sound it had.. But, they would Detail it to make it look as beautiful as possible & they did… Now if you want to refinish a Solid Body Electric Guitar knock yourselves out.. But, If you don’t think Refinishing affects an aged Acoustic Guitar ask Martin Guitars… They’ve been around over 100 years & know a little bit about Guitars.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3mar67 Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 So, what do you guys think about something like this refinished J-45??? 1945 Gibson ‘Banner’ J-45 | Folkway (folkwaymusic.com) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) On 2/13/2022 at 7:06 PM, Larsongs said: They’ve been around over 100 years & know a little bit about Guitars.. Not according to the moral majority here. Edited February 28, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWG4927 Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Not according to the moral majority here. We just can't help ourselves, can we? a majority of us own Martins too. Don't wreck it for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) 9 minutes ago, JWG4927 said: We just can't help ourselves, can we? a majority of us own Martins too. Don't wreck it for us. Not a majority, some do, many here think there trash. I’ve been on here since 2014 or so, I’ve heard it all. You do know what forum this is right, I’ve been told that numerous times here. Edited February 28, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) It’s sad if you only think one Guitar Co. makes great Guitars.. There are many Co’s. That do.. Gibson would be the first to admit it.. Fender, Gretsch, Guild, Martin, Collings & many others…… I’m blessed to own several different Guitars by different great Manufacturers.. Gibson being one of them.. Edited February 28, 2022 by Larsongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWG4927 Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Not a majority, some do, many here think there trash. A small majority, then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevendaymelee Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Well, it's up to the owner. If he/she wants it refinished, it's fine by me. But I would never do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevendaymelee Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 2 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Not a majority, some do, many here think there trash. I’ve been on here since 2014 or so, I’ve heard it all. You do know what forum this is right, I’ve been told that numerous times here. Trash? I believe you, but I can't say I've ever heard anyone call Martin guitars trash. Even the people who don't like them, I haven't seen them go to that extreme lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 As a capitalist, I think someone who owns a guitar can do whatever they want with it. It's theirs. Eddie Van Halen screwed eyebolts into his to hold the strap. Waylon put leather on his Tele. As a lifelong bar gigger, I have no interest in shiny guitars. But some people do. Freedom, baby... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 You can get all the advice and opinions all day long here, but like Murph said when it comes down to it, you own it, and can do whatever you want with it. Like Neil Peart wrote and Geddy Lee sang "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfish Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 I have a guitar thats been refinished, my first good guitar a 1969 Guild D40 It was in a guys shop for a neck set and back crack repaired, he must of had some trouble getting the neck off and damaged the finish. He removed all the finish and resprayed it with nitro. Guild used a dark stain, he didn't stain it left it natural showing the beautiful mahogany.This guitar has always sounded good. I use another luthier now, he thinks it sounds so good because of the refinish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 39 minutes ago, philfish said: This guitar has always sounded good. I use another luthier now, he thinks it sounds so good because of the refinish Did it not sound good before it was refinished? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfish Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Ive had the guitar since it was new 50years ago. It has always sounded good. He the luthier thinks he may have sanded the finish off making the top thinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holiday Hoser Posted March 3, 2022 Share Posted March 3, 2022 The face of my old hummingbird had been painted in the '60's a blue color by some rope smoking LSD crazed hippie and a later owner had sprayed a Kriylon black enamel over it and called it macaroni. In this case I chose to strip it. Not touching the beautiful natural mahogany back and sides that had not been touched that had been checked to perfection by time and weather. I sprayed the front with black lacquer, let it cure over the course of several months, scraped back the binding and did my best Tom Murphy on the top. I guess what I am trying to say is the guitar will tell you what is needed to be be the best that it can be. Never too much but you have to be proud of you final result. And in your case what will make the customer happy. I, too worked in the automobile refinish and custom world having worked my way through school working for the great Sam Foose in Santa Barbara. So i know a thing about custom paint and finish. Funny thing is I now love an original patina and rust job much better than a sparkling candy apple paint job and, I think, this applies to guitar finishes as well. Best of luck on your new adventure! Holiday Hoser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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