Couldn't help it! Couldn't stop myself from bidding!

[meanstreak]

So I just won this guitar off eBay, Masterbilt EF-500RVS in the old school, slightly cherry colored sunburst. Hasn't actually arrived yet of course but I'm already thinking of ways to mod it! So two questions for you guys -

 

1. What do you think is the best pickup for a big rosewood guitar like this?

 

2. Any advice on polishing or some other method to try to darken up the vintage sunburst a bit?

 

 

 

[duluthdan]

That's kind of a nifty looking lil' number. Throw a Fishman RareEarth in the soundhole. Darken the burst? I dunno - I think you'd be venturing out on to thin ice. I like it as is.

[meanstreak]

Ya I went ahead and bought it because of the wider nut, my other Epi Masterbilts have the thinner nut so I figured what the heck! As for darkening it, I just mean to give it the nice deep color it can, maybe not actually make it darker.

[zombywoof]

You could always set it on fire but that might be a bit extreme. Even though the Masterbilts have a poly finish it is not near as thick as what you find on "lesser" Epiphones so if anything it will probably still lighten as it ages so short of a refinish there is not much you can do.

[RusRob]

I am assuming you are saying darken the color to not actually refinish the guitar but to brighten the colors I would say the first thing to do is first give it a really good cleaning with a very damp rag using just water with a very small amount of dish soap. I do 1/4 of a surface at a time and wipe with the wet rag followed with a dry one right away. Then I would clean it with naphtha in the same mannor (very damp rag followed by a dry one) Only wipe in the direction of the grain because you will almost always leave very fine scratches and across grain scratches will show up more. If there are any cracks or chips in the wood do your best to avoid them so you don't push dirty water into them.

 

It appears as if the clear is pretty hazy, If you don't care about keeping the guitar as original as possible then I would rub it out with some very fine polishing compound. I have found that "Turtle Wax Polishing Compound" (Green can) to be really good. Again only polish in the direction of the wood grain. Work is small sections at a time ( maybe 4"X 8").

 

Then you can put a nice coat of your favorite wax on.

 

I think you will find doing any of the above will make the colors a lot brighter.

 

 

Of course if you are not comfortable doing it yourself you could pay someone else but I would be cautious about letting some shop use a buffer on it (unless you know they are very good).

 

That's my 2c

 

Bob

[62burst]

Congrats on the new guitar headed your way.

 

I'll wager that much of what you are seeing as "needing to get darkened up", will turn out to be due to the harsh, directly overhead lighting used by the seller in the listing photos. The glare on the top, and the light reflected off of the hardwood floor would kind of suggest that(?).

 

Also wondering if polishing that factory satin finish would deepen the clarity of the 'burst, much in the way that some True Vintage owners will polish out their VOS finish.

The Epi's poly finish would most likely not handle in the same way, though.

 

However; wait 'til you get it home.

 

And remember- "without pictures..."

[ajsc]

These are very nice guitars. I bought a used one about a month ago! (Natural satin finish)

I'm enjoying this guitar a great deal!

[meanstreak]

I am assuming you are saying darken the color to not actually refinish the guitar but to brighten the colors I would say the first thing to do is first give it a really good cleaning with a very damp rag using just water with a very small amount of dish soap. I do 1/4 of a surface at a time and wipe with the wet rag followed with a dry one right away. Then I would clean it with naphtha in the same mannor (very damp rag followed by a dry one) Only wipe in the direction of the grain because you will almost always leave very fine scratches and across grain scratches will show up more. If there are any cracks or chips in the wood do your best to avoid them so you don't push dirty water into them.

 

It appears as if the clear is pretty hazy, If you don't care about keeping the guitar as original as possible then I would rub it out with some very fine polishing compound. I have found that "Turtle Wax Polishing Compound" (Green can) to be really good. Again only polish in the direction of the wood grain. Work is small sections at a time ( maybe 4"X 8").

 

Then you can put a nice coat of your favorite wax on.

 

I think you will find doing any of the above will make the colors a lot brighter.

 

 

Of course if you are not comfortable doing it yourself you could pay someone else but I would be cautious about letting some shop use a buffer on it (unless you know they are very good).

 

That's my 2c

 

Bob

 

 

thanks for the tips, I'll give it a go as I plan to really make this a guitar one to experiment with. I'll give it a full setup and install a pickup/endpin jack myself too. Be the first time for really getting after it.

 

Congrats on the new guitar headed your way.

 

I'll wager that much of what you are seeing as "needing to get darkened up", will turn out to be due to the harsh, directly overhead lighting used by the seller in the listing photos. The glare on the top, and the light reflected off of the hardwood floor would kind of suggest that(?).

 

Ya you're probably right about the strong light. I'll post up some pics without the flash once it arrives.

[zombywoof]

I'll wager that much of what you are seeing as "needing to get darkened up", will turn out to be due to the harsh, directly overhead lighting used by the seller in the listing photos. The glare on the top, and the light reflected off of the hardwood floor would kind of suggest that(?).

 

 

While we are talking about a poly finish and not the wood itself, UV light bleaches surfaces. Darkening is often a result of sweat and dirt. I had a 1950s Tele on which the maple board had turned what I felt to be a very pleasant amber color. But all it took was a good cleaning and that darkened color just disappeared.

 

My 2 cents - don't worry about it and just enjoy the thing.

[meanstreak]

While we are talking about a poly finish and not the wood itself, UV light bleaches surfaces. Darkening is often a result of sweat and dirt. I had a 1950s Tele on which the maple board had turned what I felt to be a very pleasant amber color. But all it took was a good cleaning and that darkened color just disappeared.

 

My 2 cents - don't worry about it and just enjoy the thing.

 

ya I know UV light usually bleaches stuff out, but why is it that when you remove a pick guard or a sticker that's been on a guitar for a long time the wood underneath is much lighter than the rest? Does it remove some of the finish too? Case in point is this AJ-500R I picked up back around Christmas -

 

[RusRob]

Actually UV darkens wood it doesn't "bleach" it. It also yellows most finishes (except with UV protection). Case in point: We installed light maple cabinets in our kitchen. I ordered one extra wide 2 door upper cabinet that I have been planning on making a credenza type cabinet for the dinning room. I had it stored in the box downstairs and pulled it out to get started on it and it was about 2 shades lighter than the kitchen cabinets. The new cabinets have darkened that much in about 3 years even though we do not have direct sunlight hitting the cabinets at any time.

 

I have stripped a few old guitars that had finishes that were beyond help and the clear always comes off amber.

 

Your example is very typical of what UV can do.

 

Bob

[meanstreak]

That's really interesting. I suppose it must be other elements that makes wood outside like on fences and decks turn lighter over time, right? Does it have to do with the treated wood having other chemicals added to it?

[aerohead]

I would look into the k & k mini as far as a pickup goes. I installed one in my Guild JF-30 and it was exactly the sound I was hoping it would be. No piezo quack or any unnatural electronic sound! It comes with a volume wheel and phase switch. The extra $$ for the phase switch is money well spent.