wezzywest Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Hi, I have just become the owner of a well used Gibson L-OO 1937 Legend guitar. It is currently at a guitar tech having the action lowered, a retro fitted UST removed and a full once over, it may need o new bone nut as well. I get it back next Saturday. I cannot wait. The question I have is what was the original finish on these guitars like, was it high gloss or a duller finish like the `J-45 TV model`? I bought mine off a gigging singer, Lotte Mullan so it has been played a lot and the guitar is a bit murky, not scratched or damaged just very dull. The pictures I have seen of this model seem to have a sheen to them but not high gloss, is this correct? If I was to polish up the guitar, what would you advise I use? Also, would you upgrade to ebony pins instead of the plastic ones on it? Thanks for any information, and I will post some pictures when I get it back. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 The one I have (a 2010 model), which I believe is fairly typical, has the VOS finish. This is a low-gloss finish that is designed to replicate the look of an older, well-cared-for guitar. The dealer I bought it from thought the look was a finish defect from improper polishing, rather than the factory finish. I'm not a huge fan of the VOS finish, so I very carefully polished the guitar with Virtuoso Cleaner, which was developed to restore old, dull nitrocellulose finishes to a higher gloss. This won't magically turn a VOS into a high-gloss finish, but it does de-VOS it to a significant degree, which was what I wanted, but may not be to everyone's taste. It's all a matter of personal preference. There seems to be quite a degree of variance in VOS finishes, since it's probably a bit more difficult to be consistent with an "aged" finish, compared to the buffed-out high-gloss finish we usually expect on a new guitar. I replaced the black plastic pins with Colosi aged bone. I have not replaced the black graph-tech nut at this point, by may eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wezzywest Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Thanks for the reply, I have checked out the pictures of your L-OO, it`s a beauty. I will check out the `Virtuoso cleaner` and see if it is available over here in the UK. Upgrade in pins will be done when I get the guitar back. Just another question, what strings do you use on your guitar? Thanks once again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Just another question, what strings do you use on your guitar? Thanks once again. I use DR Sunbeams, 12's. These are PB, and are wound on a round core, rather than the typical hex core. They are now my default strings from Gibson flat tops. Before that, I used Masterbuilt Premiums (also PB 12's). The two strings are similar when new, but the DR's seem to last a bit longer, and are easier to bend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Congrats. You got yourself a beauty ! JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 What I never got is that those of us who own Gibsons made in the 1930s and 1940s wish the finishes looked like they did when they rolled out of the factory. Yet there is this desire to try to make new guitars look like the old ones. Instant Mojo's gonna get you. I swear J45nick & I are somehow related. While I only use cleaner and polish sparingly I stick with the Virtuoso stuff. I just used it to clean 75 years worth of crap off a Kay. I also like the DR Sunbeams but also like the DR Rares or Curt Mangans which I would not hesitate to use on a new/newish guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wezzywest Posted October 6, 2014 Author Share Posted October 6, 2014 Thank you for the replies, I will check out the DR Sunbeams. By the way, I have found the UK supplier for Virtuoso products. Three miles from where I live!! Happy days. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Thank you for the replies, I will check out the DR Sunbeams. By the way, I have found the UK supplier for Virtuoso products. Three miles from where I live!! Happy days. Cheers. Virtuoso Polish is an excellent "everyday" normal maintenance product. Virtuoso Cleaner is powerful stuff, and will definitely affect VOS-style "aged" finishes, making them more glossy. I don't mind that, but others might. Both products are designed for use on nitrocellulose lacquer finishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wezzywest Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 Virtuoso Polish is an excellent "everyday" normal maintenance product. Virtuoso Cleaner is powerful stuff, and will definitely affect VOS-style "aged" finishes, making them more glossy. I don't mind that, but others might. Both products are designed for use on nitrocellulose lacquer finishes. Thanks, I will buy the polish and see how the guitar looks after a good clean up. If I take the VOS finish off and regret it, I cannot put it back. So carefully goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Those legend guitars are very nice, congrats! I would be more inclined to leave the VOS finish as is because you can't go back after it's polished. Just my .02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wezzywest Posted October 7, 2014 Author Share Posted October 7, 2014 Those legend guitars are very nice, congrats! I would be more inclined to leave the VOS finish as is because you can't go back after it's polished. Just my .02. Yep, that's what I will do. Just a clean up with polish. As the saying goes. `When it`s gone, it`s gone`. One things for sure, when I get the guitar back from it`s once over at the guitar techs` I will enjoy it. Cheers. By the way, the Black L-OO!! WOW!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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