duane v Posted December 29, 2022 Share Posted December 29, 2022 I've been waiting for some time to find the right Les Paul husk to show up somewhere and I found one on eBay. I think I paid a little too much for it: ($860 for the husk, $40 Shipping, and $93 in taxes. (Total $993). One aspect of the project I'm not too sure of is how to darken the upper bout of the guitar. I can certainly use some opinions / advice on that one that wont require stripping that area of the body. I have all the electronics and hardware so I'm good there. I have all the paint, stain and nitro lacquer to fix up the headstock. I just found a vintage "CUSTOM" TRC for $29. See the cadaver below I will be working with: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 Where I need some assistance is how to recreate the darker tint of cherry without being too evasive that's located on the upper bout of the body. The plan is to mask the area (hopefully get a straight line), lightly sand the nitro then brush on a slightly darker tint of cherry stain, then spray some of Stew Macs Aerosol Nitro on the whole top then sand and polish. Do you think this is the correct path? I'm considering purchasing an air brushing kit if that would be a better approach rather than hand brushing the stain. Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 Wasn't that guitar also owned by Rick Derringer and the guy who wrote the Welcome Back Kotter song? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 7 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Wasn't that guitar also owned by Rick Derringer and the guy who wrote the Welcome Back Kotter song? No idea..... But I dig that song and the show..... I thought BoomBoom Washington was the man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 Yep it was. I remember reading it somewhere before I looked on wiki. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(guitar) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 Interesting story.... Especially regarding the theft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 (edited) John Sebastian? Edited December 30, 2022 by kelly campbell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 The fact that Lucy's original color wasn't red is interesting. So there's a path for you to follow Duane. Try to find out how Gibson colored and finished their '60's SGs Go "old school" and try contacting reliable luthiers. Don't bother with You Tube. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 19 minutes ago, Whitefang said: The fact that Lucy's original color wasn't red is interesting. So there's a path for you to follow Duane. Try to find out how Gibson colored and finished their '60's SGs Go "old school" and try contacting reliable luthiers. Don't bother with You Tube. Whitefang I'm assuming Gibson used the Gibson SG Cherry red on the reissue Lucy instruments. I'm still contemplating the portable airbrush kit. But I will contact my local Luthier or maybe somewhere here with vast experience can chime in...... Or I just can "leave it the **** alone" and not have the two tone effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 40 minutes ago, kelly campbell said: John Sebastian? Yeah that guy. He was in the Lovin' Spoonful, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 10 minutes ago, duane v said: I'm assuming Gibson used the Gibson SG Cherry red on the reissue Lucy instruments. I'm still contemplating the portable airbrush kit. But I will contact my local Luthier or maybe somewhere here with vast experience can chime in...... Or I just can "leave it the **** alone" and not have the two tone effect. You gotta have the two tone color effect if your gonna go full Lucy on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 2 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: You gotta have the two tone color effect if your gonna go full Lucy on it. I hear ya, but I don't want to completely strip off the nitro. The alternative is taking the guitar to a tanning bed and masking the area I want to leave dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 Just now, duane v said: I hear ya, but I don't want to completely strip off the nitro. The alternative is taking the guitar to a tanning bed and masking the area I want to leave dark. Just cut a piece of some material that reacts with nitro the same shape as the two discolored areas. Hell everything reacts with nitro. Should be easy to find something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I think you are on the right path (although I confess I have never refinished a guitar). The idea of stripping the nitro in the area you want to darken then adding the darker stain and re-coating with nitro. I don't think sanding down the nitro just a little is a good idea - the stain needs to go onto wood, not on top of nitro. Air brushing would probably give a better result than an actual paint brush. Just my two cents, as I said, I have never done it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 Here is John Sebastian playing Lucy, in her original goldtop finish. And here are the McCoys with Lucy, not long before she became refinished. Rick Derringer's dad hated the 'beat up' appearance of the goldtop anyway, so Rick was all too glad to take it to Gibson for a refinishing. That's Rick's drummer brother Randy Zehringer holding Lucy in that photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 (edited) Rick Derringer got it form John. Lucy was originally a "Goldtop" Les Paul Standard model with PAF humbucking pickups, a combination initially produced only in 1957 and part of 1958. Gibson records show that serial number 7-8789 was shipped from the Kalamazoo factory on December 19, 1957. By 1965 the guitar was owned by John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful, who traded it to Rick Derringer of tourmates The McCoys for an amplifier to replace one which had blown. At one point circa 1966 the guitar's original gold finish was worn and, according to Derringer, "It was a very, very used guitar, even when I got it... so I figured that since we didn’t live far from Gibson’s factory in Kalamazoo, the next time the group went there I’d give it to Gibson and have it refinished. I had it done at the factory in the SG-style clear red finish that was popular at the time." However, Derringer wasn't happy with the guitar after the refinish; he sold it to Dan Armstrong's guitar shop in New York. Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo Edited January 3, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 3, 2023 Author Share Posted January 3, 2023 I did not realize this guitar had that much history, and from what I read over the weekend it was a favorite of George's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 3, 2023 Author Share Posted January 3, 2023 On 12/30/2022 at 8:08 AM, Sgt. Pepper said: Just cut a piece of some material that reacts with nitro the same shape as the two discolored areas. Hell everything reacts with nitro. Should be easy to find something. From what I've been researching, a reptile UV light lightens the finish especially the reds. So I found a $60 120 watt bulb and I purchased "cut a piece of some material the same shape as the two discolored areas" and cover it and let the UV light (hopefully) lighten the rest of the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 (edited) 15 minutes ago, duane v said: From what I've been researching, a reptile UV light lightens the finish especially the reds. So I found a $60 120 watt bulb and I purchased "cut a piece of some material the same shape as the two discolored areas" and cover it and let the UV light (hopefully) lighten the rest of the body. How long do you think your going to need to keep it under the light? So basically it is going to be like the sun fading something that you left outside for a while? Edited January 3, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 3, 2023 Author Share Posted January 3, 2023 4 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: How long do you think your going to need to keep it under the light? So basically it is going to be like the sun fading something that you left outside for a while? I'm going to shoot for about 7 days (4-6 hours each day). I still have some cosmetic work I need to do to the headstock to hide the cracks and paint over Les Paul water transfer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 So the guitar made it in one piece.... I'll admit I was a bit worried I'd find the headstock somewhere at the bottom of the shipping box. overall pretty pleased. See next post for headstock progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 Here is what I started with Used some gluboost and the and the drying accelerator. Then I applied the gluboost to the previous repair Used a small sanding block with 300 grit sandpaper, the followed it with 800 grit. wiped it down and now waiting for the black gloss airbrush paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 The back of the head stock was a little more challenging. but I was able to get the gluboost to smooth out then hand applied cherry stain by hand. Then I'm going to airbrush the back of the headstock with cherry stain to blend in the repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 KUDOS! Had I tried working on that, by the time I was through it would look like a "before" photo. I wouldn't have the patience for that kind of project. I admire anyone with the skill and patience to do that sort of work and do it well. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 13 minutes ago, Whitefang said: KUDOS! Had I tried working on that, by the time I was through it would look like a "before" photo. I wouldn't have the patience for that kind of project. I admire anyone with the skill and patience to do that sort of work and do it well. Whitefang I still have time to **** it up... lol But thanks for thanks for the kudos. This is my first time doing this type of touch up repair. That $500 I spent for that weeks Luthier course at FretHouse I think is paying off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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