HNUGD! Is the double cut a refinish candidate?

[lpfan]

Well I made the deal at 10 this morning. I traded the Casino VS for the Gibson lp double cut special w/P100's and I also got an MXR 10 band EQ pedal. Its rough thats for sure. There is a crack on both sides of the body by the neck. It looks to me like a piece of the body popped off of it and they glued it back in place. The neck never came loose because the nitro finish is not cracked on the back where the neck joint is. I took off the pickguard and I can see some small round indentions from where maybe a c-clamp or something was used to hold it together. The tuners have also been replaced with grovers and there is a big crack that looks like it was glued back. As far as playability and feel, this thing is great. I love it. Since the tuners aren't original, and there are so many cracks, scratches, I was thinking about a refinish. Now the questions are: 1. Do I refinish it or leave it alone? 2. What color, transparent wine red/cherry or the beautiful "cinnamon red" that CB has on his guitar? Here are some pics I took with my cell. They turned out better than I thought. Anyway, thoughts, opinions?

 

I almost didn't make the trade but these double cuts just seem so hard to find. I still think it was a good deal I just need to give her a little TLC.

[Anthony_JB]

Nice score! A little TLC is an understatement though. If it plays well and sounds great, just leave it be.

[crust]

To me, it looks like the entire neck and part of the body around the neck totally broke off and were reglued back into place.

Look at the mismatched break joint, really sloppy.

 

Sorry, I don't like it but the thing looks beat to xxxx (not in a good way)

[Guest icantbuyafender]

IDK... TLC is a must with this one.

 

Seems maybe the neck took a heavy jolt. And the headstock... ouch. About how much was the casino VS worth? so we can know the value.

 

ya know, taking it to the gibby shop in nashville they could fix her up... but thats some scratch most of us wont be able to cough up

[Zork]

Call Greg at BCR and send him these pictures he'll tell you whats up. He has fixed many that were worse.

 

www.bcrmusic.com

[antwhi2001]

They're great guitars, a joy to play. I'd strip it right back to the wood, fill any cracks with grain filler, and finish it in a solid colour to cover the damage. Those slab tops are easy to sand and spray.

[brianh]

I'd be sorely tempted to do a refin on it. I'd probably already have it stripped and sanded by now.

 

Much easier than a hollow or semi, no veneers or bracing to worry about.

 

How's the action, and does the truss rod work properly?

[lpfan]

To me' date=' it looks like the entire neck and part of the body around the neck totally broke off and were reglued back into place.

Look at the mismatched break joint, really sloppy.

 

Sorry, I don't like it but the thing looks beat to xxxx (not in a good way)[/quote']

 

The neck never came out. The finish IS NOT CRACKED on the back of the neck at the joint. I know it looks like the neck should have come out but theres no cracking on the back neck joint. Its weird. Its definately seen better days. As far as playability, it plays great.

[teegar]

You know the old bromide, you can always re-finish a guitar, but you can never put the original back on. Every time I'm tempted to make a permanent mod, I stop and decide to just play it for just a while longer. Only if it really still bugs me after a few months will I go further. You could wind up being happy with it as is, and save some fairly big $ not re-finishing. Or, you could invest big $ (or time) re-finishing, and then decide down the road it's not the axe for you, and sell it having lost the investment in the re-finish.

 

Of course, you could re-finish it, love it, and it's your favorite guitar forever more. My point is that you can do that now, or 6 months from now. Just give yourself time to make that decision, IMHO. Have fun with that, looks like you'll get some great snarly tone out of it!

[lpfan]

IDK... TLC is a must with this one.

 

Seems maybe the neck took a heavy jolt. And the headstock... ouch. About how much was the casino VS worth? so we can know the value.

 

ya know' date=' taking it to the gibby shop in nashville they could fix her up... but thats some scratch most of us wont be able to cough up[/quote']

 

I had originally bought the Casino for $350. And it was in mint condition. There is a shop about 30 minutes from me called R & S Guitarworks that is supposed to do VERY GOOD work. I was thinking that since its been abused and the tuners were not original that I might have it refinished in red. I was told they charge $600 to paint an entire guitar. I didn't think that a bad price but I need to take it to them to be sure.

Here is a link to their website:

http://www.rsguitarworks.net/cms2/

I have heard nothing but good things about them from the locals.

[lpfan]

They're great guitars' date=' a joy to play. I'd strip it right back to the wood, fill any cracks with grain filler, and finish it in a solid colour to cover the damage. Those slab tops are easy to sand and spray.

 

[/quote']

 

Just what I was thinking.

[lpfan]

I'd be sorely tempted to do a refin on it. I'd probably already have it stripped and sanded by now.

 

Much easier than a hollow or semi' date=' no veneers or bracing to worry about.

 

How's the action, and does the truss rod work properly?[/quote']

 

The action seems fine and the neck is straight. I haven't tried to do any adjustments with the truss rod yet. I don't know when I will get the chance to work on it because I have finals next week and then I'll be gone on vacation for a couple weeks and then I'm taking summer classes for 6 weeks. After that, hopefully, I'll be working so I'm not sure how much time I'm gonna have. I'll probably meet the guys at R&S Guitarworks and let them do it so it will be done right. I don't want to mess i up since its a Gibby.

[lpfan]

You know the old bromide' date=' you can always re-finish a guitar, but you can never put the original back on. Every time I'm tempted to make a permanent mod, I stop and decide to just play it for just a while longer. Only if it really still bugs me after a few months will I go further. You could wind up being happy with it as is, and save some fairly big $ not re-finishing. Or, you could invest big $ (or time) re-finishing, and then decide down the road it's not the axe for you, and sell it having lost the investment in the re-finish.

 

Of course, you could re-finish it, love it, and it's your favorite guitar forever more. My point is that you can do that now, or 6 months from now. Just give yourself time to make that decision, IMHO. Have fun with that, looks like you'll get some great snarly tone out of it![/quote']

 

I'll be playing it as is for at least a couple months. I'll have to wait until I finish school and get a job to have it finished. I'm actually fine with it the way it is right now. I just really like the cinnamon red color that CB's is. I thought since it was in such rough shape, why not have it refinished in the solid red color I really like. But anyway it will stay this way for at least a couple months.

[lpfan]

Musikron - You are very knowledgeable, what do you think?

[peeper]

GAK!!

 

So you basically paid $350 for that??? damn man, that thing is trashed. I paid less than that for my faded SG and it only had the small crack at the tuner, and was brand new. I would be wary of that guitar, it was repaired by a hack who had NO idea what they were doing, and I would have zero faith in their ability to perform a lasting repair. Personally I would have passed on that one, I'm afraid gas made you do something hasty.

 

As far as a refin goes, it sure needs SOMETHING done so maye do it yourself? I wouldn't throw any money at that guitar though, its ruined basically. Thats what an improper repair does, takes something I could have restored and makes it impossible (nearly).

 

Sorry, but i vote sell it while you can and get a GOOD double cut.

[lpfan]

GAK!!

 

So you basically paid $350 for that??? damn man' date=' that thing is trashed. I paid less than that for my faded SG and it only had the small crack at the tuner, and was brand new. I would be wary of that guitar, it was repaired by a hack who had NO idea what they were doing, and I would have zero faith in their ability to perform a lasting repair. Personally I would have passed on that one, I'm afraid gas made you do something hasty.

 

As far as a refin goes, it sure needs SOMETHING done so maye do it yourself? I wouldn't throw any money at that guitar though, its ruined basically. Thats what an improper repair does, takes something I could have restored and makes it impossible (nearly).

 

Sorry, but i vote sell it while you can and get a GOOD double cut.[/quote']

 

LOL. Well I don't think I made a bad choice because it plays great. But I definately see where you are coming from. I is beat up pretty bad. I may try to refinish it myself but I am worried about messing up the paint part of the process. I know how to do bodywork on cars so this can't be too bad. I'm not a paint man though. Anyway right now it doesn't matter. It will be a couple months before I can get started on it but it will look great when its done. I definately appreciate everyones input. Thats what makes the Epi forum better than the other forums.

[Guest icantbuyafender]

I probably would have bought her too. I mean, it is a gibson. Im curious as to whether the headstock is cracked the whole way through.... is it? or is it like gouged out?

[lpfan]

I probably would have bought her too. I mean' date=' it is a gibson. Im curious as to whether the headstock is cracked the whole way through.... is it? or is it like gouged out?[/quote']

 

Do you mean where the tuner is? I can't see any cracks on the top face of the headstock by any of the tuners or logo. It plays great so I think I made a good trade even though it looks rough. I wanted one in red like CB's anyway. Soooo, red it its gonna be. And yeah its a gibson so I'll be alright with it. Once its finished, if it looks good and plays good I can probably get my money back out of it if I wanted to but I'm gonna keep it.

 

Hey CB, can you ost pics of the red double cut PLEASE? LOL!

[brianh]

So you basically paid $350 for that???

Pretty sure you could get $350+ for it on eBay, perhaps more if you parted it out...

[wardog]

lpfan, keep us posted on her as you make your changes. I like it too. And, red would be a great color to refinish it in.

[wardog]

GAK!!

 

So you basically paid $350 for that??? damn man' date=' that thing is trashed. I paid less than that for my faded SG and it only had the small crack at the tuner, and was brand new.[/quote']

musikron, if it was not as rough as it is now. how much would it be. just curious.

[peeper]

I see good clean examples for around $350-$400 all the time. Thats why I feel he over paid for that one. With that kind of damage and poor repair I would not pay more than $200.

[lpfan]

I see good clean examples for around $350-$400 all the time. Thats why I feel he over paid for that one. With that kind of damage and poor repair I would not pay more than $200.

Oh well. You live and learn I guess. I still like it.

[leicester35]

Well, it's certainly taken a beating, but that doesn't mean it's a bad guitar.

 

If it were mine, I'd be principally concerned with how it sounded and played...and lastly, I'd form an evaluation of how the repairs are holding together.

 

If they are solid (even though they are ugly) then I'd leave well alone.

 

I tend to agree with Antwhi.

 

Strip it, fill the holes, sand it smooth and stick a nice solid finish on there. You can hide the damage pretty well and have a good double-cut LP on your hands.

[smips65]

If you weren't that happy with the traded guitar, and are/will be happier with this one, why worry about the cost part of it.

 

I get where MusicRon is coming from, but it was your decision. If you can sleep an night untroubled, then you made the right call.

 

 

I'm waiting for CB pics so I know what color you gassing for...