Old Black

WezV

I've had a look but not found anything Pre NY.

In the mean time i have sealed the stripped guitar and sprayed a tobacco/amber mix over the mahogany to give a good base.  I tinted the sealer as i don't  want any clear lacquer layers when i come to age this, just raw dirty wood or old lacquer.


Just waiting on some goldtop powder as i can't find the stuff i had since my last move..  then it will get 3 or 4 coats of tinted clear.... basically the aim is a very thin sunken grain gold top finish at that point, ready for the old black mods. 

I was hoping to get all that done prior to having a short holiday, but slow postage stopped that happening

I think skipping grainfiller will be right for the final look on this.

DartmoorHedgehog

I've only just noticed this thread... interesting project (and personally I love the look of when you're trying to do).

One, possibly stupid, question though - why all the speculation about what the stripe on the back is? Does Young's original guitar not exist any more? If it does then surely there's somebody who must know for sure.

punchesjudy

I love this and can't wait to see how it turns out. 

The stripe definitely is pinstriped. Zooming right in on a picture shared earlier in the thread shows it really well. 

WezV

No doubt its pin stiped in some way.   I dont think its  w/b/w/b/w purfling though, but a strip of ridged metal and a load of dirt in the grooves. 

This is based on prior reports its a metal strip, and the metallic appearance you can see round the heel. Plus a metal strip would look different in different photos and lighting, wheras purfling would always look  obviously like purfling.

I will likely be doing a plain aluminium strip for this in a nod to the original, without a weird feel.    Only question for me to figure out is whether i install that strip before or after the black finish work.

WezV

DartmoorHedgehog said:

One, possibly stupid, question though - why all the speculation about what the stripe on the back is? Does Young's original guitar not exist any more? If it does then surely there's somebody who must know for sure.

I think for NY it was only ever a tool he used, and he simply wouldnt care about any of this stuff. 

 Anything aesthetic was done before he had it.  Anything since has been about keeping it working and gigging.

There are likely many who know for sure, and very few of them who care.

WezV

Goldtop coats done.


Not perfect, but it rarely is first time with bronze powder.   Most old gibson goldtops show signs they have had multiple attempts at getting the gold right.

Thankfully this one doesn't need to be perfect as its mostly oversprayed with the black anyway.

This will now get a few costs of amber/tan clear.  Then the fun begins

paulnb57

Great stuff, nice to see progress

Ddigger

punchesjudy said:

I love this and can't wait to see how it turns out. 

The stripe definitely is pinstriped. Zooming right in on a picture shared earlier in the thread shows it really well. 

Neil Young is right into old American cars and model railways (railroads?), so pinstriping makes sense.

paulnb57

Ddigger said:

punchesjudy said:

I love this and can't wait to see how it turns out. 

The stripe definitely is pinstriped. Zooming right in on a picture shared earlier in the thread shows it really well. 

Neil Young is right into old American cars and model railways (railroads?), so pinstriping makes sense.

Im not so sure about pinstriping, I would have expected some to have worn off…and yet it appears to be complete all along the neck and body, although I concede it would be significantly easier to apply and much less invasive than inlaying a strip of ally or binding…I guess we will never know for sure

WezV

Ddigger said:

Neil Young is right into old American cars and model railways (railroads?), so pinstriping makes sense.

A piece of metal trim makes sense for the same reason,

tanihhiavlt

WezV said:

Aluminium will oxidise with household bleach.   That gets us here.

This new learning amazes me! Vapour bath or direct to the surface?

WezV

i tend to mix up a strong bleach solution and submerge the whole part

WezV

I found a sheet of aluminium i will likely use for the metal parts and stripe.  Didn't realize i still had a full sheet hanging around, so this is a bonus, although I will need to take a bit diagonally from the middle to get a long strip for the neck. 

Metal work should start soon

davros

You're a braver man than me cutting a long thin strip from sheet! Personally, for the sake of 4 quid I'd start with one of these and trim the width to fit.

https://www.homebase.co.uk/aluminium-flat-bar-combitech-profile-1m-x-11.5mm/12816569.html

WezV

it's only 1.5mm thick so should be easy enough.  I do have backup plans 1 and 2 if it doesn't work

WezV

done all the rough metal work

The strips are 1/4" wide and 1.5mm thick.

just roughly placed in position here, but these look like they will work well

steamabacus

Will you be scoring/staining/whatever? that 'pinstripe' pattern into the metal strips or leaving them plain?

WezV

just plain i think - this will already be closer than most old black replicas

davros

Wow, nice metalworking!

glt56

OH WOW, I LIKE IT!!! Might get another gold one!