The Golden Era Refinishing Page

rze99

GoldenEraGuitars said:

A recently refinished fender swamp ash body and maple neck, more pics to follow very soon!

GoldenEraGuitars said:

A recently refinished fender swamp ash body and maple neck, more pics to follow very soon!

Love that

GoldenEraGuitars

@rze99 thank you! Ill have better pics soon

GoldenEraGuitars

A couple of old Fenders getting new coats of Sonic Blue and slightly faded 3 tone sunburst 

GoldenEraGuitars

Another finish on a customer supplied body. This one called for a mid 60s “Mayer” style sunburst 

GoldenEraGuitars

A batch of vintage Fender loveliness nearly ready for final ageing 

Alex2678

GoldenEraGuitars said:

A batch of vintage Fender loveliness nearly ready for final ageing 

That sunburst is insane. Wow

Yorkie

Starring this thread. Keep the pics coming! 

GoldenEraGuitars

There will be six vintage fender bodies being photographed very shortly before they are shipped back to the States. 

And a rather lovely Guitarbuild jazzmaster too.

GoldenEraGuitars

Yorkie said:

Starring this thread. Keep the pics coming! 

Five pre-CBS Fender Strat bodies And a 1968 fender telecaster.

Just about ready for final ageing.

Yorkie

That green one on the left is just perfect.

GoldenEraGuitars

This was Dean’s Guitarbuild Jazzmaster body about 6 to 7 weeks ago. After he went through a bit of a tough time with a Fender CS Jazzmaster (they got the order wrong twice over a nearly 3 year period) he decided to make his own rendition of his favourite guitar.

He bought this lightweight two piece alder body directly from Guitarbuild and did a lot of prep himself including forearm and tummy contouring. It was then sent to me for painting.

And here it is as of today. Three tone target burst in a high gloss nitrocellulose.

This one will chip and check nicely as time goes on.

you can see a video of the body at the link below -

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWUQT5biNKy/?igsh=cHozaDlvNnQ2YzRx

GoldenEraGuitars

A body arrived not that long ago, Apparently, it has been “professionally finished”. The original photographs didn’t look terrible, but sometimes sending pictures over the Internet omits certain details.

Upon receiving the body (and after over 10 years of tinkering and finishing guitar bodies) even I was a bit astounded.

I finished that was supposed to be new and shiny was in fact a complete mess. Full of metallic contamination from a previous paint job and quite obviously applied with aerosols. Note the Finish under the hardware hasn’t even been treated properly. Somebody has paid good money to have one of their dream Guitars made and this is what they got. Now.. I’m going to say this - I am not perfect and anyone who says they are perfect and never makes a mistake is lying to themselves first and foremost. But never in my wildest would I have the balls to handle back to somebody and take their money.

Since Covid there have been a deluge of finishers and body sellers emerge up and down the country. Initial photographs look fine if you’re into what someone would call the belt sander relic. But whenever you zoom in on certain pictures, you will see the poor quality finish, even if it is supposed to be a knackered paint job. What is quite worrying is when people show off their Guitars with these finishes on them and they genuinely believe that is what it is supposed to look like.. It becomes the “norm”. 

This is a screenshot of the jazzmaster above

It’s crazy what is out there at the moment and how many people are being duped out of their hard earned money. What amazes me is that a lot of these people are charging pretty much what I am charging for the same thing, Years ago, people operating this type of nonsense would have charged a lot less. Now they realise they can get more money for a quick turnaround sprayed in a cupboard with a rattle out the back of a shop somewhere. Obviously saying all this is I can to pulling the pen on a grenade and tossing it, but sometimes you just have to say it like it is. 

Regardless of who you choose To finish your project, make sure you’re not throwing your money away.

88CuzJ

Great job pal they look amazing! I'm saving to buy one of those pink paisley Tele bodies from you this year. Unbelievable stuff!

GoldenEraGuitars

88CuzJ said:

Great job pal they look amazing! I'm saving to buy one of those pink paisley Tele bodies from you this year. Unbelievable stuff!

Thanks so much. Shoot me a message and I can give you a few options 

Nerine

This is a mega thread. 

Tomyk

Sorry if this has been covered before as I’m sure I’m not the only person curious.. Are you only offering the refinishing service for Fender / bolt on body’s? Or would you also work on Gibsons? I imagine an R9 with one of your refins and some light aging would be amazing! 

GoldenEraGuitars

Tomyk said:

Sorry if this has been covered before as I’m sure I’m not the only person curious.. Are you only offering the refinishing service for Fender / bolt on body’s? Or would you also work on Gibsons? I imagine an R9 with one of your refins and some light aging would be amazing! 

I can do a set neck, it would take a long time with my workload though. I’ve done set necks in the past no problem.

GoldenEraGuitars

A ‘57 nearly ready to go back to its owner.

GoldenEraGuitars

A ‘65 refinished in aged surf green ready to go back home 

marchayden

Dropped you guys a message - I have a suhr that I would be interested in refinishing....