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PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=17642		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  jackie_thompsen [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:40 pm ]
Post subject:  PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
I got tired of shopping for a truly old-looking guitar that didn't exist and decided to create my own. So I took some sandpaper and stain to my cheap classical to create this.

I think the headstock came out exactly like I envisioned, but the soundboard came out a little too mottled and contrasty. What do you think?

Image

Image

how it looked before:
Image
Author:  Jamie Burgess [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
I wouldn't have gone down that road but I do have some questions for you. How does it sound now? Was it a good guitar to begin with? Also, what's going on with your nut?
Author:  Hesh [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
The horror............ Me either in terms of going down this road but since you did and presumably you wanted to do so I think that you did a great job of making this guitar look old and beat-up...... :D Nice work! [:Y:] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]
Author:  jackie_thompsen [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
dockturtle wrote:
I wouldn't have gone down that road but I do have some questions for you. How does it sound now? Was it a good guitar to begin with? Also, what's going on with your nut?


This is the first guitar I ever bought, just to see if I'd stick with it. A $30 ebay special (see the 'before' picture), and that's WITH shipping. Although most people would consider it a child's toy, and indeed it LOOKED like a toy before, but I think it sounds pretty decent.

I reslotted the nut myself to make the string spacing identical to my electric guitar - I figured this would help with muscle memory since I switch back and forth a lot. It's ugly but does the job.

The sound is pretty much the same as before I sanded it. I will admit that the action raised up about a 32nd of an inch, maybe because I sanded so much off the face that it weakened it? I've since lowered the saddle a little to compensate so it's basically the same as before.
Author:  jackie_thompsen [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
Hesh wrote:
The horror............ Me either in terms of going down this road but since you did and presumably you wanted to do so I think that you did a great job of making this guitar look old and beat-up...... :D Nice work! [:Y:] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]


THANKS! I think I have an unusual view on many things in this world. To me, acoustic guitars should feel old and look old - like they have their own sad story to tell!
Author:  David Collins [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
Where's the "biting my tongue" emoticon? :|

If I try to look at it as an arts-n-crafts project as opposed to anything remotely related to lutherie, it becomes a bit more bearable. ;) To each their own though. If you ended up with what you wanted, that's great.

I will at least commend you for your choice of instruments to modify - it looks like you came out with exactly what you were looking for, and didn't destroy an instrument worth preserving. And as much a smart-ass that I am, I do mean that as an honest compliment.
Author:  Alain Desforges [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
Ouch dude... words escape me... If you ment 'looking like someone took a low grit sand-paper and went to town on it' then, Bravo!

I think you might find some info on the web from people who try different techniques to 'age' a guitar...
Author:  D.L.Huskey [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
Well....It doesn't really look old and worn to me. It just looks......sanded.

To each their own.
Author:  Hesh [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
jackie_thompsen wrote:
Hesh wrote:
The horror............ Me either in terms of going down this road but since you did and presumably you wanted to do so I think that you did a great job of making this guitar look old and beat-up...... :D Nice work! [:Y:] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]


THANKS! I think I have an unusual view on many things in this world. To me, acoustic guitars should feel old and look old - like they have their own sad story to tell!


You are very welcome Jackie. I understand what you were doing here and I now understand why. I also admit that I have an attraction to older looking guitars that have some character and the appearance of being distressed.

Just keep in mind that many of the folks here, me included, have a bit of a bias regardless of if we will admit it or not.... We spend a lot of time trying to make guitars look shiny, bright, and new..... :D It's been said that whom ever decided that guitar need to be shiny - we should did them up and shoot them..... :D
Author:  AndrewGribble [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
I think this guitar might give Esteban shrinkage :lol:
Author:  Allen McFarlen [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
C'mon guy's, Which one are you going to take out on a weekend in the bush and bash at around the campfire. This one is perfect for that, and I really like it for what it's intended to be.
Author:  JRE Productions [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
I think it looks good compared to Willie Nelsons old Martin!

I think it is ...what it is. No harm no foul! I wouldn't suggest you doing this to an expensive guitar, but at $30, I think it was appropriate. In fact, I bought my daughter the pink version of that same guitar. In all honestly, I think yours looks better! Ha ha

JD
Author:  Hesh [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
Ah yes - Trigger.
Attachment:
1046936-md.jpg
Author:  jackie_thompsen [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
JRE Productions wrote:
In fact, I bought my daughter the pink version of that same guitar. In all honestly, I think yours looks better! Ha ha

JD


Is your daughter's a 'Crescent' brand? I actually got mine for A PENNY (plus $30 shipping). Thousands of these guitars are moved on ebay - mostly parents getting them for their kids to experiment with.

It's actually not a half bad guitar once you fix the action. Mine has spot-on intonation and sounds great (at least to me). Now it looks cool to me also. Best penny I ever spent.
Author:  Dave Anderson [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
Wow, a penny to make it look just like you want it to look and you say
it sounds good to you .Well, Good for you then Jackie . [:Y:]
Author:  jack [ Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
If I wanted to make that guitar look old, I would paint it with ( your choice of color) milk paint; let it dry ; give a good sanding with 320 gt wet/dry paper;sand thru some areas to the wood ;make several dents and dings ,then apply a second coat, only this time use black milk paint; sand it lightly with 320 revealing some of the ( undercoat) ; sand in some places down to the wood; maybe duplicate heavy pick or fingernail scratches. After you are satisfied with look of the the distressing job, wipe the guitar down with a damp cloth let it dry, then top the whole thing off with a coat of BRIWAX or some other brand of colored wax. When the wax is dry, buff it with an old clean tee shirt. The coat of wax will give a soft luster to the guitar .The key to making any distressing job realistic looking is to duplicate where the item would normally show wear first; Try it; even if you just the black milk paint ;the process will still give you good results.

best wishes,
jack
Author:  Mike Kroening [ Thu Jun 19, 2008 10:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
I would've given you $35 for it before you did what you did, plus shipping and made some Kid happy.

MK
Author:  Terence Kennedy [ Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: PICTURES of my new old guitar - please comment
Well, I would say it needs some wine labels and a coat of decoupage.
Terry
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