Official Luthiers Forum!

One of the current projects is an Epi Joe Bonamassa headstock re-attach. I dawned on me as I'm about finished with it that the serial number on these is not stamped into the wood. It's just lettered in gold on the black neck. To now, the ones I've done were F serials that were stamped. So an extra coat or two over them wasn't all that horrible. This is different.

A mask will always have a line. The only thing I've come up with so far is to shoot the neck color, try to transfer the serial with some gold leaf and a set of letter stamps that are close to the same size, then hit it with the clear. I'm not trying to cover up the break repair, but the serial should match the one in the autograph book that came with it, to me.

Open for suggestions...

I mask them off. A repair is a repair......Some things can't be hidden and I think it is important to preserve the original serial.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Brian has it right. When restoring old cars, most take care to mask off the serial number plate that is riveted onto the body somewhere. Taking it off, and then re-riveting is a big no-no to most state vehicle inspectors.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Mask it is. That's makes the rest of it easy. I always put a piece of tape on the bottom of the trc with note of the repair and my name so people know. I've even used a translucent black so the repair line shows through in the right light. Thanks guys.