NGD: Gloppy, the Totally Abused D-35
- Thread starter Neal
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Neal
Senior Member
So...I burned the midnight oil last night on Gloppy. Here is the play-by-play.
First, took a mouse sander and sanded just deep enough to remove the glop and the super dark stain the previous "restorer" had applied.
Decided not to mess with removing the bridge. Mouse sanded close and then hand-sanded from there. Found the cracks I suspected were there, based on the hit the guitar took to the tail at some point. All are stable and closed.
Then the sides and back. Had to go all the way to bare wood on the sides. Will probably do the same with the back so that they match. Unstained mahogany is beautiful stuff.
The "wood" patch on the tail ended up being putty. It covered way more area than necessary to fix the damage, which is actually pretty minor.
Here is how I left her last night. Free at last!
Plus, the Guild tuners I bought on eBay came in yesterday, so all I need now is a TRC and a Guild silkscreen logo. Next step is to sand the neck and head stock, and try to clean up the interior as best I can. I have decided against using spray can nitro on it. I will hand rub the whole thing with beeswax/carnauba wax/orange oil, put the Guild tuners on, string it with lights and call it a day!
Neal
First, took a mouse sander and sanded just deep enough to remove the glop and the super dark stain the previous "restorer" had applied.
Decided not to mess with removing the bridge. Mouse sanded close and then hand-sanded from there. Found the cracks I suspected were there, based on the hit the guitar took to the tail at some point. All are stable and closed.
Then the sides and back. Had to go all the way to bare wood on the sides. Will probably do the same with the back so that they match. Unstained mahogany is beautiful stuff.
The "wood" patch on the tail ended up being putty. It covered way more area than necessary to fix the damage, which is actually pretty minor.
Here is how I left her last night. Free at last!
Plus, the Guild tuners I bought on eBay came in yesterday, so all I need now is a TRC and a Guild silkscreen logo. Next step is to sand the neck and head stock, and try to clean up the interior as best I can. I have decided against using spray can nitro on it. I will hand rub the whole thing with beeswax/carnauba wax/orange oil, put the Guild tuners on, string it with lights and call it a day!
Neal
rampside
Senior Member
Wow, Neal, you don't don't mess around!
davismanLV
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Someone had a VERY busy evening!! Good job, Neal!! :encouragement:
Westerly Wood
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It looks amazing. So clean and pure. Yes, forget the nitro. You got a killer satin finish D35, most likely the only of its kind. 162$ and a late night of mouse sanding. Steal.
Wow, there was spruce and mahogany under all that glop. Amazing, Neal!
I'm pleading ignorance, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to apply wax/oil to an unfinished guitar. If I were you, I'd just call it a day without doing that and leave it raw. You might look into some hand-rubbed finishes rather than lacquer if that's what you prefer.
I'm pleading ignorance, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to apply wax/oil to an unfinished guitar. If I were you, I'd just call it a day without doing that and leave it raw. You might look into some hand-rubbed finishes rather than lacquer if that's what you prefer.
davismanLV
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I'd put a spit-coat on the raw wood to seal it before applying any other finish. 1 part shellac to 5 parts denatured alcohol. Brush it on liberally and then let it dry. Then finish as you see fit. If you decide to stain, it will take more evenly but even if not, it's a good base for any finish. I'm with chazmo about applying wax or oil to unsealed wood. Spit coat first for sure.
adorshki
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I bet nobody'd doubt I wish I'd said that.
killdeer43
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Very nice work. I'm impressed....and wishing that I had a project guitar on hand. :eagerness:
Joe
Joe
Neal
Senior Member
I'm hearing you on the oil/beeswax concerns. Instead, I picked up a small jar of amber shellac, which I will rub on in very thin coats, sanding with 220 grit between coats.
That will also add just a tad of color to the top, which I think it needs.
Neal
That will also add just a tad of color to the top, which I think it needs.
Neal
adorshki
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Are they cleated?
Betcha that might finally explain why it got refinished the way it did, betcha the owner didn't realize it wasn't dead just because of some cracks and figured he had nothing to lose by experimenting.
davismanLV
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Neal, mix the shellac (amber or clear) with denatured alcohol first. That way it penetrates into the wood and seals it. Then if you decide on a shellac finish (shellac is BEAUTIFUL) it will go on evenly. Trust me on this.
Br1ck
Senior Member
I'm going to a shop today that has been a Guild repair center for decades. I'll ask them about the headstock logo issue. They probably will not just send you one, but maybe they can tell you where to go take your guitar for authentication. A close service center that will get you one once they know it's a real Guild.
I have sprayed many solid body Strat and Tele clones with nitro rattle cans from ReRanch. You can spray a light coating with gloss clear and then not buff it out. Makes a nice satin finish. Or you could try your hand at a French polish.
Thank you so much for resurrecting a D 35. They are fine sounding guitars.
I have sprayed many solid body Strat and Tele clones with nitro rattle cans from ReRanch. You can spray a light coating with gloss clear and then not buff it out. Makes a nice satin finish. Or you could try your hand at a French polish.
Thank you so much for resurrecting a D 35. They are fine sounding guitars.
Neal
Senior Member
I have been reading up on French Polish, and it seems like a fine way to spend two weeks of your life!
My mom had some great expressions that she would spring forth with as the situation required. In this instance, she would have said that French Polishing a $162 guitar is like "trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".
But I am going to borrow from the technique and see how far I want to take it.
Tom, the French Polishing process I have been reading about says to start with bare wood and full strength shellac, applied in a circular motion using a cotton pad wrapped in a small piece of old pillowcase. The pad also gets a drop or two of olive oil as a lubricant, and gets recharged with a small amount of shellac every couple minutes, followed by another drop of olive oil. Each session ends with the use of denatured alcohol or ethanol on the pad, rubbing vigorously to smooth out the finish.
Neal
My mom had some great expressions that she would spring forth with as the situation required. In this instance, she would have said that French Polishing a $162 guitar is like "trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".
But I am going to borrow from the technique and see how far I want to take it.
Tom, the French Polishing process I have been reading about says to start with bare wood and full strength shellac, applied in a circular motion using a cotton pad wrapped in a small piece of old pillowcase. The pad also gets a drop or two of olive oil as a lubricant, and gets recharged with a small amount of shellac every couple minutes, followed by another drop of olive oil. Each session ends with the use of denatured alcohol or ethanol on the pad, rubbing vigorously to smooth out the finish.
Neal
davismanLV
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French Polish is beautiful and NAUSEATINGLY time consuming. Something you'd do on a handcrafted masterpiece! But if you wanna practice, then go for it. I don't care what it says. I'd still spit-coat. I don't believe them. You spit coat before ALL finishes or staining. But lemme know how it all comes out. I'm loving this project of yours!! :encouragement:
Neal
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My bad, Tom. You are absolutely correct about the "wash coat". I will start with that!
Neal
Neal
davismanLV
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Right. Some people call it a wash coat, but same thing. :encouragement:
Neal
Senior Member
Just scored a Guild TRC on the Bay! One step closer to restoring this D-35's dignity.
Now, if I could just get my hands on a silkscreen logo.
I could spring for a MOP logo and try my hand at inlay. Or, I could swallow my pride and hand it off to my luthier, who could do a way better job.
Neal
Now, if I could just get my hands on a silkscreen logo.
I could spring for a MOP logo and try my hand at inlay. Or, I could swallow my pride and hand it off to my luthier, who could do a way better job.
Neal