Who has nitrocellulose paint knowledge and/or experience?

A Harmony Stratotone Mercury H-47 came into my shop today. I discovered that through research as the customer told me it was a 1966 model and a different Harmony, that happens. Actually this guitar is older than he thought. It came in pretty grimy with typical botched repairs. As I cleaned off the grunge I couldn't believe my eyes. A beautiful maple started to emerge. When I finally looked it up on the web, sure enough, Curly Maple. So, when I removed the pickguard and bridge, the guitar is bright red where the elements haven't hit it yet. Again, the web showed it came in redburst. Cool.

The guitar appears to have oxidized the red away where the sun and what not could get to it, and left a kind of yellow/goldish sort of color. The back was similar but still had some red. I gently cleaned it. The net read 0000 steel wool and vinegar very lightly would help. So I did that and it looks pretty good on the back after waxing. I'm afraid on the front. I tried a small test spot with not much change.

I know nitrocellulose yellows by nature to due its compostition. Once the red is gone, is it really gone or can it be brought back some how? I'm deathly afraid of strong chemicals on all guitars, but escpecially vintage guitars with nitro paint. Should I just clean it, buff it, and leave it the best I can?

Thanks y'all,
Zippy

I think cleaning and buffing is all you can do as far the color shift goes.
(of course until I see a picture I don't believe you )

elwood

Elwood,

You know what? While thinking last night, I seemed to remember a similar situation years ago reported on this board. I've forgotten how to look that stuff up, but here's the gist.

There was a gent on this board named Paavo Zakin M.D. about 10 years ago. He was an orthopedic surgeon and worked with the NHRA drag race people. He aquired and sent these cool little car care kits to many of us. These kits were from Meguiar's, and really nice stuff. One of our fellow G&L'ers had a similar issue as mine and somebody, maybe Gabe, suggested using the Meguiar's wax-cleaner. Well, it worked.

So, I tried it last night/this morning. The back is now a lovely red and I'm still working on the front. This is a tediously slow process mind you. I think it's pretty cool though.

Larry

Elwood,

Didn't mean to disregard the photo comment. I used to use photobucket for this site. I'll see if I can still get into that site or if it even still exists, then send pics. I'm a bit rusty. Can we send them from the Cloud? Isn't that a type of server?

Zippy

As long as the location does not have code that specifically prevents hotlinking, any image that has a location online can be posted here using the (img) (/img) tags (replace ( ) with [ ] ). Just make sure that the size does not blow out the thread.

Last edited by Salmon on Sun Dec 22, 2013 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Good news re the Meguiar's.
I like this stuff too:
http://www.virtuosopolish.com/page4.php

Good news re the Meguiar's.
I like this stuff too:
http://www.virtuosopolish.com/page4.php

Real Good Stuff !!

Elwood,

Didn't mean to disregard the photo comment. I used to use photobucket for this site. I'll see if I can still get into that site or if it even still exists, then send pics. I'm a bit rusty. Can we send them from the Cloud? Isn't that a type of server?

Zippy

If you give us a link we might be able to find the image links. No hurry, I was just being playful.

elwood

I found and opened my Photobucket, no worries. I've just got these two guitars I'm trying to finish.

What is a French polish finish? I have no idea on that one. On fretboards, I used Lemon or Lindseed oil years ago. Someone from this site turned me on to Gerlitz Guitar Honey for Rosewood, Ebony, & Pau Ferro type fretboards. It's not for Maple of course. Anyway, I've been really happy with the Gerlitz stuff including their "#1" guitar wax. It's just zero abrasive and has no effect on my current project.

I gotta figure out how to get pics from my phone to photobucket, then here.

Zippy

I gotta figure out how to get pics from my phone to photobucket, then here.

Zippy

For posting photos on the G&LDP, see: Tutorial: Posting photos.

OK, I give up. If you want to see the pics, send me your email and it'll be simple.

This is basically turning into a restoration job. Started as "it won't make noise" as the complaint from the owner. After reporting the research findings, the owner would like to get it closer to original. I agree. I've found and ordered the correct pots, switch, knobs, & switch lever. I am meticulously cleaning the body, neck, bindings, and all the hardware. I already got the truss rod cleaned up and working again and got the neck right. Cleaning up the tail piece and old Kluson Deluxe 3 in a row tuners now.

Maybe I'll figure out how to get photo's from my phone to Photobucket. To think I used to be an IT guy! Funny.

Zippy

Last edited by Zippy on Mon Dec 23, 2013 5:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

OK, I can't be a quitter. I stupidly didn't take many photos of this Harmony H47, but you'll see what I'm doing easy enough.

Here is when I received it the other day. One can clearly see the "tan lines" and the unaffected beautiful red color of the original paint. One can also see the poor job local person who shall go nameless did with the wiring. Basically, pots and switches were just whatever they had it seems. Also notice the melted solder inside the body. Awful job. I've never seen wiring pulled this tight. Don't know how they did it.
[img][/img]

The back was similar though not as oxidized as one would expect. As many of you know, nitrocellulose paint is pourous and as such will "leak" pigments and usually turns the yellow seen in the first photo. I don't have a "before" pic of the back so use your imagination. Here is after I finished the "color sanding" if you will.
[img][/img]

Mind you, the back of this guitar was quite gouged and scratched. Gotta teach somebody the no belt buckle rule.

Finally, this shot I stupidly still have wax on the sides of the guitar, but you can see the difference in the coloring and overall tone of the maple. If I had taken a better photo, the "flames" of the maple would be clearly visible, or the "curly" maple in this case. The difference between the body when it was received and how it is now is more dramatic than the photos display. Touches of the red can be seen between the tan lines of the bridge and the tan lines of the tail piece.
[img [/img]

Thanks for bearing with me. I'm currently cleaning and polishing the hardware while I wait for parts. Of course, I'm not expecting anything soon due to the holidays.

Have some fun today and let me know what you think.
Zippy

I like ReRanch stuff, I have used it a bunch of times and it worked great for me.. lots of knowledgeable people over there as well..

http://www.reranch.com/

Mark

Last edited by MAP70 on Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

That body (especially the back view) reminds me of a Kay Speed Demon 3-pup that I bought and later sold in the '60's.
It made an awesomely uncultured blues racket, and I wish I still had it. It was in need of a big mass adding at the headstock (perhaps like what was once sold as a "Fathead") to make it balance; I used to use it for Elmore-type bottleneck, no left-hand contact with the neck, and literally had nightmares (I was quite young) about it doing its thing of rising into a sort of Bill Wyman vertical position as I tried to carry on playing..... But to play normally, without the slide, it was fine.
Your Harmony is quite a treasure.

Hi Larry,- I thought I would tell you about French polishing.

It is a very old technique of finishing furniture with shellac and rags to spread a thin layer of finish in order to enhance the beauty of the wood. This is not done very often anymore because it takes time and more modern spray equipment has made it obsolete.

Paavo has passed on, if you hadn't heard.

Harmony Stratotones are cool and what kind of shop do you have? A Music store of some kind?

Bassman,

Thanks for telling me about Paavo. I had no idea. If you would send the details to my email at larrydalejohnson@gmail.com, it would be much appreciated. I was just looking at pictures of he and I this morning. I'm using the old vintage strobe tuner he got from Rene Martinez (SRV's guitar tech), then gave to me right now.

Nick, I think Silvertone, Harmony, Kay, and a bunch of others were different names all under the same company umbrella back in those days. It's good American stuff and fun to work on as i'ts kind of bizarre in some aspects.

Mark, good call on the reranch. I had forgotten all about that. I'm slowly getting back into things.

I'm basically waiting on parts now. Wish I had taken better "before" photos. Oh well, I'll post pics when she's done.

Zippy

P.S. Guys, you should see the Epi 335 brought in today. Gorgeous! My 3rd Epi this week. Strange how that happens.

Bassman,

Sorry, forgot about your shop question. Actually, I just call it that. I just work out of the little house I actually live in here on the river.

I didn't mean for this to happen at all. A local musician friend was in a bind of sorts. I took his guitar to repair or him and lent my Legacy Special to him. He loved it and questioned about who did the work. I fixed his guitar and set it up and he loved that. Word got around and then the snowball effect started and now here I am.

It's just basic amp stuff, pedal and pedal board fixes, and of course, guitar repairs and set ups along with basic mods.

Nothing big but keeps me busy.

Zippy