Re-re-finished Stringmaster

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 9 May 2006 6:27 pm

Recently, there was a thread here about refinishing Stringmasters & steels in general. There were different opinions of what should and should not be, but as always, and with many topics, the end result is......."Do that which makes you happy."

Anyhow, the thread got me thinking. I had a refinished D8 Stringmaster that I bought on ebay several years back. It was refinished in a medium burgundy matte color. It was a decent yet not professional refinish. I'd say 7.75 out of 10. I probably have some photos of it somewhere, but I'm too tired to dig for them.

Oh yes, I was thinking.....having this steel that was already refinished, I believed that I had a permit to...."do that which makes me happy"......

So, without too much more verbiage, here's what I had done.........

Thanks to Steel Guitar Nashville for the Fender decal.

[This message was edited by HowardR on 11 May 2006 at 01:31 PM.]

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 9 May 2006 6:40 pm

That's a real beauty, HR. I still have a preference for instruments that show some wear, and I still think the value loss to refinishing is prohibitive... but that is a guitar that I would be proud to have hiding my beer gut on stage.

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 9 May 2006 6:45 pm

I'm a bit of a 'vintage nazi' but when it comes to something that's had it's original finish taken off I agree, why not make it the way you want. That's some sweet 'burstin' on that baby Howard. Very nice.

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Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 9 May 2006 7:08 pm

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 9 May 2006 7:22 pm

It's a sweet lookin' insturment allright,but it ain't got no strings.Please put C6th and E13th on it before you send it to me, for my BD..lol.Nice nice nice..PJ

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 9 May 2006 7:36 pm

I just got back from playing a rockabilly hot rod show. They certainly never thought twice about updating the paint on all those old cars (or putting tattoos on all those young bods). Howard, they would have loved your customized paint job. So do I.

Don't you have a Gibson Console with a similar sunburst finish?

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Student of the Steel: Zum uni, Fender tube amps, squareneck and roundneck resos, tenor sax, keyboards

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 9 May 2006 7:43 pm

Sweet! Nice job.

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 9 May 2006 7:46 pm

Swwwwwwwweeeeeeet HR,
I'd be mighty proud of that one![This message was edited by Nick Reed on 09 May 2006 at 08:46 PM.]

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 9 May 2006 8:33 pm

Cool sunburst finish Howard. Since the original finish was already gone when you got the guitar, sure, why not refinish it whatever color you want?

A few years ago I bought a T-8 that someone had refinished very poorly several years earlier. I stripped the crappy refin, and had the body painted Fender nitro blonde. If the guitar had it's original finish when I got it I would not have done that. In general, I prefer an original finish, regardless of how poor it's condition, over a refin.

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 9 May 2006 8:45 pm

Are you saying you are going to "part it out"? I see it has no strings.

Everyone likes a clean instrument __ Willie Nelson doesn't count.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 10 May 2006 1:47 am

That's a beautiful finish on that guitar Howard.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 10 May 2006 1:57 am

I love it. Who did the work?

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 May 2006 2:58 am

If the guitar were original, I would not have done this.

I wanted to keep the vintage look but didn't want a blonde, walnut or butterscotch finish. I also didn't want anything gaudy. I chose this vintage burst and the photos, as nice as they are, do not do this refinish job justice.

Michael Johnstone recommended Wilkins Custom Guitars in Van Nuys, Ca. in that previous thread and so I contacted Pat Wilkins and the result you can see.

I love this short scale Stringmaster and now it is something special.

Here's underneath.......a clean job indeed

David, yes, I have a Gibson Consollette with a similar finish. You saw that at Reece's C6 Workshop.

[This message was edited by HowardR on 10 May 2006 at 04:45 AM.]

Todd Weger · Post by **Todd Weger** » 10 May 2006 4:51 am

Looks gorgeous, Howard.

I'm generally of the same opinion as most here when it comes to refins, but if I pick up anything that's already had it done, all bets are off at that point. If it's been messed with before I get it, I have no qualms about re-doing it to the way I want it.

Personally, I LOOK for instruments that have already been refinished. I can get 'em for a lot less money than if they still have the original paintjob, and have free license to redo them in whatever finish I want. And, if/when I sell it, I get back what I have in it. There are always going to be those who want all-original, and those who want shiny.

Nice job.

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Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, A6, B11); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Regal resonator (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); assorted ukuleles; upright bass

[This message was edited by Todd Weger on 10 May 2006 at 05:51 AM.]

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 May 2006 5:04 am

That's just it Todd. That's the point.

When I bought this 6-7 years ago, I was wet behind the ears. I didn't even realize that it wasn't original. I thought I just got lucky that I won this at a low price. But it's a great guitar and one of my favorites.

The refinish cost as much as I paid for the steel, and it's still cost me 40% less than an original. Now it looks as good as it sounds.

Let's face it. As a player I stink, but if I'm going to stink,....I'm gonna look stinkin' good!

[This message was edited by HowardR on 10 May 2006 at 06:21 AM.]

Ron Brennan · Post by **Ron Brennan** » 10 May 2006 6:12 am

All of the above!!!

It so nice, I might even be inspired enough to swing on my vine from the Jungle over here in Jersey to see that Stringmaster in NYC!! Oheeeeeeoohhhh!!

Beautiful work Howard....TX
Rgds,
Ron

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JCFSGC member 2005 "Be of Good Cheer"
"55" Stringmaster D8,
"67" Telecaster,
"60"Fender Concert Amp 4-10's

John Cox · Post by **John Cox** » 10 May 2006 8:15 am

Howard, that's sweet dude! J.C.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 10 May 2006 10:44 am

btw--did they also do the metal? Any rechroming? Just buffing/polishing? Or did you disassemble it and just send the body and do the metal work yourself? Don't know why I'm asking all this---just curious about the nuts & bolts of how you went about the whole job.
I'm just home from work and this guitar looks even better today. Just gorgeous.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 10 May 2006 11:27 am

Jon, I just buffed the hardware as it was in good shape. No rust or pitting.

I removed almost all of the hardware before shipping it. That way, nothing gets lost or misplaced.

Pat Wilkins does fine work. It's a piano like finish.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 10 May 2006 11:48 am

Bottom line...it looks great-and you gotta be feeling good when you're playing it!

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Mark

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 10 May 2006 12:00 pm

Howard, almost as nice as this !!
click here

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Steel players do it without fretting

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 10 May 2006 12:01 pm

Howard,
That burst looks tre cool !!...... I really like the burst on the old Fender 400's also ...Maybe I'll look into that for my short scale triple !!....

......Jim

Harry Dietrich · Post by **Harry Dietrich** » 10 May 2006 8:13 pm

Baz

You could cut that one up and make 4 cool skate boards out of it. LOL!

Harry

Stephan Miller · Post by **Stephan Miller** » 10 May 2006 8:51 pm

Howard, you did the right thing. That must be just about the prettiest Stringmaster around.

Have you been able to date it?

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 10 May 2006 9:11 pm

Howard,

Now that the nice refinishing job is done, when will we hear you play it?

Maybe, HSGA Joliet this year?

Aloha,
Don[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 10 May 2006 at 10:13 PM.]