Finish issue on my Victor Baker guitar

**gpascale** · 09-21-2016, 05:14 PM

Hi all,

I own a beautiful 2008 Victor Baker thinline archtop, which I purchased used about a year and a half ago. The guitar was in mint condition when I got it.

Recently, I've noticed a funny issue with the finish on the top half of the body. Basically, it's as though the guitar is wrapped in saran wrap (I guess this is the finish) and there are little bubbles, blisters perhaps, appearing underneath in one spot. I noticed this a month ago for the first time - the guitar didn't ship to me this way.

Originally, I thought this was the point of the body where my arm lays on the guitar, thinking that perhaps some chemical from my skin was disturbing the finish (not that it should be the case) but I've realized it's actually a few inches over. So much for that theory. The guitar lives in Seattle, so there are no extreme temperatures and humidity is pretty much average.

Has anybody seen an issue like this before? Is this a big problem or something that can be easily fixed? Any ideas what could have caused it? I really love the guitar and it still sounds great, but it's such a beautiful instrument and this issue is really an eyesore.

Thanks,
Greg

Finish issue on my Victor Baker guitar-img_4245-jpg

Finish issue on my Victor Baker guitar-img_4247-jpg

Finish issue on my Victor Baker guitar-img_4246-jpg

**rob taft** · 09-21-2016, 06:09 PM

I'm no finish expert but it looks like moisture underneath the finish. Have you contacted Victor Baker? It would be my first choice over this web site. Not saying anything negative about this site but give the builder an opportunity to respond.

**BigMikeinNJ** · 09-21-2016, 06:13 PM

Rob makes a good point. Try contacting Mr. Baker.

**vinnyv1k** · 09-21-2016, 06:52 PM

This happened to me years ago on a black Gibson Lucille all over the top. I took a pin a popped one of the bubbles and water ran out. Gibson replaced the guitar. Really sorry !!!! Victor will need to refinish the guitar. He has a very good reputation. Wood moisture is hard to predict. Once again sorry for your heartbreak. Victor is a master builder. He will make it perfect again.

**gitman** · 09-22-2016, 12:09 PM

I have a guitar from Victor , custom ordered in 2010, used for roughly 35 gigs a year and the finish is flawless - however, mine has a plywood top and back ... maybe this bubbling is caused by some moisture that is seeping through from the inside ? In any case I'm pretty sure that Victor will help you out !

**Jabberwocky** · 09-22-2016, 02:55 PM

Looks like blisters and orange peel around that spot.

If you like how it sounds and plays, I'd be inclined to leave them alone. Check with Victor Baker to see what he suggests. Dollars to doughnuts, he'd recommend just living with them.

Since you are in Seattle, it might be more cost effective to send it to Lemuel (Everett) or Mike Lull. You could also check out Gary Hines in Portland, Oregon. The shipping and insurance to and from NYC costs about $200. Makes no sense when there are highly competent luthiers closeby.

**Jabberwocky** · 09-22-2016, 03:02 PM

Everett Lemuel Guitar Repair 206/526-9964 Lemuel

Ballard Sound Guitar Repair 206/783-7317
Cat Fox

Fremont Dusty Strings 206/634-1662
John Sabo

W.Seattle Paul Stroh 206/937-9418 Paul

Bellevue Guitar Works 425/643-8074 Mike Lull

Puyallup JP Guitars 253/841-2954 Jack Pimentel

**2bornot2bop** · 09-22-2016, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Looks like blisters and orange peel around that spot.

If you like how it sounds and plays, I'd be inclined to leave them alone. Check with Victor Baker to see what he suggests. Dollars to doughnuts, he'd recommend just living with them.

Since you are in Seattle, it might be more cost effective to send it to Lemuel (Everett) or Mike Lull. You could also check out Gary Hines in Portland, Oregon. The shipping and insurance to and from NYC costs about $200. Makes no sense when there are highly competent luthiers closeby.

Sadly, Lemuel is out of business. Been about a year now.

**Jabberwocky** · 09-22-2016, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

Sadly, Lemuel is out of business. Been about a year now.

Oh, No. Do you know what happened to Lem? Hope that he is all right.

Lem fixed up the rotting binding on a genuine D'Aquisto so he has real skills.

**2bornot2bop** · 09-22-2016, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Oh, No. Do you know what happened to Lem? Hope that he is all right.

Lem fixed up the rotting binding on a genuine D'Aquisto so he has real skills.

Yes, it's a sad story really, especially considering someone of Lem's talents. In short his personal shop biz never took off...Seattle in large part is not an archtop town, and setting up shop 35 minutes north of Seattle meant there wasn't enough business to support the shop. Prior to that Lem worked out of his home. And the bulk of his business was from you know who. Lem got tired of getting the short end of the stick with him, so he pulled the plug. No need to name names...you know who "he" is. In fact, Lem worked on that special D'A and never was rightly compensated considering the amount of work that he put into restoring it. Last I heard Lem had taken a non guitar job to attempt to make ends meet. That's all I know. Great guy, and very knowledgeable luthier...yet in the end he couldn't make a reasonable living at it.

**whiskey02** · 09-22-2016, 03:59 PM

Have you ever used a bug repellent on your body that contains Deet?

**Woody Sound** · 09-22-2016, 04:00 PM

Issues aside, that's an awesome guitar.

**plasticpigeon** · 09-22-2016, 04:04 PM

Looks like it is just the clear lacquer that has bubbled. To me it looks like it could have got hot, is that possible? The colour underneath looks sound. I'm certain that that part of the guitar could be repaired in an invisible way. It is strange though, and it would be good to know what caused it.

**gpascale** · 09-22-2016, 09:18 PM

Thanks all for the replies. Sounds like the prudent course of action is to contact Victor.

I'll report back with any interesting information I might learn as to the cause.

Greg

**jzjazz** · 12-22-2018, 08:00 PM

How did this end up?

**gpascale** · 01-05-2019, 03:53 PM

It kinda didn't...

I emailed Victor about it, and he responded that this sounded very strange and must be related to the change in environment, since the issue only popped up after several years and the guitar came to a new location. Suggested that I get it refinished, though that would likely be expensive.

I was a little disappointed in the response, tbh. Sure, it seems like the change in environment (I had the guitar shipped to Seattle from somewhere in Canada) must have brought out the issue, but shouldn't the finish be able to handle it? I'm sure thousands of guitars have made the same journey and lived in Seattle without developing such problems. It's not like Seattle has some extreme climate.

Anyway, I didn't bother pushing back. I decided shortly after this post that I don't really love the guitar (for other reasons) and will look to sell it. However, the crappy choice of whether to get the likely very expensive finish work done first or to sell it for a discount has kept me from actually taking any action. The guitar has sat in my closet for over a year now. It's a new year, though. Maybe time to bite the bullet and end this chapter!

Greg

**deacon Mark** · 01-05-2019, 05:11 PM

Without acutally seeing this in person it seems to be only on this side of guitar a peeling as you say. It could be possible to scrape the bubbles off and then wet sand that area starting at about 400 grit and moving down to 2000-3000 and polish it all out. It depends on where he color is in the finish. As long as you remove finish on the top coats and not go down to the actually stain it could work fine. Certainly be cheaper than a refinish and make the guitar look better. Sometimes when you do this things can work out fine. The problem is sometimes it can be a disaster you have to know when to do it or leave it alone. Just like a doctor...……….do no harm.

Just looking up close it appears the color portion of the finish it fine so you just are removing top layers of finish coat. It could be hit with just a touch of clear lacquer and blended in assuming this is a Nitro Finish. I would be interesting in see a few up close pics. I had a guitar finish repair that the guy got some melting of the plastic strap on this guitar finish. I was able to simply wet sand it down and in the end not real noticeable for sure. This happened to be a poly finish and thick but it work fine, it was a thick finish lots of room to sand down without going through finish or even color.

Ordinarily I would say weather causing this is pretty drastic and it would have happen all over the guitar. I wonder if this guitar came in contact with "some other" substance that cause the blistering. Even hitting the finish with acetone would not do this type of damage. Acetone is was is used to remove finish or soften it.

**marcwhy** · 01-05-2019, 05:23 PM

Hmm, bummer end of the story.
Jabber listed some great resources above -- were you able to contact any to see how much it would really be? It seems like just a small part of the body ...

**Alter** · 01-05-2019, 05:48 PM

It's the second Victor Baker guitar with a problem i remember reading about here, the other one having a neck that wouldn't stay in place (as a very honest seller was explaining).. Of course you never know what is to blame for problems, as every case is unique.. Hope you find a solution! Out of curiosity, what is it you don't particularly love about this guitar, apart from the bad vibes from the finish problems?