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These arrived from the Gretsch family collection that they recently sold off to fund their charitable foundation.
I posted some pics recently under NCD- new case day.
This report will be staggered over a few days because, well, I have a day job.
Three boxes arrived with the best packing I've seen for guitars. It was not easy to get them out and took a while.
I can generalize and state that they appear unplayed. One was from 1992 and two from 1996. I'm sure they have the original round wound 11s or 12s on them. The strings are baldly corroded. All of them were dirty, one completely filthy.
After insuring there was no damage, I scrubbed them down with a cloth diaper and water. That got all the crud off.
They are essentially acoustic Super Eagles with Floating #3 pickups and Gretsch appointments. The neck feels to be a medium in heft. The body bracing is crossed. The top is on the thin side, as acoustics generally are.
I'll show you some "dirty pics" of the worst and some of the first one I cleaned up. I still have to clean the hardware. I would appreciate any advice on how to restore the gold.
It will be a while before I set one up, maybe a couple of days.
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04-13-2021 08:33 PM
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I don't there's much you can do w the gold plating other than some warm breath and a soft cotton cloth w out taking the gold off.
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Congrats Marty on their new guitars I’m glad I told you about the auction
I knew it was right up your alley
Marty and I were texting and his comments made me go in and re-measure my guitar again and mine is also 3 inches so they’re cousins
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Wow! Remarkable find. I'm pleased to see that they landed in such appropriate hands.
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Congratulations Marty! Those guitars are thirsty for some Virtuoso! Those are hefty necks. Just like I remember them. I love the sunburst because I always go for sunburst!
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Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
The necks are more D than C and are not like a 59 carve. It's surprising how consistent all three necks are considering there were four years between the oldest and youngest.
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What's with all of the many wavy lines in the wood reflecting the light?
You know that will be a distraction under lights for you and the audience. I can remedy that quickly with some painter's tape and a can of Krylon. I'll pay shipping, and no charge...though it may take a few years for you to get it back :-)
Nice find.
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Pulled all the hardware off the burst so I could clean around the tailpiece, check the solder joints, clean the headstock, and check under the pickguard. I checked the truss rod nut, removed it and greased the threads. The nut looks fresh otherwise I'd replace it. The bracing is intact.
The guitar is clean now.
The lacquer is thin on these guitars, which is how they were ordered. I'd like another coat of clear on the top before buffing. The rest is ready to be buffed.
The flame is starting to pop out.
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It's a shame seeing nice guitars not being played--corroded strings? Sheesh.
But it sure is nice seeing it rehabbed and brought back to playing condition!
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Is the front of the Sunburst rehabbed?
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In the spirit of “the dumbest question is the one not asked.” What does Ghost Built mean?
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Originally Posted by TedBPhx
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Very cool!
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What 2B said
mine is on its way to Steve Cowles for a thorough rehab and installation of Schattens tone/volume pots under the puck guard
they are NOS just dirty
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Beautiful guitar Mikey! One could easily have those tailpieces replated for a song.
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2B
in person my hardware looks pretty good
I think Wintermoons advice about just breathing on them a little snd wiping them up is spot on
thevtunrrs looked good too
they just got real dusty
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Originally Posted by Doctor JeffOriginally Posted by 2bornot2bop
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Pete is a great guy
being in his shop is quite an experience
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Mine comes tomorrow - 14 miles away at FedEx this afternoon!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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im excited to see yours
the f-holes on yours are thinner
reminiscent of a gibson Johnny Smith or one of my Unity’s
Originally Posted by Easy2grasp
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Two at Moreno's for buffing. They are clean though.
I cleaned the last one tonight. I don't think it needs buffing. I don't think the truss rod was ever tightened. It is now. The bracing looks tight.
I strung it with D'Addario Half Rounds 13-56s to drive the top for acoustic play. It's loud acoustically and has a nice bottom end. It sounds gorgeous amplified.
The 20th fret on the high E side either needs a little filing or a gentle tap. My luthier will do the right thing.
No guitar is ever done. They demand attention.
Here are some pics.
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MG,
This sounds like a really nice, fun project.
I dont know if this will help but, When I restored my GB100, Most of the covers had Gold plating that basically could not be saved. Except for the tuners. So I took off the tuners which weren't pitted and the gold was NOT worn off, but had a very odd tarnish/black mold attached to them. Yeah.. Nasty.
I took each individual part and rubbed some CarPro Essense Plus on them with my fingers. This is a non-abrasive cleaner that magically took off all of the stuff that was on the tuners and left them looking brand new. So I cleaned off all of the residue and I then did the same thing with some P21S 100% carnuba. That stuff needs your body temperature to get the product to the correct melting point. I rubbed that into the surface and let it set for a minute and then wiped it off.
I did all this approximately 6 months ago.
Today, the gold tuners still look practically brand new. In fact I replaced all of the gold parts (Strap pins, pickup covers, Tailpiece assembly, ALL Screws, and pickup bracket) and those original tuners still look just as good as all the new parts.
Have fun with this project MG. Sometimes I think I like restoring guitars and then looking at them - better than actually playing them!
Joe D
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Great looking guitar! How’s Pete working at 80! I retired at 55. I can’t imagine working at that age.
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Mark if you get tired of one of those look me up, they are beautiful and HFC's is massive guitar for sound.
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"Guitars are never done...." That is just. so. true!
RIP Nick Gravenites
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