Telecaster refinish

H.ChinaskiH.Chinaski Brooklyn, NY Posts: 1,596
Looking for y’all’s thoughts and advice here. I’m in New Zealand where guitars ain’t cheap but this popped up on my radar and it’s a fucking travesty whoever carved this thing up but could result in a nice price for a made in the USA tele. What would refinishing this thing look like?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/music-instruments/instruments/guitar-bass/electric-guitars/auction-3170269350.htm


Pine Knob, MI Lollapalooza 1992 / Soldier Field, Chicago 1995 / Savage Hall, Toledo 1996 / Palace, Detroit 1998 / Palace, Detroit 2000 / Pine Knob, MI 2003 / Showbox, Seattle 2004 / MSG, NYC 2008 / Key Arena I & II, Seattle 2009 / Eddie Vedder Beacon, NYC 2011 / Eddie Vedder Benaroya, Hall Seattle 2011 / Barclays, Brooklyn I &II 2013 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia II 2013 / Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 2014 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia 1 2016 / Madison Square Garden, NYC 2 2016 / Wrigley 2, Chicago 2016/ Fenway 1, Boston 2018/

Comments

  • dudemandudeman Posts: 2,962
    That could be a good project. If that is marker, a Magic Eraser should take care of it. 

    If it's carved into the wood, sanding and refinishing is about the only option. If you do this, just be aware that removing thickness from the front of the body will effectively make the bridge sit lower. Sometimes the saddle screws are long enough to compensate, sometimes not. You may have to shim the bridge back up. 

    If it's cheap and you are looking for a project, that would be a fun and rewarding one. 
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,121
    yikes!

    Third Coast Guitars estimates a Fender body total refinish at $650 US and up which includes the work Dudeman described.  You also have to wonder what else was done to the guitar. 
  • H.ChinaskiH.Chinaski Brooklyn, NY Posts: 1,596
    dudeman said:
    That could be a good project. If that is marker, a Magic Eraser should take care of it. 

    If it's carved into the wood, sanding and refinishing is about the only option. If you do this, just be aware that removing thickness from the front of the body will effectively make the bridge sit lower. Sometimes the saddle screws are long enough to compensate, sometimes not. You may have to shim the bridge back up. 

    If it's cheap and you are looking for a project, that would be a fun and rewarding one. 
    Sadly I think it’s been carved or possibly even wood burnt. 
    Pine Knob, MI Lollapalooza 1992 / Soldier Field, Chicago 1995 / Savage Hall, Toledo 1996 / Palace, Detroit 1998 / Palace, Detroit 2000 / Pine Knob, MI 2003 / Showbox, Seattle 2004 / MSG, NYC 2008 / Key Arena I & II, Seattle 2009 / Eddie Vedder Beacon, NYC 2011 / Eddie Vedder Benaroya, Hall Seattle 2011 / Barclays, Brooklyn I &II 2013 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia II 2013 / Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 2014 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia 1 2016 / Madison Square Garden, NYC 2 2016 / Wrigley 2, Chicago 2016/ Fenway 1, Boston 2018/
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,121
    Have you considered looking at the US market if New Zealand prices are too high?  I bought a ... magical box ... a Synthstrom Deluge ... made in Wellington, NZ and there wasn't any VAT or US tax on the purchase ... shipping via DHL was reasonable.
  • H.ChinaskiH.Chinaski Brooklyn, NY Posts: 1,596
    Jason P said:
    Have you considered looking at the US market if New Zealand prices are too high?  I bought a ... magical box ... a Synthstrom Deluge ... made in Wellington, NZ and there wasn't any VAT or US tax on the purchase ... shipping via DHL was reasonable.
    Not really I’ve got quite a lot of gear in storage in the states I have just been looking to pic something up locally
    Pine Knob, MI Lollapalooza 1992 / Soldier Field, Chicago 1995 / Savage Hall, Toledo 1996 / Palace, Detroit 1998 / Palace, Detroit 2000 / Pine Knob, MI 2003 / Showbox, Seattle 2004 / MSG, NYC 2008 / Key Arena I & II, Seattle 2009 / Eddie Vedder Beacon, NYC 2011 / Eddie Vedder Benaroya, Hall Seattle 2011 / Barclays, Brooklyn I &II 2013 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia II 2013 / Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 2014 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia 1 2016 / Madison Square Garden, NYC 2 2016 / Wrigley 2, Chicago 2016/ Fenway 1, Boston 2018/
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 22,130
    i don't want to be a downer here, but i would steer clear of that guitar unfortunately.

    first off you haven't played it. you may buy it, receive it, and hate it and then be stuck with it.

    secondly, i think the person who owns it may have ruined it. especially if that stuff is burned into the wood.

    one time i approached my friend who is a vintage guitar dealer about potentially refinishing an old early 90s  flying v because i did not like the color. he basically said that if you try to have that done and the person doing it fucks up at any point it in the process is going to cost even more out of pocket to fix any mistakes. he said it is just too risky to have someone mess with it if they do not do a lot of that kind of work. and if you take it somewhere who specializes in that kind of thing it may be more expensive than what the guitar is worth. if you were to refinish it and plan to sell the guitar later that is one thing. but if you buy it and do not refinish it, you may get stuck with it.

    if you are wanting a project and you know what you are doing you may be ok, but for me, i would pass on this one.

    There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • H.ChinaskiH.Chinaski Brooklyn, NY Posts: 1,596
    i don't want to be a downer here, but i would steer clear of that guitar unfortunately.

    first off you haven't played it. you may buy it, receive it, and hate it and then be stuck with it.

    secondly, i think the person who owns it may have ruined it. especially if that stuff is burned into the wood.

    one time i approached my friend who is a vintage guitar dealer about potentially refinishing an old early 90s  flying v because i did not like the color. he basically said that if you try to have that done and the person doing it fucks up at any point it in the process is going to cost even more out of pocket to fix any mistakes. he said it is just too risky to have someone mess with it if they do not do a lot of that kind of work. and if you take it somewhere who specializes in that kind of thing it may be more expensive than what the guitar is worth. if you were to refinish it and plan to sell the guitar later that is one thing. but if you buy it and do not refinish it, you may get stuck with it.

    if you are wanting a project and you know what you are doing you may be ok, but for me, i would pass on this one.

    Yeah it’s pretty wrecked and it’s a damn shame but I used a have a 52 RI and traded for a Les Paul… so I am familiar with it. This one is the hot rod version too. I’d love it have one again…. And it’d be a project. 

     
    Pine Knob, MI Lollapalooza 1992 / Soldier Field, Chicago 1995 / Savage Hall, Toledo 1996 / Palace, Detroit 1998 / Palace, Detroit 2000 / Pine Knob, MI 2003 / Showbox, Seattle 2004 / MSG, NYC 2008 / Key Arena I & II, Seattle 2009 / Eddie Vedder Beacon, NYC 2011 / Eddie Vedder Benaroya, Hall Seattle 2011 / Barclays, Brooklyn I &II 2013 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia II 2013 / Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 2014 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia 1 2016 / Madison Square Garden, NYC 2 2016 / Wrigley 2, Chicago 2016/ Fenway 1, Boston 2018/
  • dudemandudeman Posts: 2,962
    edited July 2021
    i don't want to be a downer here, but i would steer clear of that guitar unfortunately.

    first off you haven't played it. you may buy it, receive it, and hate it and then be stuck with it.

    secondly, i think the person who owns it may have ruined it. especially if that stuff is burned into the wood.

    one time i approached my friend who is a vintage guitar dealer about potentially refinishing an old early 90s  flying v because i did not like the color. he basically said that if you try to have that done and the person doing it fucks up at any point it in the process is going to cost even more out of pocket to fix any mistakes. he said it is just too risky to have someone mess with it if they do not do a lot of that kind of work. and if you take it somewhere who specializes in that kind of thing it may be more expensive than what the guitar is worth. if you were to refinish it and plan to sell the guitar later that is one thing. but if you buy it and do not refinish it, you may get stuck with it.

    if you are wanting a project and you know what you are doing you may be ok, but for me, i would pass on this one.

    Yeah it’s pretty wrecked and it’s a damn shame but I used a have a 52 RI and traded for a Les Paul… so I am familiar with it. This one is the hot rod version too. I’d love it have one again…. And it’d be a project. 

     
    If the price was right, I would do it. Had a similar situation a few years ago with a wrecked P-Bass. The previous owner played punk and he had trashed that thing. It was covered in stickers and nasty, deep gouges that went through the finish and into the wood. It had a busted bridge and was missing the Tone control too.

    I gave him like, $40.00 and got started. I sanded the body down and refinished it using polyurethane for wood floors. Replaced the wiring and electronics, put in a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickup and added an ESP hi-mass bridge. 

    Since then, I swapped the neck for a new MIM Fender neck and replaced the pickguard recently.

    Anyway, it was fun, I learned a lot and I now have a cool bass that I have a special bond with.


    Post edited by dudeman on
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • dudemandudeman Posts: 2,962

    This is what it looks like now. It started out as a black MIM Fender Standard Precision Bass. 



    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • H.ChinaskiH.Chinaski Brooklyn, NY Posts: 1,596
    dudeman said:

    This is what it looks like now. It started out as a black MIM Fender Standard Precision Bass. 



    Looks killer! Nice work
    Pine Knob, MI Lollapalooza 1992 / Soldier Field, Chicago 1995 / Savage Hall, Toledo 1996 / Palace, Detroit 1998 / Palace, Detroit 2000 / Pine Knob, MI 2003 / Showbox, Seattle 2004 / MSG, NYC 2008 / Key Arena I & II, Seattle 2009 / Eddie Vedder Beacon, NYC 2011 / Eddie Vedder Benaroya, Hall Seattle 2011 / Barclays, Brooklyn I &II 2013 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia II 2013 / Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 2014 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia 1 2016 / Madison Square Garden, NYC 2 2016 / Wrigley 2, Chicago 2016/ Fenway 1, Boston 2018/
  • H.ChinaskiH.Chinaski Brooklyn, NY Posts: 1,596
    The price went higher than it should have and I passed on the Tele…
    Pine Knob, MI Lollapalooza 1992 / Soldier Field, Chicago 1995 / Savage Hall, Toledo 1996 / Palace, Detroit 1998 / Palace, Detroit 2000 / Pine Knob, MI 2003 / Showbox, Seattle 2004 / MSG, NYC 2008 / Key Arena I & II, Seattle 2009 / Eddie Vedder Beacon, NYC 2011 / Eddie Vedder Benaroya, Hall Seattle 2011 / Barclays, Brooklyn I &II 2013 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia II 2013 / Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 2014 / Wells Fargo, Philadelphia 1 2016 / Madison Square Garden, NYC 2 2016 / Wrigley 2, Chicago 2016/ Fenway 1, Boston 2018/
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