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Topic: Finishing a Trojan |
Dianne Best
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 29 Nov 2009 9:47 am |
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Hi ya'll!
I am new to these parts, sort of fell into it by accident you might say when my sister brought an old resonator guitar out to me a couple of years ago. I knew it had been passed around in the family at least back to the 1960's when I frist saw it. The poor old thing had been refinished blond (poorly) back then and has been ignored and abused for decades, so badly that the case was even mildewed.
I had a look at it when she brought it out and didn't know what to do with it. The neck needed to be reset, it needed refinishing, the brass and nickel was scratched and corroded, and the rosewood fingerboard had numerous cracks as well as small checks in body from years of damp/dry cycles.
I had trouble running down the model thinking it was made in the 1950's but eventually identified it as a National Trojan built in 1934. Hum, it is even older than I am so maybe it deserves some TLC.
Having built or restored various instruments over the years, I decided to save the old Trojan. The resonator cover is off for silver plating and the tuning machines for gold plating. Meanwhile I removed the neck, stripped all the old finish, re-set the neck (my first time and it came out great  ) coloured with aniline dyes, and coated with nitrocellulose lacquer.
Rather than give it a like-new finish, I chose to try to keep "the vintage look" - what do ya'll think? Does that look okay or should I re-do it to like-new? (Factory photo on the left, refinished middle and right.)
Thanks for your thoughts!
Last edited by Dianne Best on 29 Nov 2009 12:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 29 Nov 2009 10:46 am
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Me, too.  |
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Terry Farmer
From:
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Posted 29 Nov 2009 4:28 pm
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| I'd stay with the vintage finish. Gives it lots of character. |
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Dianne Best
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 29 Nov 2009 4:31 pm
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| Thanks guys .... that's sort of what I thought, "character". |
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Stan Schober
From:
Cahokia, Illinois, USA
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Posted 29 Nov 2009 8:41 pm
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Dianne, you sound like a "character"...
She looks beautiful !
You'll post more pics when she's done, yes ?
Maybe a soundclip ?
_________________
Emmons S-8 P/P,DeArmond 40. Slowly drifting back towards sanity. |
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Posted 29 Nov 2009 9:46 pm
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I absolutely agree, re-finishing should be saved for vintage guitars that have already had their original finishes ruined or removed. Besides killing the Mojo  it actually decreases the value. |
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Dianne Best
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 30 Nov 2009 12:50 am
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Stan: Does it show? I was trying to hide that! (being a character) LOL!
I will post pictures when it is done.
Oh Mike, this one DID have the original finish removed sometime in the 1960's. The finish you see (middle & right) is my re-creation or simulation of what I thought it should look like at 75 year old. It was stripped to bare wood to remove the blond stain and urethane clear coat, an ugly job that took the strongest stripper I have used on an instrument!
It's collector's value was only listed as "D" if it hadn't been refinished the first time but it's real value to me is as a family heirloom - it was bought by my grandmother for one of my uncles (all deceased now). As part of the restoration, I am going to put a label inside outlining the history of the instrument, it's owners, and it's repair history.
Since I am going to all this work, I guess I had better learn to play the darned thing |
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Dennis Saydak
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 30 Nov 2009 1:28 am
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| Dianne Best wrote: |
| Since I am going to all this work, I guess I had better learn to play the darned thing |
Yes, and you will enjoy learning. I must say this is a new way to send a Trojan to everyone's computer. 
If you need some help setting it up let me know.
Welcome to the forum Dianne.
_________________
Dennis
Just when you think you're getting ahead in the rat race, the rats get faster. |
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Posted 30 Nov 2009 6:35 am
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Oh Mike, this one DID have the original finish removed sometime in the 1960's.
Yeah I know, and you did a great job. I was just adding my adding my usual 'save the vintage' commentary.
I have a 1930 El Trovador that was in a similar condition to yours. Cracked neck, body damage etc. Fortunately the finish, while poor, was still 90% there although the neck had to have some work done after the fix. |
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Dianne Best
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 11 Dec 2009 1:56 pm
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I got the metal parts back from the platers today - new nickel & gold - so here's the before and after pictures.
Before (1960's finish)
After (simulated antique)
I couldn't resist gold plating the tuners - it looked SO sharp!
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Posted 11 Dec 2009 3:10 pm
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| Ready for another 70 years! |
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Stan Schober
From:
Cahokia, Illinois, USA
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Posted 12 Dec 2009 8:00 pm
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Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyoutifull!!!!!
C'mon now, let's get some strings on there so we can hear her !!!
_________________
Emmons S-8 P/P,DeArmond 40. Slowly drifting back towards sanity. |
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Dianne Best
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 1:08 am
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| Well that will have to wait a bit Stan - I need to learn to play first |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 11:15 am
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| Dianne Best wrote: |
| Well that will have to wait a bit Stan - I need to learn to play first |
That's never held people back in the past. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 12:22 pm
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| nice job. now how bout a thread on 're-using' a trojan? |
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Jack Dillard
From:
Elkton, Maryland, USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 12:50 pm
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Wow that's great, you are very talented!
_________________
Thanks,
Jack
My Site |
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Dianne Best
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 3:25 pm
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| chris ivey wrote: |
| nice job. now how bout a thread on 're-using' a trojan? |
I am not going anywhere near that one! |
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Stan Schober
From:
Cahokia, Illinois, USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 5:21 pm
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| chris ivey wrote: |
| nice job. now how bout a thread on 're-using' a trojan? |
Now chris, you -know- that belongs in "DNT UNDRSTND"...
_________________
Emmons S-8 P/P,DeArmond 40. Slowly drifting back towards sanity. |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 8:55 pm
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That Trojan has a big hole in it,I would'nt use it. I'M SO SORRY JUST COULD'NT RESIST THAT. FORGIVE ME !!!! YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 14 Dec 2009 7:32 am
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| Charles Davidson wrote: |
| That Trojan has a big hole in it,I would'nt use it... |
You betcha, Charlie. It also has no strings, so she can't use it. |
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Dianne Best
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 14 Dec 2009 11:35 am
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| Dennis Saydak wrote: |
| I must say this is a new way to send a Trojan to everyone's computer. |
I didn't recognize the name Dennis  NOW I know who you are (and will ignore you appropriately LOL!)
(He's practically a neighbour.) |
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Dennis Saydak
From:
Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 14 Dec 2009 1:03 pm
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| Dianne Best wrote: |
| Dennis Saydak wrote: |
| I must say this is a new way to send a Trojan to everyone's computer. |
I didn't recognize the name Dennis NOW I know who you are (and will ignore you appropriately LOL!)
(He's practically a neighbour.) |
Ha! wait until you break a string and don't have a spare set handy. It'll cost you big time
_________________
Dennis
Just when you think you're getting ahead in the rat race, the rats get faster. |
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