| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic String Master D8 refinish help
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  String Master D8 refinish help
Hal Braun


From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 6:19 am    
Reply with quote

Well, I just replaced my old Fender D8 that I let go in the past.. with this one from Jimmie H.

It has had some kind of refinish in the past, so I am not worried about doing another one/originality, but would like to keep it historically accurate. I have a couple of questions I hope you experts could help out on.. when I figure out the exact year of the guitar (it is one the way) I want to at least keep it to a “stock” Fender color.

All the information I can find tells me Fender actually sold D8’s with a myriad of colors including Fiesta Red, Sonic Blue, Sea Foam, etc in addition to the usual blond, black, walnut.

Has anyone ever come across one of these colors in the wild? I would really like to see one in Fiesta Red or sea foam if they actually painted some from the factory. (Heck.. I might paint it one of those anyway, but my gut says stay with stock colors.

Second question. Those of you that have done refinishes, what did you use to remove the paint that was easiest/safest?

And final question, is anyone selling the Fender logo waterslide?

Thanks everyone.





View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 7:00 am    
Reply with quote

You need to take the guitar all apart and then use regular paint remover.
Gob it on, leave it for a while and then scrape off the old paint.
In the past, I have done this and if the guitar has had several coats of paint, you may need to reapply the paint remover a few extra times.
www.reranch.com has all the paint and supplies you might need. Very Happy
Erv
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Hal Braun


From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 7:42 am    
Reply with quote

Thanks Erv, I was hoping you saw this..

Any idea on stock colors in the years 55-59 or so?

PS, did you pull the two necks apart?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 8:11 am    
Reply with quote

Hal,
Yes, you need to completely disassemble the guitar to do a good job. Just remove the diamonds on the front and back and you'll find a couple of rods holding the necks together. Unto those and separate the necks.
If you pull up the site I referenced, you'll find a section showing Fender colors.
I refinished my Stringmasters in Fender Blonde.
I added some tinted clear coat at the end to take away some of the whiteness and make them look vintage.
Here is an example of my refinishing work:

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Hal Braun


From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 8:44 am    
Reply with quote

Wow.. at that point it looks like rechroming the metal and new fretboards are in order.. in for a penny, in for a pound.

Beautiful.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 8:52 am    
Reply with quote

Hal,
I wouldn't do any rechroming. Very Happy
Erv
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Joe Major

 

From:
Florida, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 11:54 am     Citristrip
Reply with quote

Citristrip works to remove old finish about as well as anything. You still need good ventilation, but it won't make brain cells pop like the bubbles in your beer like good old methylchloride. As Erv said, apply it liberally and allow plenty of time to work. And multiple applications will be needed to remove that 60 yr old lacquer. Ideally, you'll want to get all of the old finish off before the new goes on. Be prepared for a long process before your SM is back together. Good Luck!
Joe
_________________
"Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from...poor judgement."

'54 Fender D-8 Dual Pro, Magnatone G-65-W6, Tweed 5F1 Champ
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bill Sinclair


From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 12:18 pm    
Reply with quote

Yeah, I wouldn't rechrome either. In fact, if it were mine, I wouldn't even refinish it. I'd buy a can of the ReRanch Fender Blonde nitrocellulose lacquer, remove the diamonds, tape off and cover the top of the guitar to prevent overspray and then see if I could paint over the bare spot on the front with very light coats, blending with the surrounding paint. Maybe even trying a very light coat of the tinted lacquer that Erv mentioned to match the yellowed lacquer. If it doesn't work, you can still use that lacquer for your refinish job so you're not out much. You should probably wait a couple of weeks before applying the decal.

That's just me. You might not like the slightly worn look as much as I do.

Check out the vendor that Jeff Au Hoy linked in this thread for a decal. I ordered one for a Stringmaster project and although I haven't applied it yet, it looks right.
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=341040&highlight=stringmaster+decal

Edit: I just noticed that you said that it had already been refinished so that might compel you to do a nicer job.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 12:55 pm    
Reply with quote

By the looks of how the paint is coming off, I don't think the surface was prepared correctly.
Spraying the paint on is the easy part, getting it ready is what takes the time.
Here's another one I did:

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Jeff Mead


From:
London, England
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 1:36 pm     Re: String Master D8 refinish help
Reply with quote

Hal Braun wrote:

All the information I can find tells me Fender actually sold D8’s with a myriad of colors including Fiesta Red, Sonic Blue, Sea Foam, etc in addition to the usual blond, black, walnut.


Really? What information is that. As far as I am aware they only sold a very few custom order guitars in colours other than the standard blond or "walnut" (and, later, black).

But as you're refinishing yours, why not go for something a bit more interesting than the standard colours - there are already plenty of those around.

This is my refinished D8...

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 1:39 pm    
Reply with quote

I believe ReRanch has some of those Fender colors listed on their site. Very Happy
Erv
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Hal Braun


From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 3:17 pm     Re: String Master D8 refinish help
Reply with quote

Jeff Mead wrote:
Hal Braun wrote:

All the information I can find tells me Fender actually sold D8’s with a myriad of colors including Fiesta Red, Sonic Blue, Sea Foam, etc in addition to the usual blond, black, walnut.


Really? What information is that. As far as I am aware they only sold a very few custom order guitars in colours other than the standard blond or "walnut" (and, later, black).

But as you're refinishing yours, why not go for something a bit more interesting than the standard colours - there are already plenty of those around.

This is my refinished D8...



Now that’s what I’m talking about.. I am feeling that Fiesta Red.. period correct for strats.. who knows if anyone special ordered a SM with it..
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Hal Braun


From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 26 Jun 2019 3:20 pm    
Reply with quote

Bill Sinclair wrote:
Yeah, I wouldn't rechrome either. In fact, if it were mine, I wouldn't even refinish it. I'd buy a can of the ReRanch Fender Blonde nitrocellulose lacquer, remove the diamonds, tape off and cover the top of the guitar to prevent overspray and then see if I could paint over the bare spot on the front with very light coats, blending with the surrounding paint. Maybe even trying a very light coat of the tinted lacquer that Erv mentioned to match the yellowed lacquer. If it doesn't work, you can still use that lacquer for your refinish job so you're not out much. You should probably wait a couple of weeks before applying the decal.

That's just me. You might not like the slightly worn look as much as I do.

Check out the vendor that Jeff Au Hoy linked in this thread for a decal. I ordered one for a Stringmaster project and although I haven't applied it yet, it looks right.
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=341040&highlight=stringmaster+decal

Edit: I just noticed that you said that it had already been refinished so that might compel you to do a nicer job.


Bill, thanks for that!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Jeff Mead


From:
London, England
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2019 1:43 am     Re: String Master D8 refinish help
Reply with quote

Hal Braun wrote:
I am feeling that Fiesta Red.. period correct for strats.. who knows if anyone special ordered a SM with it..


Yes, I went with red for my quad refinish (not sure if it's Fiesta or not).


View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Hal Braun


From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2019 4:22 am    
Reply with quote

Jeff! You are an animal! That turned out really well, and certainly adds a bit of “wow” factor.. I am definitely going to consider the full list of period correct Fender colors..


View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Bill Sinclair


From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2019 4:29 am    
Reply with quote

My Lake Placid Blue metallic Deluxe 8 clone, using Reranch lacquer.

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Hal Braun


From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2019 8:57 am    
Reply with quote

They are all coming out now.. let’s see those SM’s in color! Nice guitar Bill!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Hugh Holstein


From:
Rohnert Park, California, USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2019 7:33 pm    
Reply with quote

I resurrected from the wood pile a 56 Stringmaster Q8 outboard neck that had been converted to a pedal steel at one point.
Paired it with a inboard neck from a 64 T8.
The 56 was walnut.
The 64 was blond.
Finished them in their original colors.
The blond came out a little more yellow than I wanted, but I’ve seen very close to this color on originals.
I used a quart of seagrave per neck.

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Hal Braun


From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 28 Jun 2019 11:00 am    
Reply with quote

Resurrected and living in style again! The love child of a blond and a tall dark stranger Very Happy
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Mark Addeo

 

From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 10 Jul 2019 7:37 pm    
Reply with quote

After doing a D8 basket case conversion to lefty using Re-Ranch paints (vintage cream), I completed a second D8 conversion in the ultra rare "cimmaron red" (aka colonial red at Home Depot). I also just completed a single neck stringmaster orphan as a lefty lap steel in warm yellow (also Home Depot). This "grab and go" steel is with me on vacation at OC MD as I write this.





View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Leon Grizzard


From:
Austin, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 11 Jul 2019 9:44 am    
Reply with quote

Yow! All of those look great!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Jeff Mead


From:
London, England
Post  Posted 11 Jul 2019 10:54 am    
Reply with quote

Plus there's always the "strip it down to bare wood and a few coats of Tru-Oil" solution...

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Mark Addeo

 

From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 12 Jul 2019 7:41 am    
Reply with quote

That bare wood looks great! I love the single necks. I'm surprised Leo went to the trouble to make a separate single 6 & 8 design when the Stringmaster design works perfectly as a single, double, triple and quad!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 12 Jul 2019 8:00 am    
Reply with quote

I made a single neck Stringmaster:
It wasn't quite completed when this picture was taken.

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Leon Grizzard


From:
Austin, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 13 Aug 2019 5:42 am     Removing Fret Board
Reply with quote

Any words or cautions on removing the fretboard before refinishing? It doesn’t look all that thin, but I would hate to bend it. Thin putty knife all around under the edges and then pry carefully?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron