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Just bought a 'vintage fake' - NOW REFURBISHED!

Skol303

By Skol303,
in Guitars

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Skol303 Experienced

Skol303

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[color=#b22222][b]SEE THE END OF THIS THREAD FOR DETAILS OF THE REFURB...[/b][/color] :)

I was browsing my local Gumtree listings over the weekend, as you do, and I came across an electric guitar going for £20 - literally five minutes from my doorstep. Well, it'd be rude not to, wouldn't it? ;) I've been toying with the idea of buying a guitar for some time, and thought this could be a good do-er-upper project. So I bought it.

The previous owner had been given it as a gift and never played it - so instead they had decided to paint it! (there's must be a logic in there somewhere; somewhere deep). So it now looks like this:



I've since done some sleuthing online, and it turns out it's a 1970s Japanese copy of a Luxor guitar (a 'vintage fake'), worth around £500... if y'know, it hadn't been painted with matt emulsion and scribbled on with a marker pen. Here's what it would look like in pristine condition:

[url="http://www.wutzdog-guitars.de/inventory/inventory-details/article/1979-luxor-electric-guitar/"]http://www.wutzdog-g...lectric-guitar/[/url]

The frets are worn to the bone and it needs some serious setting up, but it should otherwise make a fun DIY project. And for £20 I'm happy :)

Edited by Skol303
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Skol303 Experienced

Skol303

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^ Cheers guys. Aye, it's not too shabby at all and a great guitar for the money. I think the previous owneer just wanted rid of it, so I was happy to oblige.

The artwork is quite 'unique', shall we say, and while I quite like it I'll probably end up stripping it back and re-spraying. A mate of mine has said that the last owner might end up being the next Banksy and I'll be sand-papering myself out of millions! Although I doubt it ;)

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BigRedX Grand Master

BigRedX

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I have to say I really like the artwork too. It certainly looks perfectly fine in your photo, although if it really is marker pen on emulsion it's probably a bit crappy in really life.

Kind of like a low-budget [url=http://www.ritter-basses.com/limited-edition-shudarella.php]Ritter Shudarella[/url]!

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Skol303 Experienced

Skol303

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1373375667' post='2136840']Kind of like a low-budget [url="http://www.ritter-basses.com/limited-edition-shudarella.php"]Ritter Shudarella[/url]![/quote]

Indeed :lol: A very low budget version (those Shudarellas look [i]amazing![/i]).

Yeah, I'm coming round to the artwork... it does look a bit cheap - it's household white emulsion paint with marker pen - but I suppose it has a certain charm because of that. I have a friend who does pen doodles as a hobby-business ([url="http://www.mosaink.co.uk/"]www.mosaink.co.uk[/url]), so I might get him to finish it and then spray the body with a transparent lacquer.

We'll see. I'll keep y'all posted when the time comes!

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Skol303 Experienced

Skol303

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1373391054' post='2137059']What a bargain! :o [size=4]Why do I always have to pay over the odds for everything? [/size] :blink:[/quote]

Well, Mark, you will insist on shopping at Waitrose :D

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1373392132' post='2137075']If it is emulsion, might be fine finish underneath. Fairy power spray and clingfilm with get it off (clingfilm stops it drying out while it works), without taking off the poly finish or being stinky.[/quote]

Cheers Mr F, good tip!

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Left Foot Enthusiast

Left Foot

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[sup]As a doodler, I've always wanted to something like that, but I know it would get a similar 'mixed' reaction. That cloud crying tears onto the umbrella looks cool. Nice find dude and its always worth homing instruments for 20 - 40 regardless (or maybe I just waste money). I know you are going to strip it, but are you going to sell it on if you can restore it? [/sup]

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Skol303 Experienced

Skol303

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[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1373452936' post='2137691']Yeah, try to see if you can peel off that matt first, you could find a good finish underneath that at most would need a bit of polishing ;)[/quote]

It's tempting! I probably should have asked the previous owner whether they'd stripped off the original finish when they painted it... I'm guessing not, as the paint job itself hasn't been done too carefully.

[quote name='Left Foot' timestamp='1373534418' post='2138637'][sup]As a doodler, I've always wanted to something like that, but I know it would get a similar 'mixed' reaction. That cloud crying tears onto the umbrella looks cool. Nice find dude and its always worth homing instruments for 20 - 40 regardless (or maybe I just waste money). I know you are going to strip it, but are you going to sell it on if you can restore it? [/sup][/quote]

Yeah there are some nice elements among those doodles. I particularly like ths space invader. Not 100% sure whether I'm going to strip it or perhaps even add further doodles and laquer it. I'll almost certainly be keeping it whatever happens :)

[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1373585395' post='2139483']Oh man, saw this on Gumtree and was sorely tempted as I'm often in Manchester at the moment, but decided against as I assumed it'd be a cheapo chinese copy in unplayable state... excellent buy, glad it went to a BC'er![/quote]

That's exactly what I'd assumed! I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered what was lurking beneath the paintwork. It needs plenty of tender loving care to restore it back to anywhere near its original '70s state - the frets are particularly knackered and one of the pickups is busted (might just need re-wiring, I need to investigate...), but it nevertheless sounds good.

Typical that another BC'er was GASing over it at the same time as me ;) Cheers mate.

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iiipopes Enthusiast

iiipopes

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Unless you are really adverse to it, I'd keep it as is and let it tell its story. Say it's "Rocky's Evil Twin" or something like that! After all, if it needs a fret job, then it's not going to be that collectible anyway. Great score!

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Dave Vader Proficient

Dave Vader

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Sod original, I went through loads of 70s strat fakers 20 years ago, and they got pulled apart and rebuilt as I wanted them to be. Still got all of them, except they are now just 1 guitar made from all the best bits, and a 4 string mandolin tuned one made from the best of the leftovers.
Not bothered about the value (luckily).

BTW, back then they went for £25 routinely, we burnt a lot of them at gigs.
:)

No regrets (wish i could still find them at that price though, nice score Paul) :)

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Skol303 Experienced

Skol303

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^ Cheers fellas! Yeah I'm pleased with it for the money.

I've decided to keep it 'as is' for the time being - I need to learn how to play the bloody thing properly first! :lol: - and might consider messing with it as a do-er-upper when the time comes. I've got some guitar pickups at home that my old man found in his shed, which I might consider wiring in if only I knew whether they were any good...

Anyway, I do love a bargain :)

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Skol303 Experienced

Skol303

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^ Cheers fellas.

Good advice about WD40, starting a relic project and yeah... I do feel like a lucky bar-steward for finding this bargain! :D

Been noodling a lot with it recently and it does play (and sound) pretty good. Definitely a keeper.

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Skol303 Experienced

Skol303

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Well I've finally decided to re-finish this guitar.

I'm going to remove the emulsion paint using Fairy Power Spray (thanks to Mr Foxen for the tip) and then spray it a vintage Taos Turquoise colour: one can each of undercoat, colour coat and clear lacquer.

The end result I'm aiming for is this:

http://www.vintageandrare.com/product/Fender-Custom-Shop-Vintage-Stratocaster-56-Relic-Taos-Turquoise-Limited-Edition-Sold-29749

I'll update this thread when I get round to it - most likely over the Xmas holiday :)

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Happy Jack Grand Master

Happy Jack

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1373392132' post='2137075']
If it is emulsion, might be fine finish underneath. Fairy power spray and clingfilm with get it off (clingfilm stops it drying out while it works), without taking off the poly finish or being stinky.
[/quote]

I'm curious.

How did you discover this?

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