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The Historics have a "not quite glossy" finish to them. I always liked that about them. Alembics had a similar thing going on. Is it just a hand rubbed finish or is there more to it than that? I've got a Les Paul that I think would look really good like that and I'm thinking about bustin out the polishing compound and giving it a go. I'm not trying to "relic" it, just give it a little lived in look. Any thoughts?

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"Real guitars are for old people, Mr. Marsh."

Eric Cartman

Mark,
It may depend on what type of finish it is.
I had a LP that I tried polishing, but there were witness lines in the finish.
I guess it was caused by the top layer of finish not "melted" into the underling layer.
Someone may have applied a different type of finish on the top layer before I got it.
It was a '69 so I figured it was nitro lacquer. I bought it used.
Dan

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Mark

I rebuilt a 1933 L-00 that was black. The body had been pretty much wrecked and what with a new back, a hole in the side and numerous top cracks, I had to paint it, but the neck had good mojo. So the trick was to make the new paint on the body match the original paint on the neck:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 344222304/

I have a local car body guy who builds electric guitars do my lacquer spraying. We talked about it and he sprayed, and leveled and sanded to 2000 by hand. Then I took it to 4000 and hand polished and the match is quite good.

Ed

Thanks, guys. I may have a go at it, but I am a little hesitant now. I just figured if I didn't like it I could just buff it back glossy, but if the finish is (possibly) such that buffing might leave witness lines I may not do it.

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"Real guitars are for old people, Mr. Marsh."

Eric Cartman

Takes some 0000 steel wool to it.

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Another day, another dollar.