1950's German guitar restoration
Posted: Fri May 28, 2021 4:33 pm
With the Honda all done and working (and unridden), the 911 working, the Boxster working and the model plane very much work in Progress, I needed something else to stretch my very limited skills.
I've long held a real interest in guitars, so a casual look the other day on ebay bagged me a wreck of a guitar, but definitely salvable with some effort and a few $$$.
Wood is not my favorite material, so working with the stuff will be hard, and this particular guitar will need a lot of TLC, so ideal to tease my brain cell.
Possibly a Hopf from East Germany, but they all tend to look the same, and is of little importance or value.
It has some major issues, the odd neck off another guitar, the odder head screwed onto the odd neck which does have some nice period machine screws, the plastic pickguard and some holes where a floating pickup once lived.
On the back is a 2 piece birds eye veneer that is horrid and starting to peel off, nothing like the rest of the body, so added later.
The neck is leaving the body but the finger board is quite nice though the perloid inlays are a mixed bunch. Thin frets are worn and I think will have to go.
No splits in the top or sides, just a jack plug hole.
So, the plan is to get this playable, to look good and possibly to add to the growing guitar collection or to sell when done.
I think it will need a whole new neck to replace the mess on the guitar now which will solve several problems in one go.
Full strip of the old finish and might have a go with something very different, thinking dark green metallic, gloss finish.
If anyone is interested enough, please chip-in.
I've long held a real interest in guitars, so a casual look the other day on ebay bagged me a wreck of a guitar, but definitely salvable with some effort and a few $$$.
Wood is not my favorite material, so working with the stuff will be hard, and this particular guitar will need a lot of TLC, so ideal to tease my brain cell.
Possibly a Hopf from East Germany, but they all tend to look the same, and is of little importance or value.
It has some major issues, the odd neck off another guitar, the odder head screwed onto the odd neck which does have some nice period machine screws, the plastic pickguard and some holes where a floating pickup once lived.
On the back is a 2 piece birds eye veneer that is horrid and starting to peel off, nothing like the rest of the body, so added later.
The neck is leaving the body but the finger board is quite nice though the perloid inlays are a mixed bunch. Thin frets are worn and I think will have to go.
No splits in the top or sides, just a jack plug hole.
So, the plan is to get this playable, to look good and possibly to add to the growing guitar collection or to sell when done.
I think it will need a whole new neck to replace the mess on the guitar now which will solve several problems in one go.
Full strip of the old finish and might have a go with something very different, thinking dark green metallic, gloss finish.
If anyone is interested enough, please chip-in.