I found this to be a pretty interesting video. If you repair guitars (I do not), you might enjoy this. Even if you don't, you still might enjoy it, as I did. This Tele was in really bad shape - looked real nice when finished. This guy is pretty danged good!

As a side note, I had an original '54 Tele when I lived in Germany. Sold it over there for almost $6,000.00 in 1987.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUUuMzxJ9h8

Even if you do not repair guitars I think you will find this fascinating. Personally I like taking things apart and figuring out how to put them back together again, so any kind of repairing (sealing up cracks, fixing the kitchen sink, etc) fascinates me. So this was pretty cool to me too. Thanks for sharing!

That was a fun video. It seems a shame to put such a nice finish on the body then turn around and bang it up. If you listen to the soundtrack he applies about five coats of paint between the two colors to create the blended color and eight applications of clear coat. That's thirteen coats of paint and you can still see the wood grain. Now that's impressive!

Stewart Mac is sort of like Sweetwater in that both companies like educating customers.

Hi Ember,

Thanks for jumping in on this. I, too, like taking things apart. But, not so good at putting them back together! Glad you enjoyed it!

Alan

Hi Jim,

I couldn't agree more about getting that great-looking finish then roughing it up like that. The artistic part of my heart skipped a couple of beats. And yeah, to apply that many coats and still leave the grain showing through - unbelievable.

I wasn't familiar with the gentleman before, but he sure left a heck of an impression on me! And I buy from Sweetwater, too!

Alan

What an incredibly interesting video! I've always found the process behind making instruments fascinating. It so often gets overlooked by the music itself, we don't think of the tool used to create it.

I have to say, it was hard at the very end when he willingly scratched and dented it up. I get it's an aesthetic thing, but I dunno - if I bought a guitar, I'd want it to look fresh.

It's amazing how somethings stay the same after so many years.

They body looks almost identical to my older '69 Tele. I find this process of weathering the guitar interesting. Certainly a lot better then those "Road Worn" models coming off the assembly line.

Very impressed with how he finishes the guitar, although it looks a bit more 'Butterscotch', then aged Olympic White.

I wonder though, with this much restoration, is there any point on spending the money to get a '53 body? This would be a great avenue if you found that forgotten treasure in a attic or estate sale.

For those who own or have owned guitar 40, 50 years or older, do you even play them? I loved my '69 Tele, but sold it to a collector as I felt it was better in a display the being played.

I'm the original owner of a '74 strat. It was my main guitar for 20 years or so. I don't play it that much these days because I prefer the more modern necks (flatter radius and slightly wider) but I still play it on occasion.