Step By Step Restoration-1953 Epiphone Century- P2
Wait For The Correct Parts...And Pounce On Them!
Ebay is an amazing source of vintage guitar parts. If I
really need something bizzare or very rare, chances are, I
will find it over time on Ebay. Here is a good example.
The previous owner of this guitar tossed away the
original metal Epiphone logo. I logged onto Ebay to find
this little beauty waiting for me... Mounting of this logo
will have to wait for the restoration of the ravaged
headstock, but it gives me a warm feeling just knowing it
is there...
The patent plate shown at the top of the image came
with the purchase, but since it was used on Epiphone
archtops from the 1930's, it won't be used on this 1953
guitar. Maybe it should go back on Ebay?
Ebay is an amazing source of vintage guitar parts. If I
really need something bizzare or very rare, chances are, I
will find it over time on Ebay. Here is a good example.
The previous owner of this guitar tossed away the
original metal Epiphone logo. I logged onto Ebay to find
this little beauty waiting for me... Mounting of this logo
will have to wait for the restoration of the ravaged
headstock, but it gives me a warm feeling just knowing it
is there...
The patent plate shown at the top of the image came
with the purchase, but since it was used on Epiphone
archtops from the 1930's, it won't be used on this 1953
guitar. Maybe it should go back on Ebay?
Ebay is sometimes the best
place to find rare vintage
guitar parts. Be patient and let
the parts come to you...
place to find rare vintage
guitar parts. Be patient and let
the parts come to you...
Cast Long-Gone Parts From Eurethane!
Some parts are just too expensive or too rare to find...the
Art Deco knobs used on Epiphones during the fifties are
hard to locate. I found just one original part, borrowed it
from a friend, then made several copies from a latex mold
and two-part Eurethane Epoxy. Mold design is very
important in making workable knobs. A long set screw is
threaded into the original knob; it serves as a removable
part of the mold (the cast knobs also have threads). The
castings are placed upside-down onto a wooden jig, the
assembly is placed under a drill press, and the proper
size holes are drilled to accept the potentiometer shafts.
The reproduction knobs work wonderfully and are
virtually indistinguishable from the originals.
Take a closer look at the knob shown...it is actually a
casting!
Some parts are just too expensive or too rare to find...the
Art Deco knobs used on Epiphones during the fifties are
hard to locate. I found just one original part, borrowed it
from a friend, then made several copies from a latex mold
and two-part Eurethane Epoxy. Mold design is very
important in making workable knobs. A long set screw is
threaded into the original knob; it serves as a removable
part of the mold (the cast knobs also have threads). The
castings are placed upside-down onto a wooden jig, the
assembly is placed under a drill press, and the proper
size holes are drilled to accept the potentiometer shafts.
The reproduction knobs work wonderfully and are
virtually indistinguishable from the originals.
Take a closer look at the knob shown...it is actually a
casting!
If you can't find the part you
need...sometimes you can
make a copy by making a
eurethane mold...
need...sometimes you can
make a copy by making a
eurethane mold...
To remove material quickly, an
electric sander was used with
great caution. Material, once
removed, is difficult to replace!
electric sander was used with
great caution. Material, once
removed, is difficult to replace!
The Ebony headstock plate is
rough-cut to approximate size,
and adhered with
cyano-acrylate glue. It will
strengthen the headstock and
restore original appearance.
rough-cut to approximate size,
and adhered with
cyano-acrylate glue. It will
strengthen the headstock and
restore original appearance.
Sanding The Headstock
Recall that the previous owner of this archtop scratched
a makeshift "Gibson" logo into the headstock. It was a
valiant, but very unconvincing effort. To remove material
quickly, an electric sander is used with great caution.
The goal is to flatten the surface and the rounded edges
of the headstock in preparation for an Ebony plate.
The evil forger sanded some large radiusses into the
headstock edges and made it very difficult to mount a
plate. The radiusses either need to be sanded away
(risking that the headstock becomes too thin), or small
shims of Maple must be glued around the sides to fill the
gaps. Luckily the radiusses can be mostly sanded away.
The headstock will be very slightly reduced in size to
totally eliminate the damage. Due to the variations in
handwork during the 1950's, the resized headstock will
be virtually unoticeable in the restored guitar.
Notice that the Epi's had very wide headstocks during
the period. This is where saving scraps of wood
becomes very important. Using small pieces of Ebony,
small "wings" are glued into place.
Make a few dry runs of the clamping scheme you plan to
use, because when cyano-acrylate is used, repositioning
is difficult. After gluing and clamping the headstock,
several hours are needed for total curing.
Recall that the previous owner of this archtop scratched
a makeshift "Gibson" logo into the headstock. It was a
valiant, but very unconvincing effort. To remove material
quickly, an electric sander is used with great caution.
The goal is to flatten the surface and the rounded edges
of the headstock in preparation for an Ebony plate.
The evil forger sanded some large radiusses into the
headstock edges and made it very difficult to mount a
plate. The radiusses either need to be sanded away
(risking that the headstock becomes too thin), or small
shims of Maple must be glued around the sides to fill the
gaps. Luckily the radiusses can be mostly sanded away.
The headstock will be very slightly reduced in size to
totally eliminate the damage. Due to the variations in
handwork during the 1950's, the resized headstock will
be virtually unoticeable in the restored guitar.
Notice that the Epi's had very wide headstocks during
the period. This is where saving scraps of wood
becomes very important. Using small pieces of Ebony,
small "wings" are glued into place.
Make a few dry runs of the clamping scheme you plan to
use, because when cyano-acrylate is used, repositioning
is difficult. After gluing and clamping the headstock,
several hours are needed for total curing.
