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Location: Lebanon, TN | So I was able to finally start adding back to the collection after a several years of diminishing. In the past month I have added back a number of classic favorites that most here will recognize: K-1111 Balladeer reissue (Thanks Jay) 1614-1 Folklore (1981) 1657-4 10th Anniversary (1982 vintage) And a 1537-4 (1983) which is the subject of this post
The 1537 has been well cared for and must have been played for thousands of hours, however it’s been “ridden hard and put away wet” . The case has to go as it’s exterior is well beaten and buckled with evidence of direct heat exposure, hardware rusted and having been the property of a smoker for several years! 
There are three main issues a couple of which I was looking for help with. 1. The top is fantastic with no finish cracks I can find, but the epaulets have been bruised and the finish particularly over the birdseye maple is cracked and worn off in places. I could send her to mother and I am sure they could put it right, just not certain whether I will do that right now. Would diminish her vintage feel, so will live with it for a few months then decide.
2. The hardware is so tarnished I thought the tuner keys had been replaced for textured replacements  . I am therefore looking for 1980’s vintage gold hardware with the old bowl back logo on them and the screw lug off to the lower side. Anyone got a matching set of tuners and fixings lying around?
In addition if anyone has a pair of gold jack plug nuts for the stereo and mono jack plugs that match there appears to have been replacements used at some point that don’t match.
3. Floating fretboard – hopefully the photo’s will be self explanatory, but it appears someone has tried to fill the space under the fretboard extension and it has contracted/fallen out. I thought the original elites had true air space floating fretboard extensions, but maybe this is another myth that can be dispelled by the wise ones on here. Suggestions/comments all welcome. 
Cheers Stuart
Edited by Stuart Miller 2012-10-16 6:55 AM
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Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Very nice!
Keep an eye on Ebay for the tuners, they show up.
When I clean and oil the fretboard I usually rub a little FB treatment onto the Bridge and Epaulets. Might be wrong but it works to brighten up the wood. |
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Location: Marlton, NJ | Congrats Stuart! Can you take a picture of the back of the headstock, showing the tuners? I'll check and see if I have them. |
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Location: Lebanon, TN | 
Thanks CL here's the pic. |
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Location: Marlton, NJ | PM Sent. |
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Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | The fretboard extention is supposed to be floating, just like an Adamas... get that gunk outta there!
Wayne |
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Location: Lebanon, TN | mlobosco - 2012-10-16 9:31 AM
PM Sent.
Thanks Mike |
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Posts: 288
Location: Maine | I have the tuners and the gold jack nuts. All in exc cond I tried to post pics from the phone but I failed
PM me for a link to them TJR |
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Posts: 430
Location: Lebanon, TN | Anyone else with an opinion on the floating fretboard issue? |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | stueym - 2012-10-17 5:47 AM
Anyone else with an opinion on the floating fretboard issue?
My opinion is the same as Wayne's. Not really an opinion. It's a fact. Try some dental floss if it bothers you enough to restore it to how it was originally. |
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Location: closely held secret | Yep. The end of the fretboard should not be in contact with the top. |
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Location: Suisun City, Ca | I used some Pepsodent toothpaste on the tuners of my 1537 recently. Tey were not as bad as those photos look, but pretty bad, nontheless.
They polished up to almost brand new condition! You'd be suprised how well that works, FYI.
BTW, the fret board definitely floats. I'd try the floss like Mark says. Nice git! |
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Posts: 1453
Location: Texas | Toothpaste really does makes dull tunas shine.
Fretboard extension definitely should float.
(But we've seen them glued, and even screwed, to the soundboard. What a shame.)
Hopefully that's just accumulated gunk under yours that will come out easily.
Mine had a thick wad of waxy dirt under the fretboard extension, but it's floating now.
(Just be careful not to scratch the guitar in the process.)
Congrats, 1537's are highly coveted by many members here, and with good reason.
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | If you send the guitar in to fix the epaulets, they would do their best to find some to match, but they will not have the original ones with the birdseye maple. If it were me, I would try and lightly sand the originals smooth, after using light wood filler and taping them off, then use some Birchwood Casey Gun Stock Refinisher to coat them. It may not come out absoluteley perfect, but the flaws would not be as noticeable. |
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1537-4 New family member