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Location: Nahant, MA | and, as near as I can tell, it's spent the last several years out of its case in an attic or similar. What appeared in the auction posting to be a possibly worn fingerboard turns out to be a really dirty one...clean under the strings, but grungy everywhere else. Fretwear is also not nearly as bad as the description made me think it could be. The entire thing seemed covered in a reddish dust/dirt. This is in direct contrast to the inside of the case which is pristine. It could possibly not be original to this instrument although it is identical to the case from my other 1996 O. Again, I think this has been just sitting around getting grungy.
Some dings on the back of the neck and headstock, but mostly just darkened from whatever it's been collecting over who knows how long. I disassembled the battery box, cleaned the oxidation, and the Optima works perfectly.
I'll be taking it to the Roundback Rev tonite. I'll let Adam and Danny take a look and maybe help clean it up a bit when I let them put some free strings on it. ;)
Could be time for Iffy's guitar beauty treatment...my bottle of Fret Doctor sits at the ready. I'll post pics when done. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Cleaning is a lot easier than rebuilding. It was a good grab. They're rare, so you have to answer if and when opportunity knocks. |
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Location: California | Congratulations! :) |
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Location: Colorado | Just give it some more love Carol. It sounds like you will give this 1881 a good home. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Can't wait to see the pictures. Congrats Carol! |
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July 2010
Posts: 187
Location: Nahant, MA | Well, the 1881 has its new name: Zebra!
I wiped away the first layer of crud to reveal...a new layer of crud!
Well, not entirely. The bowl and top cleaned up beautifully with just a damp rag. The wood has been interesting. The neck seemed kinda gummy, so using a scotch brite pad and some fret doctor I lifted a layer of what looks like red clay...not really sure what it is. I graduated to 800 grit sandpaper with better success, revealing the grain and color a bit better. I'm going to try the steel wool next, and the texture of the oiled and buffed neck is starting to feel like silk...just like hand-rubbed furniture.
The fingerboard...ah, yes and now how Zebra (Z for short) got its name. This guitar seems to have spent some time under something heavy and damp. This is confirmed by a small stain I found under the saddle. While there is some fret wear and minor divots, the most striking feature of Z is the striped fingerboard. These stripes have resisted 0000 steel wool and mineral oil. The oil (both mineral and fret dr) made the upper 12 frets feel nice and smooth but darkened the wood such that the first three fret markers are nearly invisible. Below the 12th the grain feels slightly raised.
If and when I go for a refret, I'm sure the fingerboard could be sanded smooth and beautiful, but Im pretty sure the staining would remain. It doesn't bother me too much, but does take away from the beauty of the thing.
pics are here:
http://ovationfanclub.ning.com/photo/albums/1996-1881nb5-zebra
Has anybody ever used something like teak cleaner/brightener to remove guitar wood stains? I've used it on my sailboat for both mahogany and teak...but I'm a little hesitant to turn it loose on Z.
http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/diy/products/boatcare/premium-teak-re...
Any thoughts? |
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July 2010
Posts: 187
Location: Nahant, MA | oh, yeah...Danny and Adam were all set to take Z home from the Roundback Rev. the other nite...Z plays and sounds beautiful! |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | that's nice grain on the fingerboard!
gonna look awesome once you get the refret and the fingerboard is brought back to spec! |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I'm with Stephen. Keep at it, and that board will look great!
Congrats again! |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Agreed. The grain looks natural, so I'd continue doing whatever it takes to highlight it, not hide it. |
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December 2005
Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | I have owned two 1881-5's and regret letting either of them go but at least they stayed here in the family. These SSB's are just great guitars and so well balanced. While the 1868 has very much the same feel, the 1881 is built like a plain old tank. I wouldn't think twice about taking it anywhere, the 1868 seems a little too fragile to go bouncing around in the back seat or trunk for a weekend. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I'm not a fan of SSB guitars but I have owned several 1881's (sold them all) but they were definitely the best SSB's I have ever played. |
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Posts: 3619
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Carol, that looks a lot like he stained the saddle and that dark spot is just runoff. That may also be what happened on the fretboard. |
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July 2010
Posts: 187
Location: Nahant, MA | That could very well be the case, Vince. There are just the smallest divots which don't bother me. All wood surfaces are now smooth and hydrated. I will probably run it down to my friendly neighborhood guitar tech to get his opinion on the frets tomorrow. I'm gonna stop fooling with it and start playing it! :cool: |
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Posts: 639
Location: NW of Philadelphia | Maybe a nice level and crown is all the frets will need. |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I love that fretboard! Zebra is good. I have something similar on my 2000C, but I call it my Tiger stripe. Check it out here:
Fretboard 1
Fretboard 2
Zebra sure beats all those other run of the mill fretboards! You've got a good one, Carol. Congrats!! |
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January 2009
Posts: 4536
Location: Flahdaw | I have a guitar with a Cocobolo fretboard....sorta zebra striped. Very playable, and cool looking. |
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July 2010
Posts: 187
Location: Nahant, MA | Love the fretboard on that 2000C, bobbo!
Gave Z a final wipe-down and added Elixir Lights...action seems a tad high but I still have a shim I can remove next time. The textured top reminds me of black denim just as it starts to fade. The sound seems to have less on the low end than my 1984C SSB...makes for an interesting comparison.
Overall impression: freakin' awesome! |
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1881-5 has arrived...
