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Should I repaint a vintage Guild B302...?

Would You Repaint a 1977 Guild B302..?

  • Yes

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • No

    Votes: 12 80.0%

  • Depends on condition of wear

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • Total voters
    15
  • Poll closed .
M

Millertime63

Sep 29, 2009
9
0
SoCal
www.facebook.com
#1
I just bought a 1977 Guild B302 that has quite a bit of road wear, scratches, dents, worn finish on body, neck and horn. It is the brown stained colored finish and it plays and sounds great. I am considering having it refinished or painted and I know some say leave it alone and that this is a vintage bass.

Any thoughts...? :confused:
 
#2
If it still has the original finish, no matter how dinged up, it's almost certainly worth more than if you refinish it.

Personally, I wouldn't do it. The new finish will just get dinged up too. A worn finish shows that it's been played and loved. Plus, if you ever go to sell it, your refinishing work will have wrecked the resale value as a vintage instrument.
 
#8
With a vintage instrument, it's better to leave it all original. Doesn't it inspire you to play it for what it is...vintage. If you're interested in a newer instrument, buy a new one. All scratches and dings give it character, which refinishing will ruin. If you don't value the vintage aspect and want to lower the value of that instrument, refinish it.
 
#9
Did you buy it to play it or buy it as an investment? Personally I like my instruments to look good and they are mine and will be till I no longer walk the face of the earth. I had my first bass (a '78 Fender Precision) refinished and modified for me! not for E bay scavengers. That's what is making vintage instruments unaffordable except to non-playing investors and collectors. Do as you will but be happy with your decision.
 
#11
If I was able to afford a '65 Fender Jazz , more than likely it will have a worn finish with nicks and dings. I wouldn't think twice about refinishing and refretting it. It would still be a ' Jazz 65 only with a new finish and frets and new pickups if needed. It would certainly look, play and sound better, that's what counts to a player, not a collector. I wouldn't consider selling it anyway because I would have bought for me and would be invaluable for only me. All that hype about vintage vibe and mojo and retaining value means nothing to me, just means it's a banged up bass that looks like someone didn't take good care of it and to the unknowing, it looks like a piece of junk. The main advantage to older instruments is the wood is more settled due to years of vibrations and humidity changes among other things like wood types and densenties of yesteryear.
 
#12
Can you post any pics...battle scars and all?

Those Guild finishes are very thick, glossy and tough to remove, at least w/out chemical stripper. Guild is known for their finish, and I imagine the OEM finish would be tough to accurately replicate except by an experienced luthier.

I have a Guild ABG. A PO had removed most of the finish from the back of the neck for an oiled neck feel. I wasn’t happy with his finish removal job, so I worked on it myself with some fine-grit sandpaper…and it took a while to get through! I like oiled wood so I didn’t mind the neck finish changes, but there was a bit of work involved.

I don’t necessarily think a scratched up Guild would look as good as other brands. You might try and see what something like Old English scratch remover will do for the look before you go the refinish route. Personally, if I had a Guild with the finish all torn up, I would be tempted to strip it and change it over to an oiled wood finish. They used some gorgeous wood and craftsmanship on those Guilds so an oiled finish would make it pop.

Here is my 1978 B301F
B301F.front.jpg

B301F.back.jpg


I just restrung mine with ss flatwounds (great improvement over tapewounds for this type of bass). I love the loud clanky sound from that single coil pick up.
 
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#13
fourstringburn said:
If I was able to afford a '65 Fender Jazz , more than likely it will have a worn finish with nicks and dings. I wouldn't think twice about refinishing and refretting it. It would still be a ' Jazz 65 only with a new finish and frets and new pickups if needed. It would certainly look, play and sound better, that's what counts to a player, not a collector. I wouldn't consider selling it anyway because I would have bought for me and would be invaluable for only me. All that hype about vintage vibe and mojo and retaining value means nothing to me, just means it's a banged up bass that looks like someone didn't take good care of it and to the unknowing, it looks like a piece of junk. The main advantage to older instruments is the wood is more settled due to years of vibrations and humidity changes among other things like wood types and densenties of yesteryear.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. Strip the nitro finish off an old bass and refinish it in poly and you will change the tone. Not in a huge way, but it will be changed.

And once you change the pickups, you will have REALLY changed the tone of the bass. Why not just buy a new one?

Plus, life has a way of taking unexpected turns. If you had to sell that hypothetical '65 Jazz to pay your kids' medical bills, you'd really be regretting having destroyed the resale value.
 
#14
BartmanPDX said:
Not necessarily. Strip the nitro finish off an old bass and refinish it in poly and you will change the tone. Not in a huge way, but it will be changed.

And once you change the pickups, you will have REALLY changed the tone of the bass. Why not just buy a new one?

Plus, life has a way of taking unexpected turns. If you had to sell that hypothetical '65 Jazz to pay your kids' medical bills, you'd really be regretting having destroyed the resale value.
Click to expand...

I don't completely agree. The newer finishes today are supposed to last longer and be thinner and sonically transparent than what's left of that flaked off nitro one. (so were told) I would only change the pickups if the old ones were worn out and had marginal output which is inheirent of old pickups, that's why I said "if needed" in my posting.
As for hypothetics, well what can I say. I'am glad I got good medical insurance. But a refinished bass would still have a stable value it just won't increase as much as a beat up original.
 
#15
Wow...some great comments, thank you. I mainly bought this because it was the same model I had for my first bass (white) I bought in 79'. It was stolen along with my 1982 G&L 1000 and I never replaced it. The thief stole it when I had it appart and all of the hardware removed (I still have all the hardware, pick guard, pickups, machine heads). I am not a collector or looking to resell in the future, I just love the style and look of this bass. It was different and had good tone and sustain.

I will poost some pics, the previous owner added a thumb rest and changed the knobs, this is why I was thinking of having it repainted white and using my old hardware..

Decisions, decisions...!
 
#17
I once refinished a bass and I did regret it but that said,the only time it makes sense is if it is totally destoyed beaten or burned up.To consider a refinish I would say it must be totally ruined or hacked by a previous owner.Take the bass all apart and rub it out with a car compound or wax.try a small area preferably under a pickguard or on the back.
 

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