RESTORATION PROCESS:

BASKET CASE AUTUMNGLO 1968 335

MY FIRST RICKENBACKER RESTORATION

BADLY ABUSED '68 335

BAD ENAMEL AMATEUR RESPRAY

YEARS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT

YOU CAN SEE THE PAINT THICKNESS!

THICK BLACK PAINT OVER ORIGINAL FIREGLO

SURPRISE! BONDO AND FIBERGLASS

BLACK RESPRAY HIDES A REAL MESS

THICK PAINT AND PRIMER STRIPPED

ORIGINAL FIREGLO IN CONTROL CAVITY

MANY LAYERS OF VARNISH ON FRETBOARD

FIBERGLASS COVERED SOUND HOLE CRACKS

MISALIGNMENT WAS BONDO-FILLED

CRACKS BECOME OBVIOUS

CRACKS WERE FILLED WITH EPOXY...

BAD CONDITION OF BEAUTIFUL HEADSTOCK

GLUED, REINFORCED, CLAMPED

SECOND CRACK CLAMPED

FACTORY CONTROL CAVITY "ENLARGEMENT"!

FRETS PULLED TO RESTORE FRETBOARD

CRACKS NEARLY INVISIBLE NOW

HEADSTOCK SANDED

NICE NECK HEEL EMERGES

FRETBOARD READY FOR SANDING

CRACKS NEARLY INVISIBLE...

PICKUP SLOTS CLEANED UP

PRESSING FRETS INTO PLACE

VINTAGE FRETS WERE USED

TRUSS RODS RESTORED

TRUSS RODS RE-INSERTED

SANDED AND READY TO SEAL

FIRST SEALER COATS APPLIED

SEALER BRINGS OUT NICE GRAIN!

MASKING THE FRETBOARD BEFORE COLOR COATS

FIRST SHADING STEPS

SHADING BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE

FRONT AUTUMNGLO SHADING

DETAIL OF AUTUMNGLO BURST

WHERE ARE THE CRACKS NOW?

MUSEUM-QUALITY RESTORATION FINISHED