Before and After pics of my Fender amp - shellac'n/relic'n.

[gururyan]

Ok, here is the "before" pic:

And here is the "after" pic:

And a close up pic:

And for good measure, the back pic:

...and of course the pics don't show the "real" color...web photos are created with light so the true hues are off...like the grillcloth is not so "blue", it actually matches very well with the amber tolex. In fact, look at the grillcloth in the "before" pic as compared to the "after"...same grillcloth but you see the drastic difference in color. Anyway, the amp looks a million times better in real life. I am VERY pleased with the results.
It looks better in real life, it's not so shiny and....I don't get it, but in person it's great.

Anyway, there she is.

 

[Jon Silberman]

That amp came out great! Which shellac did you use/how did you "cut" it/how many coats/buffing in-between? I ask because now you've got me motivated to try my hand at my own amp!

P.S. I have a business trip to OK City the week after this one. Suggestions?

 

[gururyan]

Step 1
Went to Lowe's and picked up:
Zinsser® Bulls Eye® Shellac - Traditional Finish & Sealer - Amber (one quart) = $6.97
Zinsser® Bulls Eye® Shellac - Sealer & Finish - Clear Spray (12oz) = $4.48
3M® Finishing Pads (pack of 2) = $1.64
3M® 3/4" Painters Tape (60 yds) = $1.96
Wooster® 1-1/2" Dec. Choice Oil-Based Finishes White Bristle Brush = $4.96
Hot Dogs w/mustard from outside Hot Dog Cart/Vender (2) = $4.00

Total (less hot dogs) = $20.01

Step 2
Remove amp from cab.
Remove speaker and baffle board from cab.
Remove reverb tank from cab.
Remove front and back Fender plates.
Leave feet in cab, just tape off.
(removing wood screws should be avoided, the others were all machine screws so no harm done.)
...you should have an empty, bare cabinet now.

Step 3
Clean tweed with warm soap and water (or carpet cleaner) and allow to dry, then vacuum.

Step 4
Apply first coat of shellac. Do it right, a thin, even layer. No need to gob it on, we want a nice finish. Be careful on the edges as you don't want a build up of excess shellac to accumulate...you will get dark spots. Allow to dry 30-60 mins.

Step 5
Sand with your steel wool or sanding pad and smooth out first coat of shellac. You don't have to be gentle, you will be able to feel the difference...not see it. After I would sand, I would take a damp sponge and wipe down the cab to remove any dust or pieces of the sanding pad. Then wipe clean/dry with a soft cloth or quality paper towel.

Step 6
Repeat Steps 4 & 5 until desired shade is achieved. (don't forget the bottom!)

Step 7
Give it another sand and prep it as if you were going to go for one more coat. Make sure it is as you want it before we apply the final layer.

Step 8
Time to use the Clear Spray. Hold can about 10-12 inches away and give one, good solid coat...not too much, just a nice coat. Allow to dry at least a full hour.

Step 9
Reassemble amp.
Admire work.

Step 10
Turn on.
Plug in.
Rock out.

Hindsight:
Only need like a pint of shellac.
Only used tape for feet, so you may not need some.
3M® Finishing Pads are perfect.
The Amber color I got is the BEST color.
It took one afternoon.
The brush is trash now.



I will take some pics outside tomorrow so maybe the real color can be seen. Those I put up are not true to the color in real life.

 

[mtndog]

great job. It really has the cool vibe going now.

 

[illinimax]

Wow, great instructions, and of course the amp looks fantastic.

I nominate this post for the archives. Well done.

 

[jaimo]

Very, very cool.

You did a great job!
Yes. Definitely archive this one.

jai

 

[gururyan]

Thank you!

Here is the outside pic I promised:

 

[Scott Peterson]

Archived.

 

[gururyan]

I think I should replace the handle now with a leather one to finisher her off.

 

[tonedaddy]

Great work, gururyan, and I really like the color you achieved.

Thought I'd add another reference put up by the forum's own jeffnmoe that shows his finish work on a 59 Bassman reissue. He went with Minwax for a butterscotch color, rather than the amber color that Zinsser gives you:

http://www.jeffnmoe.com

 

[gururyan]

Originally posted by tonedaddy
Great work, gururyan, and I really like the color you achieved.

Thought I'd add another reference put up by the forum's own jeffnmoe that shows his finish work on a 59 Bassman reissue. He went with Minwax for a butterscotch color, rather than the amber color that Zinsser gives you:

http://www.jeffnmoe.com

Yes, that is the man who inspired me.

 

[kgmessier]

Great work, gururyan, and I really like the color you achieved.

Thought I'd add another reference put up by the forum's own jeffnmoe that shows his finish work on a 59 Bassman reissue. He went with Minwax for a butterscotch color, rather than the amber color that Zinsser gives you:

http://www.jeffnmoe.com

Anybody know where this website moved to?

 

[1guitarslinger]

An alternative method is to do the initial finish "build" with clear shellac, then do the final coat(s) with amber. This allows a lighter tint if desired, and is easy to do. It has been my experience that the tweed can soak up the initial coat of shellac unevenly, possibly causing "splotchiness" if tinted shellac is used. This method, greatly reduces the chances of this occuring.

Here's a real 1953 Deluxe http://tinyurl.com/kvkta Note that it has been beat up a little bit, and is still not very dark.

Here is a link with photos of various vintage tweeds with various amounts of wear.

http://online.physics.uiuc.edu/courses/phys498pom/498emi_fender_amps.html

 

[Texasamp]

Nice job....
Just a hint on doing this and the dry times.

Cut you a piece of tweed tolex and set it aside. When you put your first coat on your amp apply it to your test piece of tweed as well. This way you will never have to touch or guess if the application is dry or not on your amp.

My 2 cents-

Regards,
Darrell S.
Texas Amplification

 

[TastyPasty]

Shellacin' my Blues Deville tomorrow now...

Did you do anything to the grillcloth?

 

[gururyan]

Shellacin' my Blues Deville tomorrow now...

Did you do anything to the grillcloth?

Not a thing!

 

[Fretts]

I would like to add that shellac is sensitive to water, it turns white when wet because it absorbs it. Varnish does not do this. I would prefer varnish if I was going to do it.

 

[giventofly]

Ridiculously good job!

one question: i saw the hot dogs in the parts list, but didn't see where they were used in the laquering? did i miss something?

 

[bluesmain]

OK now thats a project for me as I have one of those puppies! Very nice work guru!!!!

 

[Automatic S1im]

What a great job. This is my favorite post of the day. Great set of instructions too.