eldegas.com

I'm not too sure about Tung oil on the Rosewood either Tom.
The label "Tung Oil" can hide a variety of additives which can be undesirable. Even assuming you have pure Tung, it does not remain flexible. It hardens and forms a surface seal which is not really what you want. The wood needs to "breathe" or you can induce cracking in the fretboard.

Much better to stay with "Lemon Oil" or any good quality oil. I know one avid restorer who swears by Almond oil.

Yes. That is why I don't recommend anyone uses it. I however will continue to use it my way. Sparingly and removed almost immediately. It'll be fine until long after I die. I don't add multiple coats until I get a high shine as many do and my fingers wear it nicely as well. Again I do not recommend it. Again, it will void warranties. Actually I don't recommend anyone do anything that I do.
The fact thast this one has had a light coat on it for over 4 years and has required nothing and likely will require nothign until I'm long gone dead is a moot point. Under no circumstances should anyone ever use tung oil on a guitar. (certainly never on the body of an acoustic since th absorbtion properties could take away from the sound producing vibrations of the top).
Tung oil can also raise the grain on a body, neck and skunk stripe and so truly it is not recommended.
I however will continue to use it in this life and beyond because nothing feels bettter or works better for me.
The necks I build are one piece (no glued on fretboard). I have had to touch up a skunk stripe after applying too mch tung oil. My question today is how to get the grunge off this body. I am thinking perhaps rubbing compound.
Luckily I don't have any and can't visit a store for a while. The project is near halted at this point until I figure out how to clean it. Normally I'd just sand it down and start over but with tht gorgeous binding and such, I think cleaning is more prudent. I can see the small body is never going to project a preferred low end tone that I liek but it will be a regular player for sure, indoors and out.
Tung oil used sparingly on a pure Bubinga T style. My kind of taste. NEVER USE TUNG OIL. This is nto a joke. It's reserved for me because i AM NUTS! LOL

My question today is how to get the grunge off this body. I am thinking perhaps rubbing compound

Meguiars Ultimate Compound followed with a good quality liquid polish:
http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/p ... -compound/

Keep it wet while applying and use a foam application pad for best results. Don't let it sit too long before wiping off. This a very fine abrasive. It won't smooth out a "rough" surface but should remove haze, swirls, light scuff marks and leave a nice smooth semi shiny surface.

If the surface is gritty you'll need to use progressively finer sandpapers (wet sanding) first, then finish with the Meguiars.

Cool. Thanks. I am on the right track. I was in town last night (a rare thing for me to do) and I picked up some Meguiars scratch 2.0. It says it won't hurt paint and erstores brilliant finish. I dunno. I'm thinking it is a clear laquer so it should work. I wanted to check here for a response before I proceeded. I got the brand right anyway. Darn mequiar's stuff is expensive. I think I am on the right track. Now I can get at it. Since it has plenty of fine scratches (and some not so fine) I figured that's be good. I'll try it on a little spot first maybe on the back or a particularly bad section of the front. I was looking a similar kit like you mentioned as well. Man expensive. Oh well, I knwo where to get it now and I'll take the plunge on that next if need be. I think what I got is a very similar product. Let's see what happens. It's just nasty as it is right now. *gulp*
I hope to start shaping a nut and bridge saddle today as well. I generally get the radius by using an 18" aluminum levelling beam but since I don't have a 12" radius one, I'll have to do it by hand. I have radii guages so it should be ok. *putting a 12" beam on my wish list since it is not the first time I've needed one. I was tempted to order a new fretboard and eliminate the binding on the neck simply because I like to bend strings both ways and it would give me mor efret width for that purpose but I want to stay as close to original on this one as I can. I also looked at an undersaddle pickup but the decent ones are over $200. That's not going to happen. Good job I am poor or I would've done that. Lucky I tend to sleep on decisions.

She's all together and sounds mighty fine even with the ancient strings that were in the box that I installed and removed (low and high E) at least 10 times while cutting the slots. I'll swap out the strings soon and put a bit of fallaway on the upper frets. I like to start with a perfectly level fret board and then as a final setting, I give it 2 strokes of a fret file at the 12th fret, 4 at the 13th, 6 at the 14th and on up through the dusty end. The low E string needs a few strokes of the slot file to get it perfect. There is no buzz or anything as is but a bit of fallaway lets you really dig in and maintain that in my experience. I'm not much of a player but I've learned that this setting works well for me. Relief came out at .005" which is mighty fine for an acoustic levelled freehand with the flat back of an 18" radius beam. I let her sit overnight under tension and as soon as the room comes up to temperature, I'll recheck everything and swap out the strings to a new set and while they are off, I'll finish up cleaning it. There are still some sections of the binding that show evidence of a history in a smoke filed room. The divuts came out of the frets perfectly which were further evidence that this girl has been loved at one time or another. She's found a new home where she will be cared for and treasured and definitely played on a regular basis, if not daily. I'm a happy man. I may get around to a slide show of most of the process as time permits. I have to do some travelling today and I am going to miss her bad. She wants to feel my itchyfingers, as unskilled as they are, that are definitely itching to play. It only gets better from here:

And they lived happily ever after! Very glad it all worked out so nicely.

Thanks. This one definitely surprised me. I had no idea the junker she handed me was a quality guitar.
I ran my fingers across my old Red Seal Yamaha and then ran my finges across this. This one won, hands down.
I never would have believed it. I will resist modding it as long as I can but you know idle hands...
The binding on the neck had shrunk a bit while sitting detached all those years and so there is a slight 1/8th inch gap between the nut and the binding.
At times, it takes me years to repair minor flaws like that but in the end, I always address it.
My yammy is going to get jealous this summer when it gets left indoors as I head out to my favourite swing in the yard to pluck away happily on this old girl. I've seen El Degas guitars for sale online before and never gave them a second thought. Now I'll perk up and take a second look when I see one.
Live and learn eh?

ItchyFingers wrote:...I've seen El Degas guitars for sale online before and never gave them a second thought. Now I'll perk up and take a second look when I see one...

Do be aware Tom that this brand suffers from a frustratingly wide range in quality. Because it was a "white label" company the instruments were made by a variety of builders in a variety of locations.

In general, the Japanese made models (like yours) are the ones most of us prefer. There are also some Korean models which were quite nicely done too, but on the whole, the further away the manufacturing moved from Japan the more the quality and workmanship appears to have diminished, until you ended up with basic rubbish from places like Romania!
Caveat emptor!

Understood Barry. I find just about every guitar of any brand differs somewhat. I would never (again) purchase a guitar without seeing it, playing it and letting my ears and hands be my guide. This one, which was given to me, had a certain sound to it even with strings that were at least 10 years old and probably 2 or 3 full tones flat. I would have taken it regardless siince it was my sister's son's who never played it anyway and she just wanted to clear some space. She was showing a bit of appreciation for repairing (and hoppig up) her computer. ANother of my many passions. I was pleasantly surprised with the final result.
I am finding that I really don't like the binding on the neck since it has shrunk over the years and leaves a gap at the nut end. I also wouldn't mind a bit more sideways room I.E. having frets that go a bit further out sideways.
I may simply install a full width fretboard on it eventually and perhaps a compensated bone bridge saddle as there are two strings where the intonation is off although only very slightly. I may even do a bit of scalloping of the braces. The construction of the body, neck and the materials therein warrant further consideration perhaps. It's a toss up whether to just leave it stock or make it a truly exceptional guitar. It just seems to have such potential that it is inviting to take it even further. The frets are at the limit of their lifespan but pretty much perfect today and I doubt I'll ever wear it down to the point that it actually requires refretting but if I go the new fretboard route, I have tons of my preferred fret wire in stock and the tools to make it happen overnight. I am thinking an ebony fretboard would be mighty fine on this one. I suppose I could put some very narrow binding on it to keep the look. Hmmm decisions decisions. Nothingn is going to happen soon and this one will be here until I die for sure.
No worries though, it generally takes me quite a while to revisit a project and the likelihood that I will mod it further is small indeed.
I see some hummingbird copies available which interest me greatly. Time will tell. I am not a rich man and guitar purchases are very low on my list of priorities. This one was free. I like that price. lol. Although anything I do from here on in may take away from it's originality, it will also make it a better guitar. That's just the way I roll to the chagrin of some. My boat, my bar.
If I run across a Tele style, as long as the neck suits me, I can make any part of it work very well regardless of where it was made or how, as long as it is not plywood. Heck, I can make a neck for those pretty quickly as well. Even plywood can sound good but the idea of it kind of turns me off. I traded a base drum mike for an epi special model once and when I took the neck off and saw the plywood, I immediately made a new body for it out of Bubinga. One of my great nephews is enjoying that one now.
I have yet to build an acoustic but it's on my bucket list for sure.
The biggest problem with old acoustics is the poor restoration jobs that have been done to them.
This one was totally original and had never been messed with. That is always preferable. Now I get to mess with it but you will never see it for sale anywhere.
I see a hummingbird type that this applies to online right now. I couldn't bring that one back to near original but I am sure someone else could.
Unfortunately, I am not generally satisfied with original when I know I can make it better. But then again, I am not in it from a collecting standpoint or reselling to make a profit. I give most of my projects away to deserving kids.
I gave away 2 guitars this month alone and a bass about 3 months ago and 4 or 5 before that, not to mention 4 amps to date and a keyboard. I gave one kid who I had given a bass and an amp to so he could practice to be in his schools jazz band. His teacher finally said that there are no electrics allowed in the jazz band.
I gave him my modded bubinga epi and 2 scales and 3 chords on a sheet of paper. I promise him a Tele if he learned what I gave him with a promise from him to hand the modded epi down to his brother. It took him one week to learn the scales and chords and so now he has a Tele and his brother has the epi. I gave him enough info to kep him going for a while. I am enjoying watching his progress. The kid has music in his soul. Man those kids are having fun nowadays. Grandma (another sister) is very pleased.
I was discouraged from playing in the home when I was a kid siince it was always disturbng someone.
I played trumpet and drums mostly so I guess I can understand why but even guitar was shunned y family and a couple wives so I never got too far in ability and only picked up a guitar a few years ago just to plink around on which I enjoy most days with no real goals other than stress relief.
If a kid shows an interest in music, I'd sell my soul to support them. I think it is important. I do what I do for the kids.
I make it as playable as possible regardless if that involves changing something that may devalue it in the eyes of a collector.
I'd like to keep this El Degas though. The kids can start acoustic on a laminate guitar. They are a dime a dozen.
When parents and grand parents actually play, own, luthier and build guitars, I have to shake my head that they haven't even given those kids a guitar. Amazing. It's never too early to give kids a taste. Plant the seed and watch it grow.
The bottom line, is El Degas means a lot more to me now than it did a month ago. Thanks for the tips and info. Always appreciated.

A week or so into the finished product. I just have to say, this thing is amazing.
This neck is rock solid and keeps it's tune amazingly well.
I am gettting used to the binding as well but my old eyes just can't see black dots on white binding.
I have to peek at the dots occasionally since I am no real guitarist.
What a wonderful guitar.
Now that everything has settled in, I'll tweak it a bit more yet when time permits.
I have no doubt it will continue to improve.
I'm a happy man.

Great to hear.
My MIJ "Dove" is exactly the same, I've never had to touch the neck in 40 years!
An outstanding tribute to the superb craftsman of Japan.

I usually only check in here every couple weeks. I'm very glad to see this thread. Hey Barry, is this one just below the D – 45 Martin copy that Freddie freeloader has?

I'm quite jealous. I still don't own a degas acoustic.

I too name a recent El degas guitar. I named Ricky Degas as it's a Rickenbacker clone.

Hard to say for sure Sean, it certainly looks very close. Freddie's is a top notch instrument, and well used.
Tom's is downright virginal by comparison!