Fixing a Refin Serial

[sangandongo]

This is an odd one. I bought a '63 Firebird V a few months back from the collection of the lead singer of The Hives. I got a great deal on it, but sadly when he bought it, he did not. He thought it was an original Pelham Blue guitar, however... it's obviously a refin! The person who imprinted the serial number on the headstock must have been drunk, stupid, or quite possibly both.

So, my question is this: can an impressed serial number be steamed out or filled in such a way that I can put the right numerical font serial number back into the guitar, in the correct position and angle? My OCD thanks you. (Yes, I know it's weird to care about this given it's a refin... but that's my brain.)

Here's the offending serial:

Here's the brood: '64, '64, '63, '63

 

[poor man's burst]

Do you intend to have the back of the headstock refinished, the neck, the whole guitar?

 

[sangandongo]

Do you intend to have the back of the headstock refinished, the neck, the whole guitar?

Not until I hear an answer to my question I posed above. I'll rephrase it - does anyone know if it's possible to make these numbers disappear by steaming or heating the surface? If not, that's fine. I'm just trying to find a solution that doesn't require refin again.

 

[toneville]

The depth of the stamping gives me little hope that it can be raised out so that you would be satisfied and able to "forget about it". Looks more like fill and touch-up and blend with LOTS of patience involved. Good looking guitar though, refin notwithstanding.

 

[poor man's burst]

If the number has been stamped in the wood before the finish has been sprayed on, there is no way you can steam the number without removing the finish. That's the reason why I asked if you intended to refinish the guitar. As of filling the number, first, you would have to match the exact color. Second considering the depth of the impression, the filling finish will shrink over time and the number will show.

 

[zacknorton]

bare wood? you could fill those marks. esp if you're going with a solid finish over top.

 

[sangandongo]

The depth of the stamping gives me little hope that it can be raised out so that you would be satisfied and able to "forget about it". Looks more like fill and touch-up and blend with LOTS of patience involved. Good looking guitar though, refin notwithstanding.

That's what I felt, too. The refin on this is old enough that the nitro has yellowed, so fill and touch-ups would create a huge blue mismatch, which would need yellowing over top...

A stinger would look sexy on this. It might be what I do in the end. If I go that route, I'll take 5000 grit paper and start taking off the paint layers by hand, slowly and with an herbal supplement. I was once able to remove a few layers of rattle-canned black over a beautiful Daphne Blue '73 Musicmaster bass with a couple of hours work and a few joints.

 

[Tollywood]

I like the Stinger idea. Those look really cool.

 

[charliechitlins]

You would have to strip the paint off to try to raise them.
The only luck I've had raising dents is by filling them with water and heating with a soldering iron.
I've never tried it on deep stampings like that.
I'm guessing that, at best, it could make them a little shallower and there would be less chance of filler sinking in.
In my experience, a new guitar comes with all kinds of grand plans for things to do with it.
I bet if you play it for a year or 2, you'll be more likely to leave it be and just play it.

 

[sangandongo]

It's a whim. If it's not easily done, I'm fine with it. The guitar is the best of the four. Kind of crazy how different each one is, honestly.