EKO BA/4 advice needed for TLC

[3below]

Have owned this from new in 1980 and used in various folk bands over the years.  Time to give it some TLC, it has sentimental value rather than actual £££.  Two questions for the collective wisdom and advice of BC

 

 

a) The headstock plate has disintegrated (age / sunlight, not impact damage).  It appears to be a transparent plastic plate, painted black on the back.   The EKO logo is a metal foil affair stuck onto the underside of the headstock plate.  The missing bit is MIA many years ago.  The finish on the neck is thick polyester? and likely to chip out.  My thoughts are a) score and file carefully around the headstock plate and eventually remove it minimising damage to the edge finish.  Replace with something e.g. maple and suitable EKO transfer  (I do not hold out much hope of getting an actual metal foil logo or headstock plate) or b) simpler solution, make a 'cover' to glue over the damaged bits. or c) find someone who can replicate the old one.

 

b) Although it is well built (solid top, neat bracing etc) it was built down to a price.  The back binding is simply painted on.  This has bugged me for many years, how feasible is retro fitting a plastic binding?

 

What do we think?

[AndyTravis]

a) get Tim Allen/Scratch it to remake it - he’s on here as @TimAl but message him through his website https://www.gig.ink/

 

b) hmmm…nah, mask it off and repaint. Would be a ridiculous amount of risk/work for little or no reward. In saying that - message @Andyjr1515 about readability?

[Andyjr1515]

@3below  and I have exchanged a couple of PMs on the headstock plate (if anyone is interested, my view, for what it's worth, is copied below )  but I've just spotted the second question, about the binding at the back

 

The answer ref the binding is 'probably possible'.   There are few parts to the answer:

 

- the binding for an acoustic is cut and glued when the body is fully built but before finishing and therefore yes - it is usually possible to cut a binding channel afterwards and fit a binding

 

but

 

- unless the neck is a removable one (and it might be) then the area around the heel is going to be a problem.  If a bearing-bit'd router is used, then it is difficult to get to within a few inches of the neck either side.  And hand chiselling is possible but takes VERY sharp chisels and a fair bit of skill to avoid it being either a dogs dinner or a cracked body. 

 

- If the neck is removeable then generally it is possible and the only extra challenge is redoing the finish for it not to look too much like an afterthought.

 

My thoughts on the headstock - but I am no expert when it comes to transfers and similar - that I have PM'd to 3below were:

 

"It's a bit out of my area, but I suspect the 'normal' fix would be sanding it all off, painting it black, adding a custom transfer and then adding a clear finish.  I'm sure it would look OK, albeit a little bit 'new'.

 

But to match the paint colour of the existing aged logo, hand paint and then build up the clear coat to blend in starts to get into the 'specialist' territory.

 

It would be worth you emailing Steve Robinson of Manchester Guitar Tech website.  I reckon if anyone has the skills, it would be him."

[3below]

Great advice from @AndyTravis and @Andyjr1515, I am on the case and await developments.  I had thought of enquiring at Brandoni guitars (they bought vast amounts of Eko parts),  but they are on hold at the moment:  " Due to the untimely passing of Mr Roberto Brandoni, we will be temporarily suspending all our business activities."   

[Maude]

Depending on your 'skilz' it wouldn't be fiendishly difficult to replicate the original headstock plate, if it is indeed made how you describe. 

A sheet of clear pickguard material, perspex or similar, cut to shape. 

A gold waterslide decal (printed in mirror image), there's folks on ebay will make them for a tenner from an image. Apply decal to reverse of plate, then matt black aerosol (easier than gloss). 

Flip it over and hey presto. 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by Maude

[3below]

Here's one I made earlier.  The old surface layer chiselled off easily with no significant damage having previously sanded back the edges to prevent 'chip out'.  With the wood looking quite reasonable I just went for sanding and tru oil.  The logo is a vinyl sticker, it will do until I find something better, there is a 60s similar screw on logo on ebay at the moment, at a price :(.  Whilst cleaning up and restringing the bass (the set on it were the original Roto Tru Bass strings, at 42 years old they lasted well) I noticed (for the first time!) that the marker dots are at 3,5,7, and 10.   When I made that build blunder I ended making a new fretboard. 

 

 

Thanks to @Andyjr1515, @AndyTravis, @Maude for suggestions and advice.

Edited May 11, 2022 by 3below