FAKE Guitar Restoration

Today I talk about fake guitar restorations. Specifically a Fender Stratocaster restoration that I believe is entirely faked.
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[@UTubeHandlesSuck]

As highlighted in several videos explaining fake restoration tactics, note also the complete lack of pitting on all the hardware. Rust isn't something that grows ON a metal surface, it's the surface itself being converted from one form to another and once the corrosion is removed, the metal that became that corrosion is gone. A bridge as rusted as this one was pretending to be would have massive pits from all the metal that had turned to rust and been removed.

[@DerEchteBold]

And also you'd have more trouble getting the screws out, cause they would rather snap, happened to me once ...and that bridge wasn't even very rusty, just the screws. On a bridge looking this bad the screws would probably crumble if you just looked at them wrong.

[@StarvingMorlock]

I recently cleaned (not restored) a Colt .32 pistol, when I removed the rust on it, the surface was covered with marks like those of acne on a face. Now I can say I have a pistol that matches my face lol.

[@linvesel]

You guys are wrong. Rust is a surface-only issue. It’s a layer applied by a rust fairy in the dark of night when nobody is looking.

[@tednugentlives]

@@linvesel or a margarine tub with hydrochloric acid for a few hours. Viola, aged.

[@Carrot421911]

@@linvesel With a paintbrush.

[@RexVergstrong]

This is not only a problem in the guitar restoration scene but the restoration scene in general. I've been recommended a lot of clearly fake restorations lately. It's really a shame.

[@RexVergstrong]

Oh, and green rust like it was copper is a must in these fakes like you pointed.

[@Tomislav_B.]

I bought heavily neglected Ibanez RG Prestige from a guy that kept it in garage. Frets were green all over. But still this video is fake although some rust here looks pretty convincing.

[@lordfatcock]

Some restorations are legit, but I prefer blacksmith channels. I think one sword took a guy a couple of years to complete 😮

[@RexVergstrong]

@@lordfatcock Sadly, the legit ones are a minority now.

[@haydenbeard123]

yeah lol it sucks

[@Takato]

Love how everything in the guitar is "rusted" as shit, but the neck is not bent even by a milimiter.

[@immurerecords]

I love the coke part. Many years ago I taught autobody at a community college, and I had a student say he saw how coke removed rust from nuts and bolts. We did an experiment taking rusted nuts and bolts and soaking them in coke. We did un covered containers, covered containers and different times soaking from 24 hours to a week. I can say coke does nothing for rust. There was absolutely no change to even the color of the steel. They all looked exactly the same from the day we soaked them.

[@AstroRodeo10]

coke isn't for rust, coke can be used to remove corrosion on battery terminals though supposedly.

[@CrossfeetGaming]

@@AstroRodeo10 "supposedly" is carrying that sentence hard.

[@Jack_Callahan01]

Either way, I was mad about him and the box flipping. Like bro… he moved it. Now yes it’s still completely fake but he can’t really use him moving a box 180 degrees as evidence

[@TheLowest]

Well explain the toy car. Checkmate coke rust deniers

[@Pheonixco]

The pockets for the tremolo and electrics are pristine too, there's no wood swelling or flaking given the amount of moisture that would be needed to rust the metal components.

[@StarvingMorlock]

I bought an Epiphone Les Paul from a pawn shop, all hardware was rusty the wood was cleaned but the pick up pockets were completely full of debris from wood eating worms and their carcasses, and the springs were very rusty as well.

[@HiltsyAdventure]

no wood damage on the neck either lol, that thing wood be in bad shape if left basically outside for 10 years

[@linvesel]

@@HiltsyAdventure That's correct. I therefore store my guitars, amps and pedals on the bottom of a swimming pool filled with sea water to avoid contact with oxygen in the air.

[@TheVoitel]

Just imagine how twisted the neck would be ...

[@linvesel]

@@TheVoitel Ever since I lost my last MMA fight, I only play guitars with twisted necks, they are better suited for my left wrist.

[@Blueeyedramblings]

I also loved how the neck plate was completely "rusted" and "weathered" yet the neck next to it completely fine and clean, looking like new

[@justaguyonyoutube]

That's how that would work

[@DM-rc4yu]

@@justaguyonyoutube No it wouldn't. Troll.

[@RickBeall]

You completely nailed this guy. You ID'd that body thoroughly ... and the frets! LOL. Plus the screws which rust inside the wood. !!

[@lennyb8079]

without staining the wood no less.

[@ashperks2608]

Dude, I've never even considered these kinds of videos as being fake... but now I'm questioning everything I know. Also, love the channel.

[@youuuuuuuuuuutube]

You were part of the problem. Too many people believe things and that's why there are so many fake videos of everything, and even animals are being tortured in the process.

[@santiagomoreno1414]

Most videos found on the internet are fakes. Sadly, they are. The least they could do is not claim to be real. The internet is becoming a big lie.

[@stereotypicalemousername9507]

studio asyl has some pretty good restorations (apart from when they ruin vintage stickers) and they’re all real as far as i can tell

[@itsalwayssomething7490]

The irony is that people debunking these types of restorations are giving people better information on how to convincingly fake age a guitar.

[@wintlock]

i see it more as a "im not mad, just disappointed" kind of thing. like if youre going to fake it at least do it well enough to not be insulting

[@CapstoneTider]

At some point it may take more skill to fake one than to restore one.

[@vinlander8484]

Youre giving the general population too much credit. The vast majority of people are idiots.

[@V3ntilator]

Well. They fake everything including fake gaming handheld restorations.

[@michaelwoods9005]

Relic guitars have been a thing gor decades now. The ship has sailed on that one, bud.

[@NikkiClouds]

"it just disappears! he must have asked it nicely" had me laughing WAY more than it probably should have xD

[@rlarsen4562]

I was immediately suspicious when the guitar was "discovered" while video was being recorded.

[@mahjonglover3614]

I do this kind of guitar restoration every time when I want to play my guitar. Then I found out that I still suck at playing it and I put it back on the shelf again for a year

[@rrdee8138]

Excellent review. You are spot on. I work in home restorations for 35 years. We deal with lots of metals hinges doorknobs and plumbing hardware. We also fake wear all the time. Those brush marks are highly visible great job letting everyone know this is a totally faked wear job thx

[@EnterJustice]

So doorknobs and plumbing hardware are relic'd as well? Lol

[@clamdigr]

@@EnterJustice Yes, in old historic homes where metal fixtures have a natural patina showing their age, it is sometimes necessary to relic a new replacement fixture when one of the originals fails beyond repair.

[@justaguyonyoutube]

@@clamdigr not nearly the same thing as a guitar lmao

[@justaguyonyoutube]

Also his knowledge of metal is laughably bad, you guys would be shocked to learn how all this actually works.

[@clamdigr]

@@justaguyonyoutube And your point is what? The comment was regarding making house fixtures look old to match historic fixtures, nothing more. Obviously that is very different from faking a guitar. LMFAO.

[@Exera80]

Funny how they hid the serialnumber when turning the headstock around.

[@timwhite5562]

Meh, that's not all that uncommon. You look at used guitars for sale online and they'll guide the serial number, they'll give it to you when you're hashing out a deal. Though they'd usually cover it with tape or paper, not actually remove it. I'd say the gym wrapper hiding the Road Worn is more suspicious.

[@viking_nor]

@@timwhite5562 he is not selling is he? He claims it is one type of guitar and the serial number would prove it. Of course that is suspicious

[@timwhite5562]

@@viking_norrelax, I didn't kick your dog. the "selling" inconsequential, it's that people don't want the serial number floating around. It's the same think with VIN#s. I said removing it was suspicious.

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

And the 5 way switch (very vintage 50s) has a modern part number sticker on it

[@nckhed]

@@timwhite5562 "Relax, I didn't kick your dog." What a weird reply to a civilized comment. 😂🤦

[@larrybremer4930]

What caught my eye was the full length of the rusted screws being pulled out of perfectly clean holes in the wood with no sign of staining from the rusty metal.

[@brianinski]

I was a Key Scenic Artist in the Hollywood Film Production industry, and this is exactly how we would rust and age things. Once we rusted a mint condition 1959 Porsche and we had it looking like bubbling leprous rust was about to become a hole in the body and fender metal. There was a misunderstanding and the director wanted a "cherry" 59 Porsche, meaning "mint". The Production Designer called from location in Vermont in a panic, how on earth could this horrific and decrepit automobile be restored without embarrassing delays? I told him to take it to a pressure self wash car wash bay and the warm sudsy wash wand would remove it effortlessly.

[@BaBaBaBenny]

My brother once found an old acoustic guitar in a barn whilst working at his old job. The frets weren't NEARLY as bad as those, and it'd been kept in a similar environment...

[@voornaam3191]

But your brother did not pee on it, every week. These "restorers" could have done that. For the right kind of rust. You never know what tricks they do.

[@Rex-golf_player810]

​@@voornaam3191 just piss and shit on it and leave it for 90000 years Then when restoring it they just use some black magic serum to wipe it all off without any effoet at all

[@thatotherdan9984]

It's called paint... Who the fucks pissing on stuff to "make it rust"....

[@bskitchenriffs6522]

I just saw that "barn rescue " BS. Everything is heavily rusted but the neck wasn't warped?

[@michaelmirabal6349]

I'm glad you posted this. I saw that video last night and was going to say something about how the body didn't match the hardware in "decay" but the comments were turned off. Also, he never showed the SN on the back of the head or you would have seen MX00-000000. It was hard for me to look at the comments on the second half and see some of the accolades he got for posting such a fake vid. I'm glad you called him out.

[@Bobba_raekus]

Imagine putting so much time into faking a restoration that it amounts to double the work an actual restoration would have taken.

[@SomethingDiabolical2]

I got that video recommended and was laughing out loud when I saw those green frets. I still watched to the end to see what he was trying to do to make them usable again, maybe recrowning the frets or even a refret. But getting rid of that 'oxidation' with a simple cloth and some polishing compound was the killer for me. And the abrupt ending was just the cherry on top.

[@linvesel]

I can’t believe you’re oblivious to the fact that the green on the frets is not rust. Clearly it’s vegetation growing due to high humidity.

[@SomethingDiabolical2]

@@linvesel yeah, my botanical knowledge is pretty poor 😅

[@linvesel]

@@SomethingDiabolical2 Botanical knowledge is something I always require from any guitar tech before they work on my gear. Given that I store my guitars, amps and pedals on the bottom of a swimming pool filled with sea water.

[@imoffendedthatyouareoffended]

@@linvesel that’s silly, why don’t you bury your guitars when your done using them for the day?

[@linvesel]

@@imoffendedthatyouareoffended I don’t bury them because there is not enough sea water in the soil.

[@ScottPaine]

You can see a circle indentation under the foil where the cnc hole is located. Plus the pencil marking in the neck pickup cavity looks clear and clean just like the cavities themselves..

[@JasonECI]

I watched that video... While holding a camera going into an abandoned shed and quickly found his target without checking any places else, my assumption was "an arranged surprise" and went on to other videos. And now I see you suspecting it's a fake one, totally agree!! You are very informational!!! Thanks!!

[@PeterJRadomski]

Thank you for posting this. Excellent analysis. I had a guitar from the fifties that needed restoration. It was just shy of 40 years old when I got it, and was in genuine rough shape from having been left in a basement. That being said, it was nowhere close to the condition from the bogus video you shared. Great presentation and breakdown. Subscribed.

[@kevincrozier8625]

I seen one guy that supposedly found an acoustic guitar that was "caked" in dirt and mud. He actually not only used soap and water to wash it but used a wire brush to get the muck off. That was the most blatant of fake restorations I have ever seen.

[@paintnamer6403]

I remember that.

[@terrym120]

Any link for that video?

[@paintnamer6403]

@@terrym120 It was the reaction video done by The Guitologist - The cringiest guitar "restoration" EVER video!

[@gordonhill8164]

There is a digital camera restoration of someone cleaning the highly delicate sensor, mirror and shutter mechanisms with a toothbrush and water. He may as well have used a wire brush because just touching the sensor with your fingers can ruin it. But at the end, you'll never guess, the camera worked perfectly.

[@Resident-of-Pluto]

There's a video I saw a while ago on how to spot fake gun restorations and some of the same ideas apply to guitars as well, especially the metal parts.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

Backyard ballistics?

[@Resident-of-Pluto]

@@AWMJoeyjoejoe Yes.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

@@Resident-of-Pluto His is the only gun restoration channel I trust, and I like how he actually test fires the guns when most channels say "the barrel is too damaged to fire."

[@lawrencesinderson]

Saw that video too, which was ironically pushed to me by KZbin's algorithm.

[@PaddysOrigami]

Ik who your talking about the lad in italy

[@RockG.o.d]

i use salt water all the time to get rid of rust, I mean to antique. (please don't use salt water to get rid of rust)

[@EchoRabbit]

I'm glad seeing so many people calling out fake restorations. It's just a shame that it's not gonna reach more people :I

[@TheBoardGarage]

I remember seeing Landon’s video, it was great. This is also excellent. What gets me, is that the moment the person grabs the guitar, the side of the neck heel looks perfectly clean.

[@gerrykavanagh]

Thanks for the detailed breakdown. I saw this video, and had plenty misgivings of my own, but this is next level debunk. Top marks lad!

[@justaguyonyoutube]

It's a laughable debunking attempt, entertaining but not even close to accurate especially with his clear lack of knowledge of how metal ages and breaks down.

[@gerrykavanagh]

@@justaguyonyoutube ok

[@rajarahman9823]

Excellent commentary. I too, saw this video and within a couple of minutes, my conclusion was, A FAKE RESTORATION VIDEO. The restoration of furniture videos, also suffer from this ailment. Keep up the good work and as SHAW TAYLOR used to say, KEEP ‘EM PEELED.

[@blucheer8743]

Spot on! there are a lot of fake “restoration” videos on here it’s actually very easy to “junk up” a piece to make appear restorable… KZbin loves these cause viewers tend to binge watch them.

[@Wrkncacnter777]

Re: Tuners/bridge, they're steel, but chrome/nickel plated. You can't plate chrome or nickel directly onto steel, you need to use copper as an interface metal, so it can, and will oxidize green. However, I agree with your assessment, this was not a barn find. That rust looks like the result of roughing up the surface of various parts and spraying them for several weeks with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and salt diluted with water. The Trem block and frets look like they were painted though, since those as you said, aren't usually iron.

[@gerrykavanagh]

Yep. I thought forced oxidation myself. That level of pitting and “fur” doesn’t usually occur naturally, unless the barn this was found in is 10m from the seashore.

[@blackforestghost1]

Ever seen a green oxidized chromplated old carbumper? These carparts are chromplated steel, too, but they rust brown/orange not green. Before you do chromplating a steel, you usually do nickelplate it in an electrochemical process. The ammount of copper under it is extremly little, it will not turn a chromplated steel part into green when oxydizing.

[@MegaTerryNutkins]

Real guitar restoration work can be incredible, I watch twoodfrd religiously, Love seeing someone bring tatty old instruments back to life.

[@jeremysmetana8583]

That dude does amazing work.

[@linvesel]

I disagree about real guitar restoration being incredible. Real restoration is actually quite credible and satisfying to watch and learn. Fake restoration is incredible and extremely entertaining to mock and dump on.

[@slightlyaboveaveragebutaverage]

@@linvesel You brought a lot to the convo, thanks.

[@linvesel]

@@slightlyaboveaveragebutaverage For you, dear friend, anytime.

[@Ronilac]

Be careful with twoodfrd ... he takes a lot of shortcuts

[@raymondmorton5105]

As a guitar tech who works on many guitars, buys them cheap, fixes them, I can confirm this strat wouldn't be this bad off

[@MaxPower-js1sk]

I restore guitars and I hate fret work. Those frets would have needed chemical treatment, filing, or at least heavy sanding, levelling, recrowning, dressing and polishing. My Dremel probably would have been used quite a bit.

[@SBeckerDTD]

I saw this the other day and was blown away by how ridiculous and unbelievable the whole thing was.

[@KDH]

"Rust"

[@philipm4585]

Didn't know Wood Bodies could Rust but hey maybe it's so old it turned into Metal

[@TheoAndHisPedals]

Brushstrokes! A true artist series.

[@barstow_]

In peace

[@BenCurrington]

Friend of mine found a strat copy in his shed when he moved house. Probs there for a few years. It spent maybe 8 more years in my loft before I got round to looking at it. It looked similar to how this one did at the start, but with none of that crazy corrosion. All it took to clean up was a vacuum cleaner, soap and water.

[@captainchaos3053]

Thing that gets me is the screws don't fight him at all. I have has lots of old guitars and the screws can be more than happy in their home with no intention of leaving with no rust.

[@kennethhoneycutt4513]

I love the fact you're always busting people on stuff keep it going man much respect

[@stormriderkaos]

Nice. You can see the foil indentation where the CNC mounting hole is. And the metal is miraculously aged many more years than the rest of the guitar. One way to do this is to place the metal parts and neck in a bag or box with an open container of muriatic (sulphuric) acid.

[@10secondnerd]

This video came up in my feed, and I am so glad it did. Keep up the honest work

[@janemba42]

5:28 something you missed. On the first fret it's very apparent that the corrosion has been painted on with a brush, you can see the texture of the bristles and how it has been built up in layers.

[@taLLdavidproduction]

Also if the screws and hardware were that rusted, they wouldnt have come out that easily.

[@myopicautisticmetal9035]

they would have broken off at the heads and not to mention they didn't stain the screw holes with rust. All of the wood on that guitar was 100% untouched by water/moisture damage.

[@peachmelba1000]

I think I'll make a video of me going out in my back yard, "finding" my dog caked in dirt and mud (that I certainly _did not_ apply myself), then giving him a bath, and call it a "restoration".

[@stevieblunder2656]

You joke,but oh the views you'd get. Lol

[@Tomislav_B.]

Just search "animal rescue" here on KZbin. They are all staged rescues, in fact animal abuse videos.

[@wychwoodmusic]

What a sad and bizarre thing to do. Imagine if they'd taken the time and effort to actually restore an old, unusable guitar, instead of faking it.

[@tonybushell7971]

Thanks for calling this out. I thought it was a roadworn from the beginning. The shielding over the roadworn stamp on the body. Remarkably tidy frets for a heavily played guitar

[@superlead1002]

Thanks for the great video! Even though this is a "road worn" guitar, the non relic'd parts of the body still looked too new to have been in that shed for any serious amount of time. The smallest amount of water sitting on the body would have created some kind of damage, especially where the finish was worn away. But I agree that he thought he was clever enough to hide the details that would show that it was a Fender Road Worn body.

[@ClintsCrypt]

Hi KDH. I agree with your evaluation of the restoration video with one exception. I am a welder and I often have to clean rust off of the metal I am going to weld in order to get nice, clean welds. I have used twenty 2-liter bottles of generic Walmart diet cola, which I put in a large trough to remove rust off of 6 foot lengths of mild steel. I use diet so there is no sticky, sugary mess to deal with and it prevents attracting ants and other insects. The key is to leave the metal in the diet cola long enough to deal with the rust without leaving it too long, causing the acids in the diet cola to start affecting the surface of the good metal. It is less expensive to use generic diet cola than to use the same volume of specialty rust removing chemicals. Dill pickle juice works well on old corroded and calcified plumbing parts. I learned that from an old school plumbing parts and repair shop. Regarding the rusty paint brush marks on the metal, it might be possible that the guy painted a light coat of oxidizing chemicals on the metal. They use the oxidizing chemicals to give things a rustic, antique look. Great video! Looking forward to the next one.

[@MickH60]

100%, coke has phosphoric acid in it , that will remove and or convert the rust, the pickle juice has vinegar which will do the same. I also agree on the oxidising chemicals....

[@linvesel]

How long do you leave the metal immersed in diet cola then? And how would you tell whether the acid in cola has started affecting the good metal underneath the layer of rust? Thanks in advance.

[@ClintsCrypt]

@@linvesel It depends on how much acid content there is in the soda (which brand) and how much rust there is on the metal. I usually leave the metal I use in the Walmart generic diet soda 24-48 hours, checking on it and moving the metal around regularly. For really heavily rusted metals with rust flakes and pitting, etc. I use stronger cleaners, like Naval Gel. But that is really strong, caustic and harmful for your breathing, etc.

[@xxlocobassistxx]

Since you were asking about YT recommendations, This was towards the top of the recommendations next to a Trogly video. First time seeing one of your vids, subbed now so hopefully I'll see more of your vids in recommendations!

[@AvACyberSecurity]

As someone who airbrushes models and often on plastic parts that need to look metal, I rust them with powders and paints. It's easy to do but hard to look genuine. This should have been half there because at least its on metal. The frets have definitely been done with that process and yes you're right, I remove the over weathered parts with white spirit and a cotton bud. Comes right off. EDIT: Coke will remove marks on that car. Used to clean rifle parts with it to degrease. Makes you think twice about drinking it. (Which I still do)

[@wintyrqueen]

Coke actually can help with rust… not like this, though (there was a mythbusters episode where they tested it, too)

[@lottieofdoom]

For sure - It's an amateur mechanic trick that's decades old. It won't bring it up like the car in the video, but it *does* work.

[@wintyrqueen]

@@lottieofdoom I used it on my old Chrome Floyd Rose. It’s not perfect, but I’m not going to have to replace it as soon

[@ClintsCrypt]

I am a welder and I often have to clean rust off of the metal I am going to weld in order to get nice, clean welds. I have used twenty 2-liter bottles of generic Walmart diet cola, which I put in a large trough to remove rust off of 6 foot lengths of mild steel. I use diet so there is no sticky, sugary mess to deal with and it prevents attracting ants and other insects. The key is to leave the metal in the diet cola long enough to deal with the rust without leaving it too long, causing the acids in the diet cola to start affecting the surface of the good metal. It is less expensive to use generic diet cola than to use the same volume of specialty rust removing chemicals. Dill pickle juice works well on old corroded and calcified plumbing parts. I learned that from an old school plumbing parts and repair shop. Regarding the rusty paint brush marks on the metal, it might be possible that the guy painted a light coat of oxidizing chemicals on the metal. They use the oxidizing chemicals to give things a rustic, antique look.

[@flotenn3351]

In fact you can get rid of surface rust with coke, but you need some tin foil (aluminium) to do so. The aluminium reacts with the phosphorus acid and removes the rust as part of that reaction. You need some scruffing too and it would not work with "deep rust" like the video is trying to show us.

[@MickH60]

You don't need foil, coke has phosphoric acid in it, which is in nearly ALL commercially sold rust converters, I've been using them for 40 years, I've used coke as well, coke can also be used as flux when soldering due to it's acid content....

[@flotenn3351]

@@MickH60 I always thought the aluminium reacts with the rust, but it definetly helps getting it off..

[@keefer88]

thank you for actually learning the difference between rust and corrosion

[@maxpsidt1390]

Awesome video! Coke is actually a very good cleaning solvent. Never tried cleaning rust with it before, but i can say that i was told by a investigator that coke can wash blood off stuff to the point where its not traceable

[@matthewshelley1365]

Plot twist: Landon's video was the fake

[@jeffleecust]

If you thought that restoration video was real…. You have just got to see the high flying action and drama of professional wrestling.

[@linvesel]

Or watch a politician speak...

[@EJSjjh]

I appreciate this video because this is something that I probably wouldn't have known was fake

[@flatroc1]

Thanks so much for you take on this restoration. I watched simply as a type of relaxation or meditation and didn't even really assess what I was seeing but you are so right and I think we should all fight against "fake" content. It's sleazy.

[@AnthoCMusic]

Thank you for this video ! I was pretty scandalized when I saw this """""restoration""""" video ! Thank you for restoring the truth

[@artiefischel2579]

My thought during that video was how could the neck possibly be straight if it was exposed to the weather like that. Also, wouldn't you see some frets loosening from the expansion and contraction of the wood over the years?

[@linvesel]

Neck was straight because it was badly bent prior to entering that climate and the humidity bent it back to neutral. Too bad there is green vegetation growing on the frets.

[@mmckee58]

Absolutely on the mark. I've been working with some of Rustoleum's textured paints. I think the fraudster sprayed the metal parts mixed in some yellow, and mushed around the paint to simulate rust. I just had to laugh when I saw the turquoise copper oxidation. Thanks KDH...

[@benplayssongs8849]

The high frets often have strumming pick wear on old guitars. So the wear up there could actually make sense. I have a real 55 tele neck and it had wear approximating the "road worn" strat in the video.

[@benplayssongs8849]

But the restorwtion video is definitely 100% fake. I just want to point out that wear that high makes sense.

[@jstro-hobbytech]

This reminds me of the acoustic restoration video Brad the guitologist highlighted about 3 years ago haha

[@HeyjAjSayJ]

That one was hilarious. When the guy just went nuclear and pulled out the power sander.

[@Tomislav_B.]

That was a proper restoration done by professional.

[@jeremysmetana8583]

My stepdad was fond of saying, "you can't BS a BS-er." I myself am oddly positioned in this regard: I work on guitars, AND I build miniature models (tanks, planes, wargaming miniatures), which means I spend a lot of time simulating wear and weathering, such as rust and verdigris. I didn't believe this phony video for a second. Aside from the laughably dumb "finding" of the guitar, it was clear at once that the crap covering it was too conveniently placed. But let's skip all the chuckling I did for the first few minutes, and get to the part where I laughed out loud: the springs, which being rounded and smoothed through the machining process, just REFUSED to accept his "weathering" (the "rust" is just sitting on top, waiting to fall off, rather than, you know... pitting), and the neck plate, which being one of the thickest areas of chrome, would have shown buckling and cracking, if this were real, and only about a tenth of that amount of rust. (Not to mention the obvious brush marks). My son does not share these hobbies, he only watches me do them. But he walked in halfway through my initial viewing, and immediately called the thing out as a fake. Hilarious.

[@JeTTRod]

I actually did restore my old rusty fender(it sat in a flooded sea-can for 2 yrs). The jackplate is now mounted inside out cuz the outside was so rusted (the inside was also rusty, just a little less). The neck was warped (it took a couple months of leaving it in a home made jig to straighten it, hanging in my bathroom during hot showers, tho no idea if it actually helped), the paint and body was cracking etc... It now has new paint, screws, inside out jackplate that still shows past rust scars, and fret bars with barely enuff metal left to still be useable... ..it might not be perfect or worth anything, but its still great for bouncin' off the walls with on a Saturday night with the other noisemakers....

[@straightmanforever69]

I have a guitar.

[@ericschmuecker348]

I did. Burned mine for heat after seeing Tommy Emanuel.

[@pee-in-the-wind]

The frets are green because an acid was used to age them. Also Ive been in construction for 30 years and found lots of stuff; when exposed to the elements the dust will harden to the finish and requires lots of elbow grease to remove.

[@tungtobak]

I don't even think that much effort was put into it. You can buy patina on bottle, what was on those frets just looked like the green variety of that stuff slobbered on with a brush.

[@Sera69FI]

Good video! I have restored and painted cars about 30 years, and I find very amusing fake videos about restoring cars.

[@Expedient_Mensch]

I agree with your assessment of the corrosion, I have "restored" guitars that have been abandoned in a damp garage for years and years, but never do they look like this.

[@steveanthrop8475]

I watched this video, and was very confused at times myself. You have done a great job of explaining why these things were confusing to me. I was amazed that he polished the bare wood the same as the finished unworn surfaces. Also, how could a guitar with so much moisture damage, have no warping?

[@luken9263]

Is acidic sweat a recognised medical condition?

[@UTubeHandlesSuck]

Recognized, known, and not particularly uncommon. The Ph/acidity levels of bodily fluids vary from person to person, and some of us are more one way or the other. Personally, I can't wear copper jewelry at all because barring some intensive clear coating, I'll turn it Statue of Liberty green in under 12 hours. Likewise, I'm hell on wrist watches if they're not made of good quality materials.

[@luken9263]

@@UTubeHandlesSuck the more you know! Thnks

[@linvesel]

The medical literature clarified that acidic sweat is damaging to guitar finish and parts as it contains sweatic acid in high concentrations.

[@infamousgingercrows]

The guitar's first look with EVERYTHING looks like a patina job

[@washbuns]

reminds me of those rug cleaning videos where they drag them through the depths of hell before "cleaning" them

[@DeeTee79]

This video had me rolling on the floor. I completely agree with the author. The Rory Gallagher comparison had me in tears, acidic sweat, so true.🤣🤣

[@liamflynn2653]

Around 5:45, you make a noise that beautifully and perfectly expresses the sentiment of every sane person

[@thermalreboot]

Another thing about the fret polish. When you use polishing compound on anything oxidized, the compound quickly gets dirty as it lifts the oxidization. That compound picked up no oxide.

[@joefromaccounting7818]

Neckplate was the biggest giveaway. Equally rusted on both sides despite one side not being exposed to the elements, brand new clear coat wood underneath.

[@sitdowndrank3077]

As a Christmas present for my dad, I kind of “restored”his 87 Japan Squire Strat. Polished the fretboard and frets. Used fret polish to clean the bridge, (Don’t kill me). Cleaned the tuners as well (w fret polish) and the pick guard (w wet paper towel) I used turtle wax on the body. (Plz don’t kill me) and finished it off with new strings. He’s played it for so long and it was just building up dust so the only thing I find impressive about this restoration video is the fact that he managed to make it Worse than a guitar from 87.

[@TheCarlocolombo]

the first time I saw the video of the guitar restoration I thought it was a fake, but I didn't go that deep into it. Your review is perfect

[@MovieMaker225]

As soon as I saw the thumbnail for that video I knew it was fake. Glad to see others that have an eye for detail.

[@mishmashmedley]

it's hilarious because he wipes off the headstock and FENDER is _perfectly_ shown, no marring or discoloration on one of the most exposed areas....

[@guitarxy1948]

I watched the "restoration" video last week, and when the first metal screw was removed, I immediately thought "uh oh . . . got a fake here."

[@zebraloverbridget]

It is possible to remove real rust with minimal effort! Assuming that the rust isn't too far into the metal yet, but it can work on rust that is more than just at surface level. I've done it countless times and all you need is some strong vinegar. I believe I use 30% vinegar meant for cleaning, and then you can just fill a tub, put the metal in, and stick it outside to soak. (outside because it smells bad) You can also make a paper towel damp with the vinegar, wrap it tightly around the metal and let it set. I usually wait until the paper towel is dry but you probably can take it off sooner. This method can require doing it multiple times though since the paper towel can only soak in so much of the rust after it is removed by the vinegar. It is the most satisfying since you can see clear outlines of where the rust was on the towel though

[@davidsmart3514]

I love how the rusted components left no staining anywhere they came in contact with the wood or plastics.

[@Gizerwizard]

i agree i think that "rust" was painted on, but to be fair my grandpa used to clean all his bowling trophies with bottles of coke. he would just fill a cooler up with it and let the trophies sit in it for a while

[@patfornies776]

Not to mention, he flips the headstock very quickly but we still see some writing on the back. Hence proving it’s not a vintage Strat. Which we already knew from the wear pattern.

[@briankeenan4901]

I agree with you. And if that guitar was under water long enough for the screws to rust on the threads, the paint would have bubbled up and started falling off.

[@BrandonPoirierBlair]

There truly isn't anything better than hearing an irishman rant pasionnately.

[@aaroncurry279]

Saw that video and couldn’t get past the foil part. Thanks for letting us know what it was hiding. He also put less tremolo springs back in if my memory serves me well. BTW…A bit of white distilled vinegar works great on rusted parts especially if you can immerse them for a bit. Great video, man. 10 Q!

[@DaveGrandel]

I second the efficacy of white vinegar. I fished a rusted set of cable crimping pliers out of the lake and they were so rusty that they wouldn’t even open. Overnight in a red solo full of vinegar and the rust was gone and the pliers were restored to their original function. The metal was dark, not shiny, per se, but they work just fine now!

[@nicolashrv]

The powder that made the fizz is most likely sodium bicarbonate, and he added a bit of vinager to the water, which produces a reaction most likely he didn't left the pieces too much time into the vinager, otherwise it would start to eat the finish

[@rippinstock]

This restoration video came up in my algorithm and I stopped once I saw the first screw removed.

[@freezeframeplease]

fun fact! i left a ibanez iceman paul stanley PS120 in the house of a relative and he played it and stored it in the gigbag, when i retrieved it the frets were indeed greenish ! just a fun fact that there are some alloys that under some circumstances can turn greenish!

[@joshuawiley7200]

the still shot of the headstock, you can see where the saltwater was sprayed from a bottle. the scale from the dried droplets are visible on the wood

[@frankstit4tat]

Great job pointing out this fake the first time I saw this I thought it had more rust on a guitar I have ever seen 😢

[@user-to9mm5cy6m]

I don't know anything about restoration, but I know a little about scenarios. The guitar is found in the second cage, but the first cage can send an invoice for "extra". Senario back to the drawing board.

[@michaelbergman1073]

I am right now restoring a 1938 Gibson acoustic. Some of the metal on it is just as rusty as this and the lacquer is still in good shape. It's hard to determine what moisture will do. But unless you have done this type of work you don't know. But I'm figuring that the neck plate could not rust underneath without damaging or sticking to the wood. But yes brass turns green as well

[@hweeing001]

I saw that video too, and I agree with you KDH. Thank you for saying exactly what I felt and wanted to say.

[@Chronically_JBoo]

Came for the fake restoration stayed for that awesome hair.