GR-1SF custom build, as a tribute to a Harmony H62.

[dozymuppet]

I was trying to do something similar with my AIB, and had similar issues with not matching close enough, but also not far enough away. Went through a bit of a painful process of removing the veneer and sanding it back again. All good now though.

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[HarmonIser]

I was trying to do something similar with my AIB, and had similar issues with not matching close enough, but also not far enough away. Went through a bit of a painful process of removing the veneer and sanding it back again. All good now though.

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Believe me, the thought did cross my mind....

[HarmonIser]

Looking nice to me.

I agree the headstock doesn't quite match the guitar body. It's not close enough in colour to be a match, and not different enough to be a contrast. Maybe try a darker stain first before changing veneers?

Great idea - it will also have Black Japan on the sides and back, so maybe I should do all that before deciding...

[DarkMark]

I concur with Simon, try staining it darker. It’s a nice looking veneer.

[HarmonIser]

Latest progress...
Reshaping heel, to seat at a better angle to give sufficient height for the floating bridge. Also, pushing the neck along a bit, finish wise - gave a darker stain to the majority of the headstock front, (I left a curvy line through the centre to highlight the lighter, grain running through there), and black japan on the back, and stained the neck, which will be largely sanded back off again. In fact the whole lot will be roughed up somewhat......

Opinions on new headstock look? I leaned it up in front of the sideboard, to give colour context - it's hard to discern sometimes in different lighting situations

[Simon Barden]

Back looks good to me. The face could probably go a bit darker for me, possibly because of that lighter central section. But it's a lot better than it was before and the outer sections do appear to be a similar shade to that on real H62s. The finish should go slightly darker with some clear on it though.

Gold logo and central design, light cream truss-rod cover still to come?

[dozymuppet]

+1 to going darker on the headstock

[Simon Barden]

The real thing runs from about this:



To slightly darker:



So it's almost there IMO.

[HarmonIser]

Back looks good to me. The face could probably go a bit darker for me, possibly because of that lighter central section. But it's a lot better than it was before and the outer sections do appear to be a similar shade to that on real H62s. The finish should go slightly darker with some clear on it though.

Gold logo and central design, light cream truss-rod cover still to come?

I'm also toying with the idea of a tortoiseshell headstock face veneer, if I decide against keeping the current veneer. I'll give it another bit of darker stain first, although i don't mind it as it is. I've given up on the idea of it looking exactly like the real thing, because there are too many differences already, structurally.
I'm not sure what else I'll add to the face. I like the idea of some kind of Fleur de Lys, as it's a relatively universal guitar adornment, but I won't put a Harmony logo on. I think I'll put a tortoiseshell truss-rod cover on it, if I stay with the veneer face - I am somewhat fond of good tortoiseshell, as you may have noticed...

[HarmonIser]

Take 3...
Here are shots of headstock veneer versions for opinion:

first dark stain, for comparison..



extra stain...




and also a cutout backup veneer, of Qld Walnut....