Gear in: 1981 Gibson Victory Artist

I have been looking for one of these for months.  I haven't seen one (reasonably priced) in the UK since December.  I've had to cast my net further afield, which brings its own problems (mostly US eBayers being sniffy about selling internationally or quoting ridiculous amounts for postage).  A mint example appeared on the market (came into this decade in a time machine type pristine) which made the values spike for a while.  Rubbish like that.

However, this rather sorry looking example appeared and I decided to make it my mission to resurrect it to something approaching its former glory.

The picture doesn't show the half of the problems:

• The bass has been refinished (badly) in dark blue
• Someone thought it'd be a great idea to paint the pickguard in silver Hammerite
• Someone thought it's be a great idea to install a push button switch at the back to connect/disconnect the battery - in a place where you keep nudging it when you play the thing.
• The final insult - someone thought it'd be a great idea to take a blow torch to the back of the neck

Thankfully that's where the problems pretty much end.  Electronically and structurally it seems intact.  All the chrome is in good nick, the only tarnishing is on the screws (I'll soak them in cola to clean them up).  One of the tuners was bust, but that has been temporarily fixed - awaiting parts from Schaller in Germany to do a proper job (at least I think that's what's happening - "We send to you the parts you need" sounds like they're going to do it).  One of the very distinctive "Posi-Lok" strap buttons has been replaced with a standard style one.  I had made contact with a guy in Italy who claimed to have some, but that's gone quiet.  One of the wires had come off the circuit board inside, but that was a quick fix.  The stupid switch is already gone :)

So, the plan is a full refinish.  From my digging around inside, I conclude that the bass was originally Candy Apple Red (which is a layered finish of gold, trans red then clearcoat).  I don't fancy that.  I'm erring towards black, it's the least likely to mess up, but all my other Gibson/Epiphone basses are black, so perhaps a change is necessary.

The cleanup has begun - I was able to polish up the headstock so it's looking a lot nicer now:

A lot of elbow grease later >






The truss rod cover was also coated in that Hammerite and when I removed it the "Artist" logo was gone :(  Will have to try and reinstate that somehow.

 I wonder how I'm going to do this.  Paint it on?  Get a white transfer/decal made somehow?

These things are sent to try us.

By the way, did I mention it sounds great? :)