Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,916 
|
Post by Dub on Oct 13, 2022 1:12:28 GMT -5
Fiddlerina and I have been hired to provide musical background for a theatre production. We will be sitting off center but visible on stage. We are to wear dark clothing and use black music stands, etc. so as not to attract attention while actors are speaking. I’ve chosen to use my late brother’s 1967 D-18 for this because it has aged well and is not bright looking. It also lets me mimic the sound of Civil War era instruments which is a sound we’d like for this.
But the 1967 Martins had big shiny Grover Rotomatic tuners. These will glint in the lights and we’d like some way to prevent that. I’ve learned that there are “peelable” coatings that I might be able to apply to the tuning peg buttons and it looks like some are available in flat (matte) finish.
Do any of you have experience with this sort of thing? Is there a “best” product of this sort? Is there a better way to mask the glint?
|
|
|
|
Post by jdd2 on Oct 13, 2022 1:31:03 GMT -5
Black sock over the headstock and just tune by feel?
|
|
|
|
Post by millring on Oct 13, 2022 3:35:53 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by millring on Oct 13, 2022 3:38:08 GMT -5
(coincidentally, for some reason your brother's D-18 came to my mind the other day when I was out on a route. I have no idea what brought it to mind.)
|
|
|
|
Post by drlj on Oct 13, 2022 7:36:40 GMT -5
You can use a low stick tape on them. You may be able to find painter’s tape or gaffer tape in black. It won’t interfere with tuning and will kill the glare. It’s also easily removed.
Changing to ebony buttons is a good idea if you can get a set in time.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Oct 13, 2022 8:48:04 GMT -5
Black sock over the headstock and just tune by feel? Use a clean one.  Your gloss finish guitar is going to stand out no matter what you do. I would suggest dark blue clothes and low blue lighting to make you THERE but not at the level of the actors white lighting. |
|
|
|
Post by howard lee on Oct 13, 2022 8:53:11 GMT -5
Black sock over the headstock and just tune by feel? Use a clean one. Your gloss finish guitar is going to stand out no matter what you do. I would suggest dark blue clothes and low blue lighting to make you THERE but not at the level of the actors white lighting.
Or pass out some white lightning and no one will care.
|
|
|
|
Post by TKennedy on Oct 13, 2022 11:55:21 GMT -5
Replacing the buttons with Ebony like John said makes sense. One caveat, I saw on the WDmusic website that it is possible the current replacement knobs may not fit pre 1985 tuners.
I saw in the movie about Hank Garland that he would reflect the stage lighting off his guitar to pick out a pretty girl in the audience. That might be frowned upon.
|
|
|
|
Post by John B on Oct 13, 2022 12:29:04 GMT -5
Replacing the buttons with Ebony like John said makes sense. One caveat, I saw on the WDmusic website that it is possible the current replacement knobs may not fit pre 1985 tuners. I saw in the movie about Hank Garland that he would reflect the stage lighting off his guitar to pick out a pretty girl in the audience. That might be frowned upon. She's already on stage with him. |
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,916
|
Post by Dub on Oct 13, 2022 13:16:39 GMT -5
Replacing the buttons with Ebony like John said makes sense. One caveat, I saw on the WDmusic website that it is possible the current replacement knobs may not fit pre 1985 tuners. I saw in the movie about Hank Garland that he would reflect the stage lighting off his guitar to pick out a pretty girl in the audience. That might be frowned upon. So, I've ordered these. At $7.99 they are half the price of the peelable matte black paint stuff, and they'll be delivered tomorrow. These are (probably cheap) metal * but I couldn't find ebony buttons that would get here in time. It's possible the new screws aren't the same thread but it looks like the buttons are a proper fit. I can still use the original screws if necessary.  *The silver buttons on the original Rotomatics are made of cheap metal too. |
|
|
|
Post by epaul on Oct 13, 2022 13:27:39 GMT -5
Don't fret about the tuning pegs. It's the top of your head you need to mask off or it'll look like a roving spotlight.
Maybe a beret. That would be cool. Or black shoe polish if you want to go for that "natural" look.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,916
|
Post by Dub on Oct 13, 2022 14:07:36 GMT -5
Black sock over the headstock and just tune by feel? Use a clean one. Your gloss finish guitar is going to stand out no matter what you do. I would suggest dark blue clothes and low blue lighting to make you THERE but not at the level of the actors white lighting. As you may remember, it isn't really a gloss finish guitar.  |
|
|
|
Post by coachdoc on Oct 13, 2022 14:23:32 GMT -5
Go out and buy a 40’s 000.
|
|
Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,916
|
Post by Dub on Oct 13, 2022 14:27:04 GMT -5
Go out and buy a 40’s 000. If I wan't to be truly "period," I'll need an 1860 Martin. |
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Oct 13, 2022 15:14:38 GMT -5
Go out and buy a 40’s 000. If I wan't to be truly "period," I'll need an 1860 Martin. or a 0-16 NY. Any 0 size would do. They did not have a 000 at that time. One of Terry's size 2 would work just fine. Too bad Billiam sold his. |
|
|
|
Post by TKennedy on Oct 13, 2022 15:31:47 GMT -5
I used my little size 2 for our Civil War show. It was perfect.
|
|
|
|
Post by theevan on Oct 13, 2022 15:56:22 GMT -5
Borrow a forum member's CA guitar. Some of them are matte and all are black.
|
|
|
|
Post by billhammond on Oct 14, 2022 1:14:51 GMT -5
Too bad Billiam sold his. I did? How come it's sitting 5 feet away from me? |
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Oct 14, 2022 4:55:45 GMT -5
Too bad Billiam sold his. I did? How come it's sitting 5 feet away from me? I thought you sold the o-16 New Yorker to Willie's |
|
|
|
Post by howard lee on Oct 14, 2022 6:36:28 GMT -5
I did? How come it's sitting 5 feet away from me? I thought you sold the o-16 New Yorker to Willie's
Bill had a CF Martin 0-16 NY?
|
|
