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Hello all
Have just bought a 1966 Marvin (a Baldwin Model) for a good price knowing that it required a number of replacement parts.
I have spoken to Barry Gibson who can help out with most of them.
Buying new parts however will not keep this guitar as authentic as i would like.
If anyone has any parts and wishes them to have a good home then please get in touch.
Here is a quick list: 2 x pickups, 1 x pickup cover, 1 x tremelo arm, 1 x trem backplate, 1 x neck backplate, 6 x machine heads, 1 x switch tip.
Does anyone have any tips for getting the scratchplates flat as mine have some warping.
Regards
Johnners

There is no fully reliable way of flattening warped pickguards (the material is prone to this over time).

The warping occurs because the plates enlarge themselves.

Short of trimming them back to size (which would usually involve plugging and drilling the screwholes in the body), the only way to deal with the problem is either to live with it or to get new scratchplates.

"2 x pickups, 1 x pickup cover, 1 x tremelo arm, 1 x trem backplate, 1 x neck backplate, 6 x machine heads, 1 x switch tip."

I am sure that Barry can get you all of those. The modern tremolo arm is better than the originals, which often crack and break at the mounting screw hole. The new ones are made of chromed steel rather than the brass of the 1960s items.

Hello JimN
Thanks for the advise the body desperately needs refinishing so i might add an extra hole or two
for the scratchplate to nail it down. the two smaller ones aren't too bad and will go back on as they are.
A new tremelo arm i think was always going to end up being "Barry" sourced and from your description
sound a lot better than the originals. i have loads of time on this so any original parts that come by i will try
to use first but i think i will have a long wait.
Regards
John

Eddie Cross could make an authentic Trem cover and neckplate. He may well be able to help with covers too. I did have some success but not complete. The plates were heated in very hot water. They were then sandwiched between two plates and compressed. This Scratchplate has been a problem even on the Legends.

JOHNNERS wrote:.....the body desperately needs refinishing .....

Please tell me that you are not going to refinish it! I've refinished a couple of orig guitars in the past I'm sad to admit - only MUCH to my regret and grief later. If your guitar is the one I think it is (tested 22 dec 1966?) I can see why you might consider a refinish, but - unless the finish will start to come off in flakes - I'd strongly advise you against it. Get any critical lacquer cracks sealed and maybe a few touch ups if you must, but otherwise keep to a good clean up and polish - and enjoy the natural relic which is part of the guitars beauty and history. Just my 2 cents.

Erik

HELLO ERIC
I have re-thought the refinish myself knowing it would detract from the value.
Cracking of the finish is just what happened so i probably will just leave it.
Best Regards
John