Newest acquisition needs some help-and so do I.

[Curt A]

The tip about using the back veneer to patch the rest is a good idea... You will have to completely strip the machine to get it to match, Howard's Restore A Finish won't work on this. The main thing is to completely repair the veneer FIRST, before you strip the finish from the top or the rest of the machine. When you strip the finish use steel wool or 3M scrubbing material (AND a chemical stripper) to remove the old finish, then follow up with paper towels, rub the goo that comes off over all the repaired areas. This will transfer the original color to the new pieces. Use red mahogany stain after stripping to re-color the machine and coat it with several coats of Deft matte lacquer finish and you will be surprised. I just did this to a VV-50 that was ready for the scrap heap and it turned out wonderfully. If the machine was in better condition, you wouldn't need to go to that degree... but this is a great candidate for bringing something back from the dead.