Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
- Thread starter Nacho8807
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DavidRavenMoon
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
It’s not easy. Usually a combination of a heat gun and sanding.
I wouldn’t do it. If he’s doing it thinking it will improve the tone that’s dumb.
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It’s not easy. Usually a combination of a heat gun and sanding.
I wouldn’t do it. If he’s doing it thinking it will improve the tone that’s dumb.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Nacho8807
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
Well uh, that's not why. He wants to try his hand at refinishing it himself since it's basically unused right now, and if he's not out much if he totally wrecks it. It has an interesting flame maple top (veneer) that you can't see because it was stained just a bit too dark, so you can barely tell what color it is unless you're right on it in good light.
It's just a fun project, so we are looking for the most efficient way to do it. That's ok if its just hours of sanding and heat, at least we know we aren't missing out on a better way.
Information like if he should use stripper, what brand, or not would be helpful too.
Well uh, that's not why. He wants to try his hand at refinishing it himself since it's basically unused right now, and if he's not out much if he totally wrecks it. It has an interesting flame maple top (veneer) that you can't see because it was stained just a bit too dark, so you can barely tell what color it is unless you're right on it in good light.
It's just a fun project, so we are looking for the most efficient way to do it. That's ok if its just hours of sanding and heat, at least we know we aren't missing out on a better way.
Information like if he should use stripper, what brand, or not would be helpful too.
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
not to be a buzzkill, but a no-finish guitar does sound different than a finished one. How I know?
We tried it with Aristides Guitars in 2018. We have a lineup of RAW guitars next to finished guitars. Add the same pickups (fluences, cause those suckers are super, super constistent) and voila. listen to the differences, which is absolutely audible. Our guitars are so superconsistent, it's insane. In terms of weight, they are within 1% of each other. Not to mention the materials. They HAVE to be the same guitar to guitar, if not, the resins won't properly cure. and you end up with either a lump of goo or something as brittle as glass.
So, yeah... sorry. Finish matters a lot. Thickness more so than material.
not to be a buzzkill, but a no-finish guitar does sound different than a finished one. How I know?
We tried it with Aristides Guitars in 2018. We have a lineup of RAW guitars next to finished guitars. Add the same pickups (fluences, cause those suckers are super, super constistent) and voila. listen to the differences, which is absolutely audible. Our guitars are so superconsistent, it's insane. In terms of weight, they are within 1% of each other. Not to mention the materials. They HAVE to be the same guitar to guitar, if not, the resins won't properly cure. and you end up with either a lump of goo or something as brittle as glass.
So, yeah... sorry. Finish matters a lot. Thickness more so than material.
healthhakim
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
Polyurethane for wood provides a high-gloss, durable finish. Polyurethane is available in both oil-based and water-based formulas. Oil-based polyurethanes are resistant to water, alcohol and acids. However, the oil-based product turns yellow as it ages. Water-based polyurethane goes on clear and stays clear, but it is not resistant to alcohol and acids. Water-based finishes are also softer than oil-based finishes. While either polyurethane finish gives years of good service with proper care, it sometimes becomes necessary or desirable to remove this wood finish.
Polyurethane for wood provides a high-gloss, durable finish. Polyurethane is available in both oil-based and water-based formulas. Oil-based polyurethanes are resistant to water, alcohol and acids. However, the oil-based product turns yellow as it ages. Water-based polyurethane goes on clear and stays clear, but it is not resistant to alcohol and acids. Water-based finishes are also softer than oil-based finishes. While either polyurethane finish gives years of good service with proper care, it sometimes becomes necessary or desirable to remove this wood finish.
DavidRavenMoon
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
Not my experience with the instruments I have built. But keep in mind a guitar sounds different when it’s first strung up. It will sound different in a month or two of playing.
I’ve played them before ever being finished. And I’ve also refinished them 10 years later.
My instruments sound the same. But I also don’t use polyester.
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Not my experience with the instruments I have built. But keep in mind a guitar sounds different when it’s first strung up. It will sound different in a month or two of playing.
I’ve played them before ever being finished. And I’ve also refinished them 10 years later.
My instruments sound the same. But I also don’t use polyester.
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Nacho8807
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
No doubt that would be easier, but it defeats the purpose of turning something he doesn't care about into something he put some time and effort into and can learn something from.
This is happening one way or another but thanks for the advice!
No doubt that would be easier, but it defeats the purpose of turning something he doesn't care about into something he put some time and effort into and can learn something from.
This is happening one way or another but thanks for the advice!
smsuperstrat73
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
I've found the heat gun method works best. Fender finishes pop right off. Old Ibanez have an undercoat that kinda liquifies during the hearing process. If it's a soft wood like basswood it will burn easily. Never done a Jackson so good luck.
I've found the heat gun method works best. Fender finishes pop right off. Old Ibanez have an undercoat that kinda liquifies during the hearing process. If it's a soft wood like basswood it will burn easily. Never done a Jackson so good luck.
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
My squier did not like the heat gun. It would bubble a little but mostly just adhere to the body like it was part of it, and by the time it softened enough to scrape it would start to soften the glue in the in the body joints and scorch the wood
I switched to plain old sanding.
Some poly comes right off but some finishes must have some kinda super poly with a die-hard base.
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My squier did not like the heat gun. It would bubble a little but mostly just adhere to the body like it was part of it, and by the time it softened enough to scrape it would start to soften the glue in the in the body joints and scorch the wood
I switched to plain old sanding.
Some poly comes right off but some finishes must have some kinda super poly with a die-hard base.
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Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
If it's a Japanese Jackson, there's a decent chance the flame top could be fotoflame / film veneer (just a guess).
If so... forget about trying to strip it leaving the veneer intact.
If it's a Japanese Jackson, there's a decent chance the flame top could be fotoflame / film veneer (just a guess).
If so... forget about trying to strip it leaving the veneer intact.
neville.sc
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
If your talking about the body, with all hardware removed. I took mine to a French polisher, who put it in a strip bath. The result was amazing, not a speck of paint left. I sanded the wood smooth as, sanding sealer, sprayed, not brushed. 3 coats 2 pak primer surfacer. sanded 400, then 1200. 3 coats (solvent based) poly. thinning each coat. 1st coat to get good coverage. when its dry, its done, what you see is what you get, I would lay off the heat gun, you don't know how it will hurt the wood.Alternatively use paint stripper, with care, but to me the heat gun is a no no. I am a tradesman auto painter.
If your talking about the body, with all hardware removed. I took mine to a French polisher, who put it in a strip bath. The result was amazing, not a speck of paint left. I sanded the wood smooth as, sanding sealer, sprayed, not brushed. 3 coats 2 pak primer surfacer. sanded 400, then 1200. 3 coats (solvent based) poly. thinning each coat. 1st coat to get good coverage. when its dry, its done, what you see is what you get, I would lay off the heat gun, you don't know how it will hurt the wood.Alternatively use paint stripper, with care, but to me the heat gun is a no no. I am a tradesman auto painter.
neville.sc
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
yep, mine was a Framus jag body, easy,but what is wrong with the original finish?, if the guitar is fairly new. Heat gun,NO WAY, will have potential for more harm than good.
yep, mine was a Framus jag body, easy,but what is wrong with the original finish?, if the guitar is fairly new. Heat gun,NO WAY, will have potential for more harm than good.
neville.sc
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
But why do it? unless paint is blistered, crazing, faded, polyurethane lasts forever. Especially with veneers, you could ruin the whole thing, chemicals? with extreme care, likewise the heat gun. some paints just go to a gooey mess with a heat gun. reckon, just sand it off?
But why do it? unless paint is blistered, crazing, faded, polyurethane lasts forever. Especially with veneers, you could ruin the whole thing, chemicals? with extreme care, likewise the heat gun. some paints just go to a gooey mess with a heat gun. reckon, just sand it off?
neville.sc
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
we think a like, from my limited knowledge, the Jackson is not a large body, , having not seen one at hand,if the neck is bolt on, it could be possible to chemical strip, providing of course the wood is a solid piece, not laminated. Either way if solid, quick chem strip could be o.k. but if laminated both the heat gun, & chemicals will damage. as the Beatles said, let it be!
we think a like, from my limited knowledge, the Jackson is not a large body, , having not seen one at hand,if the neck is bolt on, it could be possible to chemical strip, providing of course the wood is a solid piece, not laminated. Either way if solid, quick chem strip could be o.k. but if laminated both the heat gun, & chemicals will damage. as the Beatles said, let it be!
Nacho8807
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
Alright well here is what came of this.
Here’s how the guitar started. Didn’t much care for it overall, hated the trem and the color was so dark, you couldn’t tell there was figuring in wood.
Idk why he decided to fit the block to fill the cavity first but he did.
After the advice we got here, he sanded it down and damn it looked good. Thanks for the help guys.
So after some practice with dyes he decided on a pretty cool teal/blue/purple blend and I was pretty impressed. Here it is with clear. (Ignore some of the paraphernalia there...)
And the final mock up with a new JB/59 set I recommended him. Super happy with how this turned out and it was a lot of fun to work on together. Went from a guitar he didn’t care about to his favorite piece in his small collection. Highly recommend a project like this if you’re bored. Only cost him the hardware, dye, and his time!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Alright well here is what came of this.
Here’s how the guitar started. Didn’t much care for it overall, hated the trem and the color was so dark, you couldn’t tell there was figuring in wood.
Idk why he decided to fit the block to fill the cavity first but he did.
After the advice we got here, he sanded it down and damn it looked good. Thanks for the help guys.
So after some practice with dyes he decided on a pretty cool teal/blue/purple blend and I was pretty impressed. Here it is with clear. (Ignore some of the paraphernalia there...)
And the final mock up with a new JB/59 set I recommended him. Super happy with how this turned out and it was a lot of fun to work on together. Went from a guitar he didn’t care about to his favorite piece in his small collection. Highly recommend a project like this if you’re bored. Only cost him the hardware, dye, and his time!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Best Ways to Strip A Poly Finish?
I usually sand with very rough sandpaper. Then multiple applications of a heavy duty methylene chloride based "aircraft" epoxy stripper, scraping after each application.
It can be done, with patience. Where it gets really tough is with binding.
I usually sand with very rough sandpaper. Then multiple applications of a heavy duty methylene chloride based "aircraft" epoxy stripper, scraping after each application.
It can be done, with patience. Where it gets really tough is with binding.