Buff a "faded" SG?

[Diocletian]

The faded SG I got last week looks great in certain lights, but it seems to show finger marks and stuff really, really badly and it's annoying me. I'd like to make the finish a bit more glossy.

Do you think some red T-cut would work on this? Or is that a terrible idea?

Any other simple way to make this guitar look more like a "normal", shiny guitar?

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

ye you should be able to buff it to a high gloss, check this out http://www.fingerpicker.de/index.html?buffingeng.htm

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

Cute pooch. He looks like he's not allowed on the couch and knows it.

 

[trevorus]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

Mine is partially gloss from playing wear. It's awesome.

 

[Fikealox]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

+1, that's one of the things I liked most about the SG Faded I had last year. It quickly sort of "wore in", like a pair of jeans. I'm sure with some concerted buffing you could speed up the process... but I'm not sure exactly how much less prone to fingerprints the guitar'll be at the end of it.

 

[rts99]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

I'm not sure there's a quick answer. I suspect the only option would be a re-finish. I also looked at the "faded" but decided against it. I love the satin neck, but the satin finish of the body just doesn't work for me. I gave teh Epi Prophecy GX a go & loved the neck, but overall the quality was too poor so I sent it back. I finally ended up w/ a gloss SG.

Good Luckl

 

[uOpt]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

I bet you can just use dark wood-filler and then spray nitro.

Would look much better.

Lots of sanding and polishing.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

It's your guitar and your choice, but I like it that way. It seems to me that it would show more prints and dirt if it were glossy. I also have a faded cherry Gibson, a Flying V, and it does wear nicely. It's getting shiny on the parts where I touch it more (especially the neck), and it looks really cool. Plus, the finish is so light that it really lets the wood breathe and resonate. I wouldn't change anything about it if I were you.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

light wet sand, steel wool, buffing wheel?

 

[tc]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

Virtuoso polish.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

Yeah I read about that virtuoso polish on some other forums. I'm not sure what to do.


Evan, the dog is allowed everywhere - he even sleeps in our bed.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

The virtuoso polish is just a furniture cleaner.

If anything the virtuoso cleaner, which is an abrasive polish, will smoothen the surface. But the pores of the wood won't go away, never, without filling.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

If you're getting too many finger prints on a semi-gloss what makes you think that you'll have less on a glossy finish? Glossy finishes show everything! FWIW, I much prefer the semi-gloss.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

Mine is partially gloss from playing wear. It's awesome.

x2, my forearm area is all glossy on my faded / worn finish 335.

So I know it can be done!

 

[lex666]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

Mine has reached a nice semi gloss just from playing. Hard to see it in the photos, but some areas were my hand rests and above the pups has a nice, natural gloss on it. More noticeable on the back of the neck. Also in the same spot where my right hand rests, I've started wearing thru the finish down to the wood. I think the contrast of wood grain and colors and texture of the finish give the guitar character.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

Quick thought. If you are going to turn the SG shiny, it will look strange without the bling-tastic fingerboard binding.

 

[nalo1022]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

If you really want to buff the guitar I would suggest simply using a random orbit sander with a buffing attachment or something like this . Also I wouldn't use an abrasive compound becasue the finish on the Faded series is very very thin. At most you would want to use a swirl and haze remover just to have some liquid on the buffing pad. Go slow and check your progress often as it will be very easy to buff through the thin finish. You might want to to consider that by buffing it to a gloss finish you may lessen the time it will take for you to wear though the finish naturally.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

I play a faded SG all the time. The bros are right: the finish wears very nicely. I'd let it be. Give the guitar some time, you just got it recently.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

Well that is a much harder finish than the Gibson Faded not sure it will buff to a gloss the same way.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Buff a "faded" SG?

From what read about what you are wanting, what a maniac would do( a metal maniac, actually) is to use Tru Oil. It's gunstock finish. It provides a nice hard gloss shine that can be buffed back out again if you don't like it. Also,
Your guitar could be buffed to a nice low gloss with some auto polish I think, as others have said, kind of like people have done with the Highway 1 Strats.
I personally don't like letting the guitar get all oily and greasy with dirt in the grain as some have suggested as kind of a natural gloss from usage, so thats why I used Tru-Oil on my old faded finish style SG.
I dont know about the conventional wisdom of applying Tung Oil on top of a faded style finish, but I had no problems with my old SG which had a finish that looked exactly like your SG.
Actually you could even do a light coat of Wipe on Poly ( also Minwax) , and that would also be as good or perhaps even a better idea.
I've never done wipe on Poly.Wipe on Poly is not as reversable as the Tru Oil I don't believe.
Good luck, I like that SG.