Stripping paint off humbucker

[Sam SG]

So in getting my old strat back. It has an original square tab 70s DiMarzio Super D.
Someone got the bright Idea to color coordinate using a model brush and Im assuming model paint.
Any suggestions for stripping it back to its original double cream?

 

[Artie]

Wow! Talk about fugly. Why would someone do that!

 

[Sam SG]

Umm.......yea

 

[Artie]

Here's what I would try, but wait for other comments from folks who know more about paint than I do. I did build, and paint, bunches of model cars as a youngun, but that was a long time ago.

Take a small shallow cookie pan and lay several layers of paper towels in it. Maybe, 3 or 4 sheets. Pour just enough thinner, like Testors, over it to make the towels wet, or damp, without splashing. Unscrew and remove the pole pieces so they don't get in the way. Now, just place the pickup, bobbins down on the towels, and gently move it around in a circular motion. You may have to replace the paper towels and rewet a couple of times depending on how thick the paint is.

Just a thought.

 

[Securb]

I would think thinner would dull the bobbins. They could be buffed back to a shine. However, I can not think of an easy way to do this. My best bet would be some sort of polishing compound and a buffing wheel. I get the feeling this will not be an easy task.

 

[marcello252]

I tried once something similar with a PAF Pro with some shellac over and I ruined everything, I think some thinner permeates the bobbins, so be really really careful.
Have you considered sell it that way and buy another one ? maybe someone could be interested in, the net is full of odd tastes people

 

[Chistopher]

Yeah, I wouldn't necessary try to remove the paint as my first course of action. If you can find a way to get the paint level, that's what I'd go with. High grit wet sand

 

[Artie]

I would think thinner would dull the bobbins.

I was concerned with that also. That's why I was thinking of just doing the towels slightly damp. Go bit by bit 'til you get to the bobbin. Then, hopefully, it could be polished back to a luster.

 

[Chris Pile]

Leave it. Sometimes the repair is worse than the original mistake.

 

[Securb]

Leave it. Sometimes the repair is worse than the original mistake.

/END THREAD

 

[Mincer]

I'd probably just add some kind of cover- obviously, you lose the double cream, but it won't look funky.

 

[Sam SG]

Well.......................umm.....I got it stripped. I used a dremel with a plastic bristle "wire" wheel.
That worked good till friction heat came into play....then the bristles started leaving black in the warm mushy old paint.....then I tried enamel thinner on a rag...no avail. Then it became razor blade and sand paper.
Then I cleaned her up with a magic eraser.
BUT yea I gouged up the bobbin so its a bit wiffled looking. But it still works ok. Honesly not sure if it wasnt a bit wiffled befor maybe why they painted it. I dunno its done now.

Afterward I thought I shoulda layed DOT 3 brake fluid on a flat plate and layed the pickup bobbin down and it probably would have just peeled it right off.
Back in my model hobby days that was how you removed paint off styrene in a brake fluid bath

 

[ehdwuld]

That should age well

 

[ehdwuld]

Oh and waxing it would have probably loosened the paint enough to wipe it off

I could be wrong

 

[Mincer]

So...is it 'better'?