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Post subject: removing finish over finish
Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:32 pm
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Hi All,
I have a '65 Strat of which I am going to sell.
My problem is that when I was young I painted over the existing olympic white with spray paint. Any ideas about how to remove the top finish without damaging the original paint underneath?
Thanks


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:50 pm
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If you didn't apply a sealant to the spraypainted finish, then you MIGHT be able to use some sort of solvent to get it off. Although, that may damage the original finish too. You might want to check in with a guitar tech about that. :?


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 5:55 pm
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Rocker_Gamma wrote:
If you didn't apply a sealant to the spraypainted finish, then you MIGHT be able to use some sort of solvent to get it off. Although, that may damage the original finish too. You might want to check in with a guitar tech about that. :?


Negative!

Is this a real '65 or a reissue? If it is the real deal, take it to someone who really knows what they are doing. Properly restored a '60s guitar would be worth by far enough to pay for that expert job - over on the Strat thread we've just been looking at a '62 that is going in the UK for £57,000, that converts to $84,354 at today's rate. In its restored condition yours won't be worth anything like that much - but it will still be a lot.

If it's just a reissue you want to have a bang at yourself, then use wet-and-dry paper, soaked and repeatedly rinsed to declog it. Begin with 100 grit and have at it. As soon as you start to see the original finish through the new paint switch to 200 grit, 300, etc. You are going to have to go very gently indeed and it is going to take a very long time and a lot of sweat.

No matter what you do you will sand into the old finish, but if you go lightly enough you will only take the top off the original white and not go through that as well. Once you have the new paint off entirely you need to gently put an even tooth onto the entire surface with something like 600 grit or finer wet-and-dry and then apply a new clearcoat in nitrocellulose lacquer.

I'd take it to a pro...

Good luck - C


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 5:59 pm
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good advice ceri if that is a 65 i would have it proffesionally done,but i also wouldnt sell it.


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:15 pm
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Ceri wrote:
Rocker_Gamma wrote:
If you didn't apply a sealant to the spraypainted finish, then you MIGHT be able to use some sort of solvent to get it off. Although, that may damage the original finish too. You might want to check in with a guitar tech about that. :?


Negative!

Is this a real '65 or a reissue? If it is the real deal, take it to someone who really knows what they are doing. Properly restored a '60s guitar would be worth by far enough to pay for that expert job - over on the Strat thread we've just been looking at a '62 that is going in the UK for £57,000, that converts to $84,354 at today's rate. In its restored condition yours won't be worth anything like that much - but it will still be a lot.

If it's just a reissue you want to have a bang at yourself, then use wet-and-dry paper, soaked and repeatedly rinsed to declog it. Begin with 100 grit and have at it. As soon as you start to see the original finish through the new paint switch to 200 grit, 300, etc. You are going to have to go very gently indeed and it is going to take a very long time and a lot of sweat.

No matter what you do you will sand into the old finish, but if you go lightly enough you will only take the top off the original white and not go through that as well. Once you have the new paint off entirely you need to gently put an even tooth onto the entire surface with something like 600 grit or finer wet-and-dry and then apply a new clearcoat in nitrocellulose lacquer.

I'd take it to a pro...

Good luck - C

+1 take it to the pro's


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:31 pm
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Yes if its a real 1965 I would take it to someone who no's what they are doing. It would most likly cost a lot of money but if real may be worth it but I have a feeling no matter what they do it will effect to the original finish. I would think just a good 65 neck would be worth 4 or 5K :shock:

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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:20 am
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This is why kids shouldnt be allowed to buy spraypaint! lol - they either graffiti, huff, or mess up killer guitars! :D

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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:28 am
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Ceri wrote:
No matter what you do you will sand into the old finish, but if you go lightly enough you will only take the top off the original white and not go through that as well. Once you have the new paint off entirely you need to gently put an even tooth onto the entire surface with something like 600 grit or finer wet-and-dry and then apply a new clearcoat in nitrocellulose lacquer.

I'd take it to a pro...


Usually there is a clear coat over the color coat, so you would have to go through the "new" paint and the original clear coat before you got to the original color. I would think you would be able to stop before that happened -- if you were going very lightly. Then it's just a matter of spraying some new clear coats and polishing it up.

It can be done, as my '54 went through that kind of process, but a "pro" did the restoration, not me! :wink:

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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 3:43 pm
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Was it worth the hassle and expense? I think I could still get some serious cash as is.


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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:26 am
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bobbio50 wrote:
Was it worth the hassle and expense? I think I could still get some serious cash as is.


So you're saying it is a real '65, is it? In that case, yes, it could be worth a fair bit as it is. But it'll be worth more if you get it into the right shape, and the work will likely far better than pay for itself. Like doing cosmetic improvements to a house before selling.

But if it is the real McCoy then I would talk to a specialist dealer before doing anything. They will know the best possible condition for the guitar to be in to realise the highest price. And they will no doubt also be able to advise on the best person to do the work.

If you go that route keep paperwork from the restorer, because that kind of thing adds to the "provenance" of the instrument and improves its value when you want to sell. You ain't going to fool an expert that your guitar is mint, but if you can show who did work on it, and what they did, then your guitar's verifiability goes up - and so does the price.

Just be a little wary of a dealer telling you to sell the guitar as is. It may be that they would like to do the restoration work themselves and reap that reward instead of you. Tricky...

Good luck - C


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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:43 am
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orvilleowner wrote:
Usually there is a clear coat over the color coat, so you would have to go through the "new" paint and the original clear coat before you got to the original color. I would think you would be able to stop before that happened -- if you were going very lightly. Then it's just a matter of spraying some new clear coats and polishing it up.

It can be done, as my '54 went through that kind of process, but a "pro" did the restoration, not me! :wink:


Sounds good in theory, and maybe in the hands of a very experienced professional it could work out that way.

But in my - admittedly extremely limited - experience of this stuff you can be through that clearcoat and into color in a trice. These are (hopefully) very thin layers. And as the sanding marks appear it can be rather difficult to tell whether what you are touching is clear or color lacquer - till it's too late, anyway. Maybe that bit depends on the color of the paint.

But anyway, that suggestion was on the basis that it is not a valuable instrument and the gentleman wants to have a bash at it himself. Take it to someone who knows what they are doing would always be safer advise...

Incidentally, the seller who is currently asking £57,000 for a mint '62, here -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 3DWatching

- was also recently selling a refinished '60s Strat for about £6-7000. Oh what a difference a layer of paint makes!

Cheers - C

Cheers - C


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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:52 am
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Ceri wrote:
So you're saying it is a real '65, is it? In that case, yes, it could be worth a fair bit as it is. But it'll be worth more if you get it into the right shape, and the work will likely far better than pay for itself. Like doing cosmetic improvements to a house before selling.


Yes, and a custom color one at that!


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... was also recently selling a refinished '60s Strat for about £6-7000. Oh what a difference a layer of paint makes!


Yes, quite a difference. A refinish cuts the value in half. I know :cry: :!:

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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 4:46 pm
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orvilleowner wrote:
Yes, quite a difference. A refinish cuts the value in half. I know :cry: :!:


(For those who don't know, in addition to those Orvilles Orvilleowner owns a 1954 Strat.)

But such changes as yours has undergone have only altered its value notionally, since you are not selling. And much more important, you play it! That is the most honorable thing you can do with a Stratocaster.

Yours is a guitar with history!

Cheers - C


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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:11 pm
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yea, I bought it second hand in 1969 from a music student at Roosevelt U. in Chicago. No tellin' who that guy is , could be someone famous. Sure wish I knew.


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