I have noticed many questions in different forums asking for help/info on re-finishing. I've been doing restoration work for almost 42 years this year, and was thinking about starting a thread to pass along what I've learned about re-finishing guitars. This would be a step-by-step instructional thread, based on lacquer as the medium, covering preparation, application and buffing. I promise to make it simple yet thorough, so even if you have never painted anything you'll be able to understand the process, and determine whether you want to take it on, or pay someone else to do it for you. It will be based on using readily available refinishing products, and won't require you to have a compressor and spray equipment. So use the poll and let me know. Thanks!

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"There's an arse for every chair"

5 guitars
7 amps
4 dogs

I would love to see this. I've painted cars back in the 70's (acrylic lacquer) and again in the 80's (acrylic enamel) and 10 years ago (urathane). But refinishing one of my guitars was a nightmare that took 6 months to finish and I'm still not totally happy with it.

Do It Please!

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2002 mim Telecaster
Jimmie Vaughan Stratocaster
Mexican HSS Stratocaster
6 non-fender guitars
2 kids (not for sale)
1 wife (uh....no comment)

There's a few hobbyists on finishing here.
We have this going on:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=43152&hilit=build+thread%2Furl

By all means start a thread, and then make a post in that thread too.

So far we're all 'enthusiastic amateurs' but there's a pretty big segment that loves this kind of stuff, that hang around here! I'm sure we all have a lot to learn from someone with your experience.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I'd love to see some good info on refinishing necks. I have a satin Deluxe neck with maple fretboard that I'd rather have in vintage gloss. Was thinking of ReRanch but not exactly sure how to prep the neck or what to do between coats. So go for it!

Are you planning to refinish the neck with the frets in place? I would assume you are, and that makes it a pretty demanding procedure, but I'll be glad to post what I do.

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"There's an arse for every chair"

5 guitars
7 amps
4 dogs

I refinished my old '65 Mustang that some previous owner spoiled by stripping and poorly varnishing with a brush.I stripped his finish and repainted it Candy Apple Blue which was a slow painstaking process but looked quite nice when finished.The only problem was that I didn't apply a sealer clear coat but after over 30 years it's still holding up.
I'm about to refinish my '65 Strat-that was also the victim of a poor refinish-with spray cans of Sonic Blue which although isn't available here is being sent by one of my forum brethren who was kind enough to get it for me in the U.S.
I'd like to see a few tips before I undertake this project as I want the old '65 to look as close to original as possible.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

please feel free to share with us what your willing.
nothing better than a "how-to" thread.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Yeah, I thought it was standard to spray over the frets? I know Warmoth does it. . .

I'm assuming that I would do some fine sanding over the entire neck, but a bit nervous about sanding over the decal.

Yes, it is frets in first then the finish on a new maple fingerboard. So if it's a new build or a re-finish, the finish goes on over the frets, then has to be removed from the frets. The bigger part of the job on a re-fin is getting the old finish off without damaging the inlays with a chemical stripper, or scratching the frets all up with sandpaper. But after re-reading your reply, I'm not sure what you want to do. If all you want is for it to be a gloss finish, then you only have to buff the existing finish to a gloss. You can do this with a drill and buffing pad, and since it is a poly-type finish, you will be less likely to burn through on a sharp edge than would be the case with lacquer. Let me know if this is what you want, and I'll help you out. You don't have to respray it to get a gloss.

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"There's an arse for every chair"

5 guitars
7 amps
4 dogs

How good of a job did the previous do at sanding the body? It would be disappointing to spend the time doing a perfect finish on a distorted body; lots of inexperienced folks over-sand, changing the edge radius or the heel block.

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"There's an arse for every chair"

5 guitars
7 amps
4 dogs

Thanks for your reply!

What I'm going for here is the same type of finish I have on the MIM 50's vintage necks I have. I love the gloss on those.

Not to contradict you, I imagine I could buff the satin Deluxe neck I have, but it's finish looks a bit thinner on the fretboard than the 50's neck and I'm actually going for a thicker feel with it's finish.

Dunno when, or even if I get the courage to attempt this. I'd have to experiment on a generic squire neck or something like that first. Thanks!

I'm sure everyone can learn something from your thread. Bring it on. I'm a cabinetmaker and have sprayed tons of cabinetry but last time I checked, I still don't know everything..........

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.