Hi there,

I have a 2004 MIM Strat that has been my workhorse guitar for the past 7 years. It has seen too much use over the years for the finish to hold up, and I am now starting to see significant wear/cracks/breaks/overall nastiness. The color is Sage Green Metallic and I am trying my best to find the correct color so that I can have the guitar refinished. After some looking around online, however, I am afraid that the color is no longer available (possibly discontinued?).

Is this right? Does anyone know if I can still get the Sage Green Metallic finish so that I can repair the damage? I love this guitar (it has been my only one for the past 7 years and has seen many miles, stages, and people with me) and I don't want to change the look of it. I bought this guitar because I dug the finish, so I'm hoping that I don't have to have my heart broken and make her into something she's not. Any help or information on where I could find this color? Thanks!

Probably not what you wanna hear but would you not consider just letting it age? The guitar is staring to show signs of its years, and marks and cracks are just battle scars from bein gigged. One thing I learnt from this forum is that things like that are really just mojo. People pay good money for an artificially worn guitar, you have the real deal!! Best of luck with finding the paint you need, and sorry this wasn't much help. But, if it were mine, i'd just let it grow old gracefully!!

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"I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It's so f*ckin' heroic!"

Afraid I agree with Schritzer. All the wear, cracks etc show the guitars character and history. How it looks isn't important, how it plays is.

I'd probably just let it age too, but if you want to restore it to it's original appearance then you'll have to mix paints (or get someone to do it for you) and try to get a match. Just how battle scarred is she? Do you have any pics?

I agree with all of the above. I have a '57 Tele on loan from a friend and it's been refinished. It's a bitchin' guitar, but would be even better if it was all original.

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

Hey ya'll,

Thanks for your input! I have to say, I totally agree with each of you in that I should just let it age. That really doesn't bother me at all and only adds character. The problem I have is that I'm worried about significantly damaging it based on how the crack is at the moment. The crack is very bad and is protruding from the body quite a bit, which is what worries me most. Notice the chip that is missing (from the images below). That was a result from our Halloween show when my sleeve got caught under the finish and pulled a chunk out.

In the moment, I fixed it temporarily with a piece of tape (which I just now removed for the photos), but I know that that won't do in the longterm. I guess the deeper question is, if I don't refinish (which, ultimately, I really don't want to do), how should I repair what damage has already been done? Is there any type of glue that any of you would recommend so that I can attach it back to the body? Or do you have any other solutions? Right now, my solution is slapping a cool bumper sticker on the top for now

Thanks a ton!

Hmmm....after seeing the pictures, I think I'd be more inclined to refinish it. It looks more like it's been damaged rather than gracefully aging.

Yeah, sadly there is nothing "graceful" about my situation haha

yeah never seen one crack like that. I would agree with getting it refinished. Wouldn't take long to strip it, that's for sure.

Yeah, I guess that is what I'll end up doing. I don't think the paint is available anymore, so that saddens me. I really dug this color and it has been with me forever it seems. I'm thinking I may go with a stain next round.

As for the damage, I truly believe it came from the conditions this guitar has seen. There have been more occasions than I would like to admit that this guitar has seen drastic temperature changes. For instance, a long drive in a hot car going directly to a cold venue (and vice versa) and a ton of outdoor gigs in all weather situations. I guess it was inevitable at some point.

At the moment, this is my only guitar so I will have to wait until I can afford another one before taking on a refinish job. I can't go without it for more than a few days because I'm lucky enough to be playing a lot right now. As ridiculous as it is, this is my temporary fix.

Wow, that's not what I was envisioning. That's a great color also. Couldn't you take a chunk of that and get it matched at an auto paint dealer? I now think you're well justified to refinish her. Nice looking guitar.

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

Have you tried finding it an autoparts store or maybe even a body shop?

I don't know anything about the specs on this guitar except that I love the neck, (U shape I think), and sound, and my friend said I could keep her for a while. It would be cooler if the body had the same mojo as the neck does, plus I wouldn't worry so much about nicking her.

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

Thanks everyone. I will try an auto shop for sure. I really didn't think of that.

Yeah, ok, I completely retract my previous statement...

Looks like it either got a nasty knock somewhere along the line or it was poorly prepared before paint.

Let us know what happens, and good luck with it!!

_________________
"I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It's so f*ckin' heroic!"