| Author |
Message |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 8:08 am: | |
Couple of pics...
1) The first shows a 'white' spot (bear wood).. I guess the guy didn't let the paint dry. When I removed the bridge that bit was glued under one of its 'legs'.
2) The second shows the layers of paint. I'm not a specialilst, so I don't know exactly what it is. It seems to me that there's a puerple layer on top of a white, on top of a black(?), on top of a white, on top of the original ... redish (a bit guessing), like the light SB on some 2355.
What you more experienced think?
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Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 3:08 pm: | |
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Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 06, 2006 - 3:14 pm: | |
it's not white the layer before the original. It's grey... I think it's epoxy. This last layer is coming out "easy" with 800 sandpaper (water). |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 1:06 pm: | |
for whoever is interested...
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Flatbag
Username: Flatbag
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 08, 2006 - 10:26 am: | |
Dude that is looking awesome! |
Garyelcrrt
Username: Garyelcrrt
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Monday, May 08, 2006 - 10:35 am: | |
I wonder if removing all that paint will change the tone? |
Harry
Username: Harry
Registered: 03-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 08, 2006 - 11:29 am: | |
Hey FG!
Great job so far!!!
Probably a 2355 that surfaces from underneath the purple paint.
Keep on working like this!
Harry |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 08, 2006 - 1:20 pm: | |
Flatbag, I started having thoughs about leaving it like this...  It's a pitty I can't clone it three times, to have it in the original finish, all black ... and just like that for a Contemporary Art Gallery Gig.
Garyelcrrt, I wonder the same... Also, what would happen if I remove the post that is inside ...
Harry, Thanks. I agree.. I think it could be an early 2355 without a logo.
Today I didn't have time to work on it.. tomorrow.... |
Petruz
Username: Petruz
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 09, 2006 - 8:16 am: | |
are my eyes wrong or do i see a sunburst under the paint??? |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 09, 2006 - 6:39 pm: | |
Petruz, your're right. I don't know what it's callled, it is that light sunburst. Here is the back after some hours of sanding (now I'm using a thicker sandpaper to start with. The paint in some spots is so thick it made it look flat. Now it's getting back its contours).
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Garyelcrrt
Username: Garyelcrrt
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 11:20 pm: | |
Looking good! |
Funkle
Username: Funkle
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 11:58 pm: | |
FG, that's like a dream come true: a spectacular finish protected over the years by somebody's spray can experiment 
Looks good. Are you sanding wet or dry? The final stages of buffing and polishing should really bring out that finish.
BTW, I'd call that cherry-burst. |
Bluesmeister
Username: Bluesmeister
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 1:03 am: | |
FG100, that satin finish looks really cool! I know you're likely to polish it back to its original gloss, but I wanted to let you know how much I like that satin look. |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 5:57 am: | |
Thanks.
I have to say that yes, I was surprised when I saw the finish still there. Specially nice is the one on the top because it shows signs of use like the spots that were less exposed to light (bridge, knobs, tail piece)... it feels like digging somebody out of the mud...
Funkle, I'm sanding it dry. The paint in some spots was really thick, to the point of changing the shape/curves... it was definitely not professionaly done.
Thanks bluesmeister. I actually like it too. I'm not sure yet about what I'm going to do. I'll leave it like this for some time... play and see how it sounds. Maybe I'll try to bring back the original gloss, maybe not (it won't be THE original one anyway, right?).... or maybe I'll paint it black...
There are some cracks on the first layer of the laminate. One on the top, and another one on the top rib. I don't know if I should worry about them. They don't seem to be moving, I don't know if they were ever clued.. (reason why I stopped with sanding it wet, not to let water in these cracks). Actualy I could see them before, because the paint was 'cracked'.. I knew it was going to be cracked under. It doesn't look serious but it concerns me a bit.
Ok.. back to sanding.
If you guys have any suggestions or comments... please let me know. I don't have experience with this, so it's always helpful. |
Flatbag
Username: Flatbag
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 6:22 am: | |
You should definitely be able to get the original gloss back, just get some Meguiars Deep Gloss (car) polish. Wax on...wax off...
You were joking about painting it black, right? |
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim
Registered: 04-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 10:11 am: | |
FG~Great work so far. Have you considered sending pics and an email to guitar repair guru, Dan Erlewine? He or his staff might be able to give you some ideas.
Tim |
Funkle
Username: Funkle
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 10:34 am: | |
FG,
Either way, I'd recommend sanding up to about 1200 grit. Wet sanding will result in less scratches.
If you want glossy, use medium cut rubbing compound, then swirl remover, then polish, then wax. I use foam pads in an electric drill.
For matt, just go over it with steel wool to get rid of the sanding marks and give is an even dull finish.
Sven |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 4:16 pm: | |
Flatbag, I really thought about black... like a PM. I thought I would find nothing under...But after find the original finish I don't think I'll do it. Thanks for the sugestion. I'm not sure if it would be good to wax it, because of those litle cracks.
Guitartim, thanks. I could use some advise from them about the post inside... I would like to take it off but don't know if it would be worse... after it has been there forcing the top and back probably for a long time. It looks like it was glued!!! Do you have a link for Dan's page?
Funkle, thanks for the sugestions. I'll sand it to 1200... But what do you think about the little cracks? Don't you think it would be beter not to get water in them? |
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim
Registered: 04-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 8:46 pm: | |
Fg~Dan hosts one of the discussion pubs (Dan's Repair Shop) on the Les Paul Forum. He may not answer your inquiries personally, but there are numerous discussions and photos of refinishing projects there. Here is that link:
http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=7
Also, Stewart MacDonald (www.stewmac.com) has a world of information regarding luthiery and repairs.
Good luck with your project.
Tim |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 12, 2006 - 5:14 am: | |
Thanks for the links Tim.
I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions posted here.
F. |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 12, 2006 - 2:35 pm: | |
I think I'll finish removing the purple tomorrow. Around the neck it will be hard... I don't know how I'm going to approach it... Also inside the cutaway... well, I'll see.
I guess the guy removed the varnish (leaving the colors) before painting... the original finish of the sides seem to have been natural wood... so, without the varnish I guess it got the paint right on top of it. Right now it's kind of blackish.. .I'll try to remove as much as I can to expose the natural color of the wood (or to get back the brownish finish it seem to have had... I'm not sure the wood was dark.. anyway, we'll see)
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Garyelcrrt
Username: Garyelcrrt
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Friday, May 12, 2006 - 10:56 pm: | |
For small, hard to reach places like around bends and corners, you can try the old Japanese sword sharpening technique - small loosely woven silk cloth with a pile of sand in it, fold the cloth up to form a bag and wrap around a stick and tie in place. Holding the stick like a brush, you wipe the bag over the area again and again until achieving the correct degree of sharpness (or paint removal). The grains of sand in the bag rub against one another, breaking down into finer and finer grit which drifts through the silk and provides light abrasiveness while simultaneously preventing use of any more pressure than the weight of the sand in the bag.
Alternatively, I find an old electric toothbrush and some jeweler's rouge is easier and faster (though more messy) for those hard to reach places. Do take care to use a light touch and keep it in motion. If you let it stop for too long, you'll get swirl marks the size and shape of the toothbrush head. |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2006 - 7:48 am: | |
Wow! Interesting idea, thanks. |
Artfield
Username: Artfield
Registered: 04-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2006 - 9:14 pm: | |
FG that looks great man, so you stay with the orginal color ? |
Garyelcrrt
Username: Garyelcrrt
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, May 13, 2006 - 9:53 pm: | |
Oh, forget to mention - if you try the jewler's rouge, get the white kind, because the red and other colors WILL stain the wood. |
Fg100
Username: Fg100
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 6:04 am: | |
Artfield, I'll keep it like this at least for some time. After all the work of digging it out of so much paint, I can't see it 'disappearing' again. I'm also curious about how it's going to sound now that it's 'free'.
Garyelcrrt, thanks again... |