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Help. What body finish stripping method is best ?


Black Coffee
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I have an old ESP bass that I want to try to strip the black paint from and leave a natural finish.
What is the best way to do this ?

I have searched the net and there are so many different opinions on this that frankly I am at a loss as to where to start as so many opinions contradict each other on the chemical / endless sanding / scraping methods.

I have the neck off and the bridge etc all removed and ready to go but this impass has halted progress.

Is it as simple as using paint stripper carefully and following this with sandpapering or is there more to it ?
I see this as satisfying my curiousity after reading other peoples home based attempts, I have never been handy with woodworking before so goodness knows how this will turn out.

Help

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  • 3 weeks later...

My thread from a while ago http://basschat.co.uk/topic/111302-1979-fender-precision-re-mojod/page__hl__fender%20stripping

Nitro Mors really was the best way to go for me. A couple of doubters re this method but I've done it a few times and can't recommend it highly enough

Cheers

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I've just done this on my Tokai Jazz Bass. My initial advice would be don't do it. :)
I used a combination of Paint stripper and sandpaper elbow grease. Wet and dry sandpaper will probably mean less scratches to the wood. The problem with paint stripper and nitromors is it depends on the paint used on your bass, if it is a car type paint it won't work very well. If you can get a heat gun you should be able to the paint off pretty quickly. Once down to the wood you can use Tru-Oil or Danish Oil ( i used this) and apply several coats.

Edited by BigLicks67
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best way is... to get somebody else to do it.

What a pain in the butt this can be!
It looks like nitro finishes are easily removed with Nitromors...

The one I tried it took a lot of persuasion with NItromors, but with the help of steel wool rubbing gently after I let Nitromors act for 30-50min, it was ok. Except... there was a semitransparent filler coat that Nitromors just will not touch. Eventually it came down to sanding. This is not too bad on the larger flatter surfaces, but it takes a long time and a lot of effort to get it around the body contours, horns etc.
After this experience, if I ever do it again, and that's a big if, I will sand from the beginning, since I'll end up there anyway, unless you know the finish is something that will be easily removed chemically.

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I've just done the heat gun and scrape method on a poly finish. I rushed it a bit nice and quick BUT. There are too many scorch marks on the wood so it's going daphne blue instead of natural as I cant be bothered to carry on sanding of the scorched bits.

If you take care not to scorch should be good. If it's a nitro finish easiest is nitromors. I did this to a 1989 Rickenbacker (doh) and it' pretty much wipes off. But this was before the internet was around to advise otherwise.....Although I believe nitromors has changed some of the ingredients recentley for health reasons. That says to me it's probably not as good now as it was in 1999.

I heard Nitromors wont touch a poly urethane finish mind.

Edited by gruffers
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I did it on the poly finish on my Ibby. Blowtorch & scraper.
Heat the paint until it just starts to shift with the scraper (it may bubble a little). Once the poly is off, there will probably be a layer of shellac which can actually be peeled off by sanding it. Don't worry about light scorchmarks, they can be sanded out.

It went from black to natural, oiled & waxed.

I've posted links to my refinish a few times. If you want me to pop a link, let me know. :)

It's time consuming to do a good refinish, but worth it & you get a "look what I did" feeling.

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About 3 years ago I stripped my blue Stratocaster back to natural finish. I went to See John Diggins from Jaydee custom guitars and he advised me to use Nitromors. It took a few coatings to get through the Fender finish but once it got started it was successful as you can see by the photo's.

To begin with it looked like this.
[attachment=127003:StratAlembic.jpg]

and now looks like this.
[attachment=127004:IMG_0066.jpg]


Jazzyvee

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[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1360277268' post='1968137']
About 3 years ago I stripped my blue Stratocaster back to natural finish. I went to See John Diggins from Jaydee custom guitars and he advised me to use Nitromors. It took a few coatings to get through the Fender finish but once it got started it was successful as you can see by the photo's.

To begin with it looked like this.
[attachment=127003:StratAlembic.jpg]

and now looks like this.
[attachment=127004:IMG_0066.jpg]


Jazzyvee
[/quote]


That lovely wood was hiding under the paint? What a crime!
Nice job!

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