GuitarMan686 Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 I curenttly own a epiphone les paul special from 1997. It was the first guitar I ever owned. The guitar has been out of commission now for some time and now i wanted to redo all of it. I have taken off all the hardware. I need some help on the methods of stripping the paint off the body and the neck. I would like to stain the guitar but i dont know if the wood is good enough for it. Will staining work? Also I want to sand the body maybe add some contours since it is totally flatbody any tips on that? Any help will be greatly appreciated! thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Yeah, I think when you strip it, you won't like what you see. It is a plywood body (I just bought one off of ebay for $100). Not a good candidate for a dye job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLS Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Its a Maple/Alder Laminate (Plywood) Not necessarily a good candidate for staining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMan686 Posted October 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Should i strip the guitar then have it repainted? I really want to redo this guitar but i want it to come out nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_here Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 (edited) GuitarMan- For whatever it might be worth; I bought two Les Paul Style bodies off eBay for next to nothing. One had been bought on eBay before...by a guy who thought it was a one-piece body and it wasn't. It's a 2-piece Alder Body which he didn't need (or want). My price: $34.oo (including shipping). The other Les Paul Type body is Basswood that has some errors in the pickup routings (which aren't all that noticable/ I can fix). Price: $28.oo (incl. shipping). Suggest: possibly getting another body & using your current hardware (???). But just make sure the body you get is compatible with your neck! (My "sellers" gave me all the info I needed via email...before my purchases). FYI, rick ><> Edited October 25, 2004 by rick_here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 you can still stain the front and back, you'll just have to figure out something else for the sides of the body. Maybe you could veneer the sides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMan686 Posted October 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 Well i want all new hardware on this guitar the old hardware was just some junk. Either way i want to get the paint off the guitar and neck? From there we can see how bad the wood is. Any suggestions on how i go about stripping the body and neck? Guys all this info is really helping. Thank You All. This Fourm Is AWESOME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 Well, if you don't mind it eating the plastic headstock veneer, you can use some heavy duty paint remover. It may take several applications. Myself, I would simply sand it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 One thing you could do is get a flame veneer from universal jems and apply that to the top after you strip the paint. Then you could do a sunburst finish and that would hide the ugly plies on the side if you do it dark and smooth enough. I've been thinking about doing something similar with my MIM Strat after I finish school this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 If I'm not wrong the LP special is the one that the top is flat and not carved! If thats the case it shouldn't be too hard to put a veneer on it, and for $15 you can get one from Brian! it's a bit tricky to do a 3D stain on them, but it will work with see thru (candies) and look a lot like the real thing... I have been playing withthe idea of getting one of this veneers and stain it lightly with black and then sand back some of it seal it and then use like a blue or green candy to paint it to see how it turns. I think you should try to do yours before going out there and wasting money on other bodys until you get better at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMan686 Posted October 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 If I go with sanding the paint off what kind off grind sandpaper will I need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerryL Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 Guitarman686, This forum is great but you may have missed the excellent Project:Guitar Webpage. Here's a link to about 3 different way of stripping the finish but Do this first just to satisfy your curiosity. Remove the truss rod cover and look at the wood in the truss rod channel. If it's the same as the one I own, It's painted Plywood or Particle board and it'll look horrable with a clear finish. Just for what it's worth. Project Guitar Tutorial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american_jesus Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 have you thought about possibly making a new body? that'd be pretty sweet if i do say so myself. you must like the neck enough if you wanna redo it, so why not buy some mahogany and build a nice flattop body, and have a better guitar than you started with instead of a mediocre guitar with better parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMan686 Posted October 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 The only reason why Iwant keep the body and neck is for a more sentimenal reason. It was the first guitar that I ever owned and I feel it would be nice to redo it and keep the sentiments with it. Though it may not be the best to work with I feel it can come out nice with time, dedication and a little help. Maybe i need to go with painting the guitar instead of stain since the wood is not really of a good caliber for staining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMan686 Posted October 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2004 Would a bigsby fit on the les paul body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit Posted October 29, 2004 Report Share Posted October 29, 2004 (edited) Would a bigsby fit on the les paul body? Yes. Gibson fitted some in the factory in the late 50's. Justin Hawkin's Signature LP has a Bigsby. I'll try and find a picture of an LP with a Bigsby, and of the required Bigsby. EDIT: I think this is the required Bigsby. This one or the B5 or the B50. http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/products_b500.html EDIT 2: This be the Justin Hawkins Signature LP, as weilded by the man himself. Seems I was wrong about the Bigsby you need. Wait for someone who knows better to answer. Anyway, the link..... http://www2.gothika.co.uk/spaw/images/darkness2.jpg Edited October 29, 2004 by spirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavnerGuitarWorks Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 Hey, having worked for Gibson for a few years, I can tell you that sandpaper never touched a refinish. Try using acetone and a rag. That's the way they strip the paint in the factory and that's the way I strip paint on all of mine. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and safety goggles. It will require some sanding after the final bit of finish is removed, but it will definitly save some elbow pain. If I'm not mistaken, that guitar doesn't have bindings, does it? If so, you might try a different method of removing the finish. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sepultura999 Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 remember to wear a mask because acetone REAKS! and no doubt it could cause some problems if you inhail too much. ...last time i checked the Epi. LP special had no bindings. -Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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