To Strip Or Not To Strip

[LGM Guitars]

Hey,

Having seen this question asked a few times, and had it emailed to me or through PM's, I thought I'd do a quick post here regarding stripping finishes from bodies and if it's necessary.

Times to strip the finish if necessary are:

1. If the finish is damaged so badly with chips and cracks that you can't sand it smooth with no or minimal filling.

2. If you want a natural finish or transparent finish.

3. If it's already been refinished poorly with a product you don't know is compatible with what your finish will be.

Other than that, I can't think of a single good reason to strip a guitar body to bare wood.

When the painted surface from factory is still good, there is nothing gained in stripping it. Lets face it, when you seal the wood for paint, you're doing it using clears, primers, epoxies, CA's, whatever, you're putting a solid sealed coat on it. Guess what, if you leave the factory paint on there and prep it properly, you have a perfect sealer.

Stripping it back to wood opens the grain again, this allows for moisture, skin oils, dirt, or other contaminants to get in.

You build up your sealer, you're just redoing what you undid by stripping the guitar.

So in other words, no, it's really not necessary.

One time I do go to wood, is if it's a Gibson, or one of the other few guitars laquer finished. I do this, because laquer shrinks almost forever, you will end up seeing your new paint finish sink over time if there is laquer underneath, other than that, I prefer to leave the factory finish on, it's the best sealer you will ever have.

Jeremy

[Dave Steele]

Hey,

Having seen this question asked a few times, and had it emailed to me or through PM's, I thought I'd do a quick post here regarding stripping finishes from bodies and if it's necessary.

Times to strip the finish if necessary are:

1.  If the finish is damaged so badly with chips and cracks that you can't sand it smooth with no or minimal filling.

2.  If you want a natural finish or transparent finish.

3.  If it's already been refinished poorly with a product you don't know is compatible with what your finish will be. 

Other than that, I can't think of a single good reason to strip a guitar body to bare wood. 

When the painted surface from factory is still good, there is nothing gained in stripping it.  Lets face it, when you seal the wood for paint, you're doing it using clears, primers, epoxies, CA's, whatever, you're putting a solid sealed coat on it.  Guess what, if you leave the factory paint on there and prep it properly, you have a perfect sealer. 

Stripping it back to wood opens the grain again, this allows for moisture, skin oils, dirt, or other contaminants to get in. 

You build up your sealer, you're just redoing what you undid by stripping the guitar. 

So in other words, no, it's really not necessary. 

One time I do go to wood, is if it's a Gibson, or one of the other few guitars laquer finished.  I do this, because laquer shrinks almost forever, you will end up seeing your new paint finish sink over time if there is laquer underneath, other than that, I prefer to leave the factory finish on, it's the best sealer you will ever have.

Jeremy

←

[Dugz Ink]

if you leave the factory paint on there and prep it properly, you have a perfect sealer.

So, you never have problems with color bleed? (From the old finish into the new)

That's a realistic problem with some types of finishes (especially certain colors of acrylics)... but I've never used some of the finishes that you guys discuss. I'm just asking to make sure I understand what you're saying about "factory" guitar finishes.

D~s

[LGM Guitars]

I have never had a problem with color bleed on any guitar finish that is factory. If they use a clear coat, whether laquer, urethane, poly ester etc, unless somehow the factory paint color bled through, there should be no issues. I use some of the most caustic paints you can find and have never had color bleed anywhere.

The only time I've had color bleed was with HOK kandy koncentrates, but that is only when applied or mixed incorrectly when I was first using them and didn't know any better.