Stripping Paint

[DokterPeppor]

So I have black original paint, and a thin coat of blue paint on my fender. Without using heat, what ways can I strip it evenly? What would happen if I wiped paint with lacquer thinner? Would it hurt the guitar when it made it down to wood? It would take the paint off quickly though. Help please? thanks.

[Doc]

What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

If you want to strip it clean lacquer thinner will take off lacquer, but furniture stripper will do it faster.

There is probably no good way to just take off the top coat and save the underneath.

Lacquer thinner won't mess up wood most of the time. Neither will furniture stripper unless you leave it on an forget about it.

[Mickguard]

So I have black original paint, and a thin coat of blue paint on my fender.

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Do you mean that someone spray-painted over the original finish?

I've got one of those too...what was this guy (the original owner of mine) thinking?

In that case you should be able to remove the spray paint without harming the finish.

I'm planning to use acetone to remove the spray paint...we'll see how it goes. Worse comes to worse, I'll have to strip the guitar back further and do a proper finish.

[Southpa]

I'd say you would have a little bit more control by wetsanding with a fine grit wet/dry paper. Use a block on the flat parts and just slowly work at it until all the blue is gone.

[DokterPeppor]

Thanks.....might lightly use acetone to remove upper layers, then sand for fine work.

[DokterPeppor]

This is hard, there is way more paint on here than I thought. How can i chemically strip the paint? I saw the tutorial, but it never said what chemical it was......??? Am i missing something?

[Doc]

I'll ask again, Do you want to strip it to the wood or just take off the blue?

The chemical they talk about is methylene chloride based paint stripper in one form or another. The citrus based strippers are great but take a lot longer to work.

A whole lot longer. Both types will take it down to the wood.

[DokterPeppor]

I would say down to the wood only because it would be way more even...However, is this going to require a grain filler after? I am not experienced with any grain fillers. Which would you recomend for a completely new repaint?

[DokterPeppor]

Where can I find this paint stripper?