Es 335 Copy Help

[ize1277]

Can anyone tell me the best way to strip poly from a san 450 samick (335 copy) I want to put a nitro burst on it instead of this thick cherry poly on it now. I'm afraid to sand for fear of the sand through problems I'm faced with on the ply body. If I strip it then I am faced with the the almost certainty of destroying the binding wich is awsome on this guitar. Even the f-holes are bound on this thing! This guitar was built in the 80's BTW! HELP!

[ryanb]

I don't think you have a lot of options but to sand it. But you will have to be very careful and patient. Don't load up the power sander with 60 grit and go at it, or you will cut through the ply in no time. Take it slow and even, switching to finer grits as you get closer. Even then, you may not be able to get all the sealer coat off without going through the surface layer (assuming you plan to remove it all). Chemical strippers and heat guns wouldn't work well here, and would need to be followed by sanding anyway. Keep in mind that the plywood will be pretty ugly anyway, so you should consider using a solid-color base under your burst (you didn't mention whether that was your plan already).

[Mickguard]

You ought to ask a mod to move this to the finishing section, you might get more help there.

What I think is that you should be able to sand down the poly without going through it --you definitely want to keep the sealer on there, since a factory sealer job will provide an excellent base for whatever you do to it.

So I don't see why you shouldn't be able to sand off some or most of the poly, then use nitro over that--as long as the poly is scuffed, the nitro should adhere to it, I think. (But that's why this should be in the finishing section).

You can start sanding at the back where it's less conspicuous, that will give you a feel for how much you'll need to sand.

But you ought to wait until you get an expert opinion.

[ize1277]

I don't think you have a lot of options but to sand it. But you will have to be very careful and patient. Don't load up the power sander with 60 grit and go at it, or you will cut through the ply in no time. Take it slow and even, switching to finer grits as you get closer. Even then, you may not be able to get all the sealer coat off without going through the surface layer (assuming you plan to remove it all). Chemical strippers and heat guns wouldn't work well here, and would need to be followed by sanding anyway. Keep in mind that the plywood will be pretty ugly anyway, so you should consider using a solid-color base under your burst (you didn't mention whether that was your plan already).

The poly on this guitar is like a tinted clear so the grain is is actually very nice, but who knows what she'll look like when the make up is taken off! Thanx for the reply! I've got a little electrict mouse sander think that will do the trick, os hand sanding?

[ize1277]

You ought to ask a mod to move this to the finishing section, you might get more help there.

What I think is that you should be able to sand down the poly without going through it --you definitely want to keep the sealer on there, since a factory sealer job will provide an excellent base for whatever you do to it.

So I don't see why you shouldn't be able to sand off some or most of the poly, then use nitro over that--as long as the poly is scuffed, the nitro should adhere to it, I think. (But that's why this should be in the finishing section).

You can start sanding at the back where it's less conspicuous, that will give you a feel for how much you'll need to sand.

But you ought to wait until you get an expert opinion.

How do I go about asking a mod to mave the thread? Thanx for the help.