Headstock finish

[smavridis]

i have a mighty mite (sorry warmoth!) fender neck with a natural maple headstock that i would like to be painted black. how would i go about stripping the clear coat then refinishing the head?

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I wouldn't use the paint remover gel.  It would definitely work, but is hard to apply in a confined area, it would spill over the sides.  I would just lightly sand the face of the headstock to take the gloss off of it, then a final sanding with a finer grit.  I wouldn't even take it back to the wood, instead using the sanded gloss finish as the grain filler.

 

[DangerousR6]

I wouldn't use the paint remover gel.  It would definitely work, but is hard to apply in a confined area, it would spill over the sides.  I would just lightly sand the face of the headstock to take the gloss off of it, then a final sanding with a finer grit.  I wouldn't even take it back to the wood, instead using the sanded gloss finish as the grain filler.

Agreed, no need to get drastic, as Gary said I'd just lightly sand with like a 400 grit then 600 grit paper just to dull the shine from the clear coat and then repaint black. And reclear coat...

 

[smavridis]

so what paints do you recommend?

 

[Unwound G]

Why remove the clear finish from the headstock ?  Just paint over it.  Mask off rest of the neck just exposing the headstock and spray over it with black spray can paint.  When the paint dries, spray a few costs of clear finish to build up the level. Wet sand and polish.  Can sprays may not be as durable but then again headstocks do not get much abuse anyway.

 

[DangerousR6]

Why remove the clear finish from the headstock ?  Just paint over it.  Mask off rest of the neck just exposing the headstock and spray over it with black spray can paint.  When the paint dries, spray a few costs of clear finish to build up the level. Wet sand and polish.  Can sprays may not be as durable but then again headstocks do not get much abuse anyway.

We didn't say "remove" the clear coat. you merely want to scuff it up a bit to let the overlying paint adhere to it...

 

[smavridis]

so a can of paint would be ok?

 

[DangerousR6]

so what paints do you recommend?

If it has a lacquer finish then any lacquer based paint should be just fine...