'Need Pointers On Stripping Paint...

[Strat Avenger]

Can any of you guys recommend the best way to remove the original paint from an old Charvel neck-thru bass guitar so that it can be repainted?

 

[bagman67]

Can any of you guys recommend the best way to remove the original paint from an old Charvel neck-thru bass guitar so that it can be repainted?

Tonar's got a thread where he did a refinish on a poly-coated body.


http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=20663.0

 

[Cagey]

If you can't find the stripper Tonar used, what you want is something based on Methylene Cloride or Dichlorethylene. Polyurethane will laugh at most other strippers.

There's a chance, albeit very thin, that you have a lacquer finish. The way to find out is to put a drop of acetone someplace you don't care about, like inside a control or pickup cavity. If it's lacquer, it'll melt. If you don't have any acetone around the house, nail polish remover is usually 99.9% acetone and .1% aromatics.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Thanks for the replies.
'Sorry to sound redundant, but this bass is a neck-through design and the back of the neck is painted. Is that stripper safe to use on the back of the neck? I'm more worried about messing up the neck than I am about the body.

 

[Cagey]

I've often wondered about that, but for some reason stripper doesn't seem to attack glue. Not sure why, but I've never seen it happen. It's weird, because even water will attack it sometimes. Doesn't mean it can't happen, because who knows what glue somebody uses? I'm just relating what I've seen.

 

[leo12.]

  :redflag:You wanna watch side dot markers with that stuff & headstock inlay, just thinking
ahead havn't been there.

 

[Cagey]

That's a good point. The stuff that will attack polyurethane will also attack epoxy, and that's often used to hold inlays in place.

 

[Strat Avenger]

  :redflag:You wanna watch side dot markers with that stuff & headstock inlay, just thinking
ahead havn't been there.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[pabloman]

Try a heat gun and a scraper first. It doesn't always work but when it does its a beautiful thing.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Try a heat gun and a scraper first. It doesn't always work but when it does its a beautiful thing.

I actually thought of that, but wouldn't that kind of heat be bad for the neck? I've seen it done on a body (bolt-on) with excellent results.

 

[pabloman]

I used it on a neck thru Carvin a few years ago and it worked great. Neck and all. :dontknow: