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Strat body refinish

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GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8823
in Making & Modding tFB Trader
Hi all, I know I have my own thread for this stuff but I’m aware that something like this can get lost in the pages of pictures and discussions. This particular body refinish has been “one of those ones” which has really pushed us to produce something special.

Several months ago we were sent a Guitarbuild Strat body which the customers son had finished in Wilkos (?) spray paint. I had never heard of the shop until I lived in Lincoln for a year, apparently they also sell spray paint? Well, this one had been given a rather (un)healthy coating or 2 or 3 of a pink pearl effect paint. This is how it arrived..

https://i.imgur.com/63TQ8k5.jpg

The paint was thick.... VERY THICK. The owner of the body is a lovely chap and very forthcoming about what had happened to the body which was also covered in indentations through handling too soon after it was sprayed. He was able to tell me that no less than 16 cans had been used on it. Yes, that’s right.. 16!

A heat gun and scraper were called for. Only because I don’t have access to nuclear warheads. Nothing else would touch the finish. It was THICK (did I already mention this?).

https://i.imgur.com/TG2afad.jpg


The paint, was warmed, turned to the usual chewing gum consistency but it also set very quickly again meaning I had to be tactful in removing the paint in small parts.

https://i.imgur.com/JmadcXM.jpg


Note the ridge in the picture above, the finish was ridiculous now that I see these pics again.


And this is how it looked once the waste was removed from the body and scraped on a piece of old wood.


https://i.imgur.com/ey5qvdp.jpg


It was setting virtually immediately so some of the melted shapes were rather funky. Almost reminded me of the pink goo from ghostbusters 2.

Fast forward a month or so, there was plenty of sanding to do. I think we went through 20-30 pads on the sander in an attempt to remove every last piece of paint from the body. It was crucial for the finish the customer wanted...


https://i.imgur.com/hyjoDxc.jpg


So, yes... paisley. This is why I needed to remove every last piece of paint from the surface of the body. The last step prior to the paper was a rub down with a tooth brush and some cellulose thinner to drag as much out of the grain as possible. I don’t think a sealer was used before the pink was applied so a lot of the Wilko paint was sitting in the grain. 

And so was the paisley was on it was a case of cracking on with the spraying. The customer also wanted some flake through the clear coat for a little sparkle, although I doubt you’ll see it in the picture here is a mock we’ve done prior to a final wet sand and buff.



Complete with matching paisley scratchplate! Looks killer now and this should be back with the owner in time for Christmas. What a journey it’s been on!
• website - https://goldenera-guitars.co.uk/

• Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@Goldeneraguitars


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