Strat shed its skin

maharg101

I always hated the poly finish on my strat.

It's just a MIM 70s reissue in natural finish. The finish was starting to lift, so I broke out a hairdryer and a plastic bicycle tyre lever and went to work.

Now she's as nature intended. 

http://imgur.com/gallery/g6Ea8bq

meltedbuzzbox

Looks like a yamaha pacifica

maharg101

It's going to Bob Cross for a new coat tomorrow will look less "pacifica" after that 

CasperCaster

You're a brave man, but it looks like you've done a good job on that. I'll bet it will look lovely once it gets its new coat. 

DrBob

Did you measure the weight difference before & after ? 

maharg101

@CasperCaster thanks - haha yeah, it was lifting in a few places, then I noticed a crack in a patch on the back, then one thing led to another !! As you can see in the picture, the coating on the front nearly came off in one piece !! The horns were a bit trickier, but not much. The pointy end of the plastic tyre lever was just right for lifting it off once softened up with the hair dryer. 

maharg101

@DrBob no, I should have ! There was an absolutely shed-load of it. Noticeably thicker on the front...

GoldenEraGuitars

“She”?

CasperCaster

DrBob said:

Did you measure the weight difference before & after ? 

Good question - a few years ago on one of the US forums someone used the heat method to strip a Baja Tele. For a while those guitars were marketed as having a 'thin skin' poly finish. Anyway, the finish on that Baja weighed nearly half a pound. By comparison a good nitro finish may only be 1 or 2 ounces. 

tanihhiavlt

GoldenEraGuitars said:

“She”?

and people are asking about her weight... 

DrBob

CasperCaster said:

DrBob said:

Did you measure the weight difference before & after ? 

Good question - a few years ago on one of the US forums someone used the heat method to strip a Baja Tele. For a while those guitars were marketed as having a 'thin skin' poly finish. Anyway, the finish on that Baja weighed nearly half a pound. By comparison a good nitro finish may only be 1 or 2 ounces. 

I thought that was on here ? Wasn’t it one of the pedal builders was it Juansolo ? 

maharg101

tanihhiavlt said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

“She”?

and people are asking about her weight... 

It's ok, she's thick-skinned.. or was !

GoldenEraGuitars

tanihhiavlt said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

“She”?

and people are asking about her weight... 

As long as no one mentions playing with her knobs or nut, because then I’m definitely out

maharg101

Tempted to refer again to the crack on her back side but let's not go there..

Deadman

What finish are you going for? I hate that thick poly too.

maharg101

Cellulose lacquer, natch !

Deadman

maharg101 said:

Cellulose lacquer, natch !

Cool. Any colour/tint at all? Pics when it’s finished  

maharg101

No colour, I love the natural finish, and it's a decent enough piece of wood. I will definitely post pics once it's done.

Here's a picture before the poly was stripped off. It's hard to make out, but the poly is bubbling around the socket and the trem. When it starts to lift, it takes on a milky-hue and makes a hollow noise when you tap it.

Other mods to this MIM 70s RI include a Tusq nut, Kluson tuners, fretboard re-profiled to 12" (from 7.5") and re-fretted with medium jumbos, Tonerider Surfari Alnico III pickups, Aluminium pickguard shield. Oh, and a bolt in the (unused) tremolo arm hole

Yorkie

I love it.

maharg101

Yorkie said:

I love it.

Thanks @Yorkie

Yorkie

Newbie question: What wood is that?