When Fender buids a guitar body, they look at how many pieces and the grain. When the wood is not so pretty and more pieces used, these are judged to be "Paint Grade" bodies. So if you have a painted guitar it is a sign that a woodgrain finish is not the best choice to do.
In the past they would put a solid piece veneer so that they could perhaps do a sunburst finish on it. Fender has made many multipiece bodies they have produced over the years that have transparent finishes on them. If I were this guy and I want a transparent finish, I would have applied a figured veneer and did some type of transparent burst finish with a black or dark outer edge that would hide the laminate construction body.
Thanks for the content. I liked the result. I'd suggest dying the body with some coats of aniline diluted in water instead of denaturated alcohol, so you got more control over blotching as it evaporates slower, sanding lightly between the coats, and then applying the top coat. That would emphasize more the wood grain.
I think I might have needed a water based dye to start with to do it, and this was an alcohol based one left over from another project, but I do want to try that eventually. Also, I’ve seen some people use black dye first and sand that back to emphasize grain, and I’d like to try that as well. Also would like to attempt a transition or sunburst effect… may be a while before I attempt that. :)
Thanks from Western Australia ... have a 'Cimar' bass from the 80's ... all these years later I find out that it's actually a decent make. Stripped the paint off and considered repainting, but after this video I'm going down the staining path. I'm lucky - it's a one piece body ! I guess I'm going to have to do some serious sanding to bring out the natural wood look, but your method looks very achievable for an amateur like me - appreciate it cheers :)
Chemical strippers won't work on urethane finishes. I've used the strongest chemical stripper available to consumers, and let it sit for 2 days, and it did nothing. Heat and scrape is the best choice unfortunately.
I just got finished stripping a 2006 MIM "FSR" or 60th body (two-pot, no pickguard, rear routed electronics pocket). I bought it bastardized with a VERY crappy repaint that someone did on it (think "8th grade art class meets SouthPark Sexy Woman"). Taking the the original coating (underneath the paint job) took less hour, only one burn mark that will be covered by the bridge. The trick was to put the gun on high, keep it about 8-9 inches away from the body, keep the gun moving, and heat up larger sections at one time as evenly as you can. As the finish starts to raise off of the body, I took a plastic razor blade (in a holder) and starting scraping it off. It then comes off in larger sections. Just remember to keep the plastic razor blade out of the path of the heat gun. Unfortunately, I have you beaten in the "pieces" department. This one is made out of *6* pieces of alder. 😕 You'd think, even for a MIM, if it's a limited/special run, they would have done a little better....
That’s a good description of the process. The modern ones have a primer/filler coat that I hadn’t seen on older ones, but that’s the only difference. Fender takes “paint grade” seriously. :)
With a 5 piece body I would have gone for a paint finish over a sealer coat, I was expecting it to look like the side of a shed but it turned out better than I expected it to.
attach a MIA large headstock Strat neck to it, then drop in Mexican electronics. You've now created a homemade Highway 1 Stratocaster! :) (Seriously, I have a 2nd Gen Highway 1 HSS. It plays great, and it's a great mod platform)
Just wanted to say I stripped a guitar using a hair dryer instead of a heat gun and on Max heat settings I was able to strip it pretty easily and it never came close to burning anything.
Great video, came across your channel after the pangu explorer kit. But I have a question. I have a epiphone les paul body with matte black that is showing lots of wear and tear. Would you assume that to be a poly finish? I'm not quite sure how to tell finishes on a guitar. Never refinished a guitar and only done kits.
Definitely. Most Asian guitars are poly. American Gibsons are typically lacquer. Fender does some of each across their lines. A bit of lacquer thinner in an inconspicuous area usually will tell.
The first time I took a heat gun to a Mexican body the entire finish cracked like the shell of a hard boiled egg and fell off instantly. I laughed so hard when I realized that body was made out of 9 pieces....9 damn pieces. The second body I did I ran into the same issues to had. I got lucky once 🤣
I tried it once years ago and ended up switching to heat. I was using Citristrip and it didn’t touch the finish after hours of sitting. These finishes are catalyzed and very hard. It would take something harsh to do the job.
I learned this lesson. The Mexican stratocaster hides a more desired body with a high possibility of less pieces. 5 is up there with Squier. Some used sandwiches. You'd think a usa guitar would do more like 2 or 3 like the Mexican stratocaster. Lol😊
Yeah this was not the quality I might have guessed, but then again I’ve had several Player bodies that I could see lines through the finish. It’s a bit sad now that I know how thick that finish is.
@@hacksguitarhobby , I learned this truth by watching TH-cam as people slowly started to get mad at fender for their sub quality work with respect to what we thought they're doing as opposed to what they're actually doing. A brand name built on quality but lacks quality wood? 5 is a joke! The thick paint is too. Now I understand why the custom shop is doing so well, after firing the whole night shift here in Cali, thry only do custom shop now there. And trust me, they are not worth 3 grand either. My telecaster fender bridge is crap numeral as compared to Wilkinson. People are gonna out do them and thry could go broke trying to save a name. G&L is doing great!
Kool vedioo just found my matc😮😮h for an all rose wood neck that leather dye seems like good stuff thank you Sir you know what your doing 100% confidence..confidence in what your doing imo is when you know you have arrived...RocknRollflat5 😮
Hmmm 5 pieces of wood! Gotta love Fender Mexico sometimes! I bet it's not advised as 5 piece!
For sure!
Heat gun definitely! Looks great
Appreciate it!
When Fender buids a guitar body, they look at how many pieces and the grain. When the wood is not so pretty and more pieces used, these are judged to be "Paint Grade" bodies. So if you have a painted guitar it is a sign that a woodgrain finish is not the best choice to do.
In the past they would put a solid piece veneer so that they could perhaps do a sunburst finish on it. Fender has made many multipiece bodies they have produced over the years that have transparent finishes on them. If I were this guy and I want a transparent finish, I would have applied a figured veneer and did some type of transparent burst finish with a black or dark outer edge that would hide the laminate construction body.
Yeah, I agree. I did a MIJ body once that was technically paint grade but turned out beautifully without stain, but this was about what I expected.
You used to work at Fender?
Thanks for the content. I liked the result. I'd suggest dying the body with some coats of aniline diluted in water instead of denaturated alcohol, so you got more control over blotching as it evaporates slower, sanding lightly between the coats, and then applying the top coat. That would emphasize more the wood grain.
I think I might have needed a water based dye to start with to do it, and this was an alcohol based one left over from another project, but I do want to try that eventually. Also, I’ve seen some people use black dye first and sand that back to emphasize grain, and I’d like to try that as well. Also would like to attempt a transition or sunburst effect… may be a while before I attempt that. :)
Thanks from Western Australia ... have a 'Cimar' bass from the 80's ... all these years later I find out that it's actually a decent make. Stripped the paint off and considered repainting, but after this video I'm going down the staining path. I'm lucky - it's a one piece body ! I guess I'm going to have to do some serious sanding to bring out the natural wood look, but your method looks very achievable for an amateur like me - appreciate it cheers :)
Good luck. You can always paint it if you don't like the stained look. :)
Chemical strippers won't work on urethane finishes. I've used the strongest chemical stripper available to consumers, and let it sit for 2 days, and it did nothing. Heat and scrape is the best choice unfortunately.
I haven’t tested a range of chemicals, but I believe it. Sanding is the other option… and unfortunately all options are messy.
I just got finished stripping a 2006 MIM "FSR" or 60th body (two-pot, no pickguard, rear routed electronics pocket). I bought it bastardized with a VERY crappy repaint that someone did on it (think "8th grade art class meets SouthPark Sexy Woman"). Taking the the original coating (underneath the paint job) took less hour, only one burn mark that will be covered by the bridge. The trick was to put the gun on high, keep it about 8-9 inches away from the body, keep the gun moving, and heat up larger sections at one time as evenly as you can. As the finish starts to raise off of the body, I took a plastic razor blade (in a holder) and starting scraping it off. It then comes off in larger sections. Just remember to keep the plastic razor blade out of the path of the heat gun.
Unfortunately, I have you beaten in the "pieces" department. This one is made out of *6* pieces of alder. 😕 You'd think, even for a MIM, if it's a limited/special run, they would have done a little better....
That’s a good description of the process. The modern ones have a primer/filler coat that I hadn’t seen on older ones, but that’s the only difference. Fender takes “paint grade” seriously. :)
With a 5 piece body I would have gone for a paint finish over a sealer coat, I was expecting it to look like the side of a shed but it turned out better than I expected it to.
Thanks :)
attach a MIA large headstock Strat neck to it, then drop in Mexican electronics. You've now created a homemade Highway 1 Stratocaster! :)
(Seriously, I have a 2nd Gen Highway 1 HSS. It plays great, and it's a great mod platform)
I agree they are. I had one of those necks recently and have owned a Highway 1 previously.
Just wanted to say I stripped a guitar using a hair dryer instead of a heat gun and on Max heat settings I was able to strip it pretty easily and it never came close to burning anything.
If that worked, it sounds like a safer approach. Of course, hair dryer wattages vary, but in general they should be a lot less powerful.
Great job . Subscribed ! 🎸👍
Thank you!
Great video, came across your channel after the pangu explorer kit. But I have a question. I have a epiphone les paul body with matte black that is showing lots of wear and tear. Would you assume that to be a poly finish? I'm not quite sure how to tell finishes on a guitar. Never refinished a guitar and only done kits.
Definitely. Most Asian guitars are poly. American Gibsons are typically lacquer. Fender does some of each across their lines. A bit of lacquer thinner in an inconspicuous area usually will tell.
The first time I took a heat gun to a Mexican body the entire finish cracked like the shell of a hard boiled egg and fell off instantly. I laughed so hard when I realized that body was made out of 9 pieces....9 damn pieces. The second body I did I ran into the same issues to had. I got lucky once 🤣
Exactly! I am thankful I don’t have to do this often. It’s not a pleasant smell either.
I would actually like to see one done with the chemical process, just to be able to compare it to the heat treatment method.
I tried it once years ago and ended up switching to heat. I was using Citristrip and it didn’t touch the finish after hours of sitting. These finishes are catalyzed and very hard. It would take something harsh to do the job.
@@hacksguitarhobby that makes sense. Keep doing what you're doing!
Sealerdo a barn caster and leave the lines, in fact, make them deeper. I did one.
I thought about it. Came across some Spanish Oak stain that would have completed that illusion about a day after I started.
@@hacksguitarhobby, barncasters are cool.
I learned this lesson. The Mexican stratocaster hides a more desired body with a high possibility of less pieces. 5 is up there with Squier. Some used sandwiches. You'd think a usa guitar would do more like 2 or 3 like the Mexican stratocaster. Lol😊
Yeah this was not the quality I might have guessed, but then again I’ve had several Player bodies that I could see lines through the finish. It’s a bit sad now that I know how thick that finish is.
Proof of what paying more for Fender "quality" gets you :(
@@hacksguitarhobby , I learned this truth by watching TH-cam as people slowly started to get mad at fender for their sub quality work with respect to what we thought they're doing as opposed to what they're actually doing. A brand name built on quality but lacks quality wood? 5 is a joke! The thick paint is too. Now I understand why the custom shop is doing so well, after firing the whole night shift here in Cali, thry only do custom shop now there. And trust me, they are not worth 3 grand either. My telecaster fender bridge is crap numeral as compared to Wilkinson. People are gonna out do them and thry could go broke trying to save a name. G&L is doing great!
Why not use wood filler instead of superglue?
In this case I was concerned about the wood moving further. The filler would have made for a less visible seam, though.
Thanks for your response, I am just learning about all this and considering starting a project of my own.
My advice is, do it! No better way to learn. Best of luck!
Kool vedioo just found my matc😮😮h for an all rose wood neck that leather dye seems like good stuff thank you Sir you know what your doing 100% confidence..confidence in what your doing imo is when you know you have arrived...RocknRollflat5 😮
Right on!
5 piece body? 🤨
Yes, and not the prettiest wood. I bet that’s only true of the solid color finishes though.
Synthetic_POLY_Drag nightmare impossible other words more hateful😔
Yep!