How do you get the paint off of a Mosrite?

[Sarah93003]

Actually I thought about that but there are some pretty big chunks missing.

[jtr654]

Those would be fixed easier than refinishing the whole body.

[dorkrockrecords]

Actually, the whole undercoat is gold, with the red put on over the top and that center stripe taped off, so the easiest fix would be to remove the top coat and leave yourself with a gold Celebrity.

[TimR]

I would just thoroughly sand the body, address the chips with wood filler or bondo, then mask the binding, spray the body with a good hi-build automotive primer/ sealer, re-sand as needed, then paint it with whatever color you like. The only reason to totally strip it is if you are going to sunburst -which is not worth the effort. Masking the binding is still a big issue and has to be done just right.

[sleeperNY]

Sounds like Tim has the right idea.

Jim

[Sarah93003]

Thanks Tim. Won't the paint build up thicker than where the binding is? How do you address the edge where the paint meets the existing binding?

Some of these paint chips are pretty large and go all the way to the wood. I'm guessing then that the wood filler or bondo would adhere to the wood grain. Which would be a better choice?

[GattonFan]

I think that everyone who has ever had the pleasure of stripping poly agrees: There is no easy way to get it off. You can sand it, use a heat gun (solidbodies), try various strippers, chisel it off - but poly is made to be impervious to all kinds of abuse. It doesn't turn loose easily. Once you get is off, use nitro lacquer- an acetone bath and it washes right off ... Or, as has been mentioned, you can scuff the poly and paint right over it - don't think I'd use Bondo, though.
Dennis

[TimR]

Being that a Celebrity is a hollowbody, bondo would probably not be best, as the thin wood could flex & cause it to crack. (I've used it successfully on solid bodies though)
Feather out the edges of the chips and use a good quality wood filler, then block sand to make sure there is no "dip" there. Hold a straightedge over the repair and be certain the fill is even with the straightedge. On really deep chips or screwholes, you can even fill with superglue or carpenter's wood glue mixed with sawdust. Mask the binding before you start sanding. Get really good quality automotive 1/4" masking tape. If it gets a little raggedy during the sanding process, re-tape before painting. Be very careful taping. Lacquer is easiest to work with, but must be compatible with finishes you're going over. Use one of the guitar paint suppliers online and follow their directions. There will be a little ridge of height difference after you unmask the binding. If there is paint on the binding, take a razor blade & carefully scrape off. Just make sure the tape doesn't get out into the painted area. After the paint cures, you can take a buffer & rubbing compound and gently feather this down to where it's even. This can be done, but you need to do your homework and use good equipment. You will probably end up regretting the whole thing if you try to strip it though -especially if it is poly, which I'm not sure if it is or not. Good luck!

[mark1]

When I first started doing my own refinishing I found tons of info from the book " Complete Guitar Repair " by Hideo Kamimoto.It goes into info on sanding sealer,lacquer,thinners used,abrasives,preping,spraying and much more! I don't if this book is still in print or not.No matter how you look at it it's a LOT of work........but I love it!

[Dennisthe Menace]

When I first started doing my own refinishing I found tons of info from the book " Complete Guitar Repair " by .It goes into info on sanding sealer,lacquer,thinners used,abrasives,preping,spraying and much more! I don't if this book is still in print or not.No matter how you look at it it's a LOT of work........but I love it!

Was that book by author Hideo Kamimoto written as an English release or do you speak Japanese?? A lot of Mo' Minds....want to know.... .......