best way to take a finish off?

[ajklnr]

so i'm refinishing a pbass style bass (the brand is stage). im just wondering what the best way of doing this is? what grade sand paper? sorry if this is a lame question... thanks for your input in advance though.

[GeneralElectric]

Wrong forum, try luthier

[ajklnr]

whoops my bad... sorry guys. im sure you hate noobs doing that.

[dmilt23451]

i would go with a heat gun and scraper

[pingone]

i would double check this, but if the finish isn't bad, you can go over it. might not be the best route though.

[GeneralElectric]

Sorry if I came off wrong, but you will get more help in the lutheir forum.

[Slax]

I used paint thinner / laquor thinner and a bunch of nights getting woozy in my basement followed by a lot of sanding once most was off... then I did a spray can bass coat of the color I wanted w/ a rattle can. I let the car painters handle the rest.

I can't argue with the results. Plus my bass' paint job is now as durable as a car and will probably outlast me. lol

[Slax]

Originally Posted by pingone

i would double check this, but if the finish isn't bad, you can go over it. might not be the best route though.

Personally I wouldn't do it. If I learned anything from paint.. it's painting over stuff that's slick won't stick as well... but I'm probably also wrong.

[aquateen]

unless you want a natural finish, you should be able to paint over it. just sand it enough to give the new paint something to stick to. 220 or 300 grit should do it. sand it until the finish is no longer glossy and more like a satin finish. gotta be easier and quicker than trying to get it down to bare wood.

[srptopdog]

I know I'm in the wrong forum, but since enough people are chiming in here I thought I would ask, and I only got one response from the LF when I posted, which I'm not sure about.

I need to do the same thing as the OP, 'cept I want to take the very glossy clear-coat off the back of my basses maple neck. I hate the feel, and I want to go satin or maybe even no finish. Best way?

Thanks ~

[Pilgrim]

As far as the neck - just go over it with a very mild 3-M abrasive pad and you'll create a satin feel. Go easy in doing this - you can always rub it a few more times.

[jimmy rocket]

Originally Posted by aquateen

unless you want a natural finish, you should be able to paint over it. just sand it enough to give the new paint something to stick to. 220 or 300 grit should do it. sand it until the finish is no longer glossy and more like a satin finish. gotta be easier and quicker than trying to get it down to bare wood.

+1 I just did this with a guitar refinish ant it worked fine. Make sure you prime it after sanding and you should be just fine. It's hard to get the whole way down to bare wood especially if it's a hard poly finish.

Also, use duplicolor car paint. works like a dream

As far as the last post about the neck I'd just use lacquer remover applied with a cloth.

[srptopdog]

Originally Posted by jimmy rocket

+1 I just did this with a guitar refinish ant it worked fine. Make sure you prime it after sanding and you should be just fine. It's hard to get the whole way down to bare wood especially if it's a hard poly finish.

Also, use duplicolor car paint. works like a dream

As far as the last post about the neck I'd just use lacquer remover applied with a cloth.

In searching this forum, some suggest sanding the neck with grades of sandpaper up to 1000 grit, and then 0000 steel wool - or should I use a laquer (or some type of) thinner? What if I'm dealing with a poly finish and not laquer? Thanks.

[GeneralElectric]

If its one of those gloss Fender necks, use fine sandpaper, then superfine to smooth everything out.

Don't use steel wool! For some reason, in my experience, it buffs the finish to a shine again and makes it cloudy.