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Originally Posted by KimblesNimble  would it be advisable to sand off the entire paint finish, including neck (through body) and then stain and finish? Its a lot of work and pretty permanant so, I was just looking for some opinions. 
I already de-fretted, stained the neck, and cleaned up all the hardware, might paint / replace factory pickups and tone/vol knobs. Its a BC Rich Eagle, from 82 (?). I think the wood is Koa, and it could be a nice finish if I can pull it off.  |
It's a lot of work. If you want the wood grain to show and stain to colour the wood, then you have to sand down to bare wood. When you have a perfect surface then you can stain. Only you can decide if it's worth the work.
Being an amateur you might have a lot more trouble and make more mistakes.
Read a book called "Hand Applied Finishes" by Jeff Jewitt from Taunton Press. It'll tell you everything you need to know. Check the library and see if they have a copy. If not, you can buy it from Taunton. They publish Fine Woodworking magazine.
Then get some scrap wood and practice.
