"Satinising" a high gloss paint

[Alan Ace Cooper]

If I am dulling a neck, I use 0000 steel wool. Wet or dry, depending on the look I am going for. I tape over the the pickups magnets with Blue Painters Tape.

 

[rodsnhawgs]

I'm a professional painter so I have every tool available to me whenever I have a guitar or bass to finish.

I much prefer the automotive finishing sandpaper as an option over Scotch Brite type pads, because you know exactly how fine the paper is. Not so with the pads.

I recommend staying very far away from steel wool. Not only will it be less consistent and less predictable than sandpaper, but the tiny pieces of metal that it sheds will get everywhere!

I'd use 1500 wet paper (and be sure to become knowledgeable about how to use it most effectively) as my first choice.

If you want it a bit duller, try 1000. A bit shinier, go with 2000.

Ultra fine sandpaper for paint finishing can be found in most auto parts stores. NAPA always seems to have the widest selection.

I've used a few drops of 3 in 1 oil as a lubricant and 600-1000 automotive wet-dry paper with great success. Over time, your hands rubbing the surfaces from playing will "polish" the finish in spots...just repeat the process when needed.

 

[BassDaddy11]

With the grain or in a swirl pattern? Thanks

 

[Jazzdogg]

Hit it with satin clear coat. You can do it yourself or get a pro to do that without too much cost.

As long as you don't mind gloss showing through as the finish wears or is damaged.

 

[hbarcat]

With the grain or in a swirl pattern? Thanks

Assuming the existing paint completely covers the wood (no open pore wood grain showing through) then it really doesn't matter if you follow the wood grain pattern underneath the paint.

However, fine sanding of this type should be done by hand (no power sanders!) while using a pseudo-random pattern. Generally speaking, you want try to avoid going in only one direction in any given spot so as to avoid making uneven areas.

Most importantly, use extra care when sanding around corners, edges, and points. It's very easy to accidentally burn through the paint down to bare wood.

That would be bad.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I did this last week to a thick gloss coat neck. Wet sand 1000 grit, bump up to 2000 grit, dry off, wipe with naphtha rag. Took about 30 minutes.

 

[hbarcat]

Have a pro sand to bare wood and refinish with satin. That’s the result that will look best and last.

As a paint pro myself, I'd avoid sanding the existing paint down to bare wood (unless there's something wrong with it). It's an immense amount of work that's completely unnecessary, and will cost a lot in time and money.

In fact, it's often beneficial to keep the existing paint intact and using it as "primer" for the newer paint to go on top of.

Regardless, it's fairly easy to achieve the desired result of a satin finish by simply scuffing the existing glossy paint, as long gone as you're careful.