I have a Ibanez AEF30EOS acoustic guitar[ http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=AEF30EOS ] and I would like to get to the base so i can start from scratch and go from there. I was curious as to wheter it has a nitrocellulose or poly/acrylic finish and where to proceed from there as to taking off the finish and what stains work friendly with the guitar.
Thank you for all your time
As far as stripping, you can't really use a chemical on an acoustic because it will eat the binding. I think that the best way to do it is to just get a palm sander and some #60 sanding pads. Also, some poly finishes are really tough for chemicals. As far as finishes go, tung oil looks great and is easy to put on.
I make part of my living refinishing furniture and I never use anything as abrasive as 60 grit paper :shock: - even on 3/4" thick wood :!:
The veneers and wood used on guitars is much thinner and 60 grit sand paper will eat up the wood - plus I think hand sanding for a guitar will be better than a palm sander. Always sand with the grain starting with 220 grit (180 would be the coarsest if needed). When the finish is off then use 320-360 grit followed by 400 – wipe off the sanding dust after using each grit.
For lacquer finishes I use 3 parts lacquer thinner to one part denatured alcohol with 0000 steel wool as a pad. I dip the steel wool in the solution and lightly wring out the pad. (To determine if it is a lacquer finish take a little lacquer thinner on a cotton swab and rub a small area to see if it lossens the finish)
Take the pad and rub small circular area about 4" in diameter until the finish is loose and wipe it off with a paper towel. This way you are not 'soaking' the guitar in chemicals. Once the finish is removed I take a clean pad with the thinner solution and wipe down the entire piece wiping with the grain.
Continue till the finish is off and follow up with light sanding with the grain - 220 grit followed by 360 - then 400 grit wiping of the dust between of each grit of paper used.
Apply the appropriate wood stains (any brand such as min-wax). Always test an area that doesn't show to verify it is the color you want.
Finish as desired. I would use semi gloss spray lacquer such as Deft (Available in hardware stores/WalMart/Home Improvement Centers).
There are web sites that discuss refinishing guitars:
http://home.flash.net/~guitars/index.html
http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial5.htm
Always read the instructions and abide by the cautions on ventilation, storage, and disposal of waste on any of the materials you use.
Good Luck
BS
Hey , thanks alot
