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Tips to remove les paul neck finish?


emailsack

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I've been looking at an Epiphone Les Paul but there's 2 things I really don't care for -

 

1) I HATE finished necks. I much prefer the "unfinished" or satin finish style neck. Anyone have info or ideas on how to remove the factory finish and attain that style?

 

2) The fretboard seems grungy. The frets seem rough or something in that string bends seem more difficult than they should be. It feels like I'm scraping against something with a string rather than the typical smooth feeling. This is on a NEW instrument and I've tried 4-5 different ones in the store along with a couple of Gibson LP's so it's not just a bad apple so to speak.

 

So, I'm looking for info anyone may have on how to address these areas.

 

Any info greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance. e-mail is emailsack@gmail.com if you prefer. Thanks again!

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First, this is an Epi. It almost certainly has a polyurethane finish. Any advice given should be for that type of finish. I mention this because Gibson uses a nitrocellulose finish, as they have since the beginning of the Les Paul. (And a lot longer on other instruments.)

 

The two are very different from one another.

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Couldn't you get the same effect by sanding the neck with something like a 600 grit paper? Do you really need to remove and/or replace the finish? The fret problem is probably due to poor polishing. Personally, I'd just look for a guitar that I like rather than put all that time and money into an Epi.
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Thanks for the input and clarification of finish types between Gibson and Epiphone (I wasn't aware of that). I do like the instrument alot, and it's in my price range, it's just the neck finish and frets issue that were sticklers for me. As for sanding the neck with 600 grit instead of refinishing or stripping, I don't know. Would that acheive the desired effect?? If so, then it seems much easier than the alternative.
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Well, if you were going to remove the finish anyways, you might as well give satin-izing it (sanding the neck with something like 600-grit or finer, or very fine steel-wool) a try. It will alleviate the drag caused by the super-smooth, glassy-gloss, possibly tacky (in feel and cure, not appearance) existing finish.

 

A good fret-job and a full set-up, done by a qualified, experienced luthier or repairer, could do wonders for it. Afterwards, you could easily handle any necesary set-up tweaks and adjustments yourself.

 

Here're some recommended books 'n' 'sites:

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif The Guitar Player Repair Guide by Dan Erlewine (HIGHLY recommended!!) http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif Guitar Finishing Step-By-Step

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif Re Ranch guitar refinishing \'site

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif Guitar Refinishing Forum \'site

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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