Paint stripper

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:13 am

What'll take acrylic (i think) paint off guitar lacquer? Something I only got around to thinking of now. Some goon touched up the gold bits on my les paul (sunburst) with some metallic gold paint. It seems to scratch off eventually. Billy, you're the art teacher. White spirit do it?

Don't tell me the best way, just tell me the cheapest way...

Post by **bclaire** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:14 am

Man, I'd have to think about that...

Acrylic paint is water-based while guitar paint isn't but if it needed touching up, there's probably bare wood underneath and you don't want it to get wet or it might swell under the good paint. You might be able to loosen/soften it with a tiny bit of water and get it off before it can soak the wood. I'd put a drop on the acrylic- let it set for 3-4 minutes wipe it off- and try to see if it comes off...

If it were me, I might try a small x-acto knife to scrape or pop out the other paint. But proceed carefully as you don't want to damage the good paint...

What are you going to do to touch it up if you get the acrylic removed? If I remember correctly, traditional goldtops are bronze powder mixed with clear lacquer. The company that makes the powder is somewhere here in Massachusetts, actually...

Billy

Post by **bclaire** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:15 am

You want to find something that won't affect the original paint- white spirit probably would cloud or wreck the finish...

Rally Car · Post by **Rally Car** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:33 am

You will need to find a product called Goof Off. It removes anything. I've used it to take off paint specks from a cheap acoustic guitar that somone left in the room while painting and it never hurt the finish. Just use the Goof off and then wax the guitar with car wax and it is as good as new! If you are nervous test it on a spot where no one will notice like under the pickgurad or???

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:35 pm

Man, my Les Paul is battered already. No, it was originally a standard sunburst finish, and someone slapped some gold paint on it. I think it's acrylic... but it's a metallic colour rather than a matt yellowy-gold and as I said, comes off pretty easily when scratched gently with a blade.

Don't tell me the best way, just tell me the cheapest way...

Post by **bclaire** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 6:45 pm

Duh... I'm an idiot. You said sunburst in the original post!

The Goof Off sounds like it might be good although I don't know if it's available where you are...

Billy

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:00 pm

There should be an equivalent somewhere...

Any other ideas?

Don't tell me the best way, just tell me the cheapest way...

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:56 pm

Think it is acrylic spray... I've used some T-cut (like the stuff you use to restore the finish on your car) to tidy up the bits i'd scratched, and it has worked. I'm going to try white spirit as I don't think it will lift off the original finish, and if it does cloud it, I can use the T-cut to sort it out.

Don't tell me the best way, just tell me the cheapest way...

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:53 pm

Yep the white spirit works fine, and doesn't touch the finish below.

Don't tell me the best way, just tell me the cheapest way...

irish_admiral · Post by **irish_admiral** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 5:46 pm

I now have a beautiful sunburst finish back. And it was flawless in the first place. Don't know why he tried to botch it for a goldtop.

Don't tell me the best way, just tell me the cheapest way...

Paint stripper

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