refinishing guitar

9am53 · 30th May 2006, 04:08 AM

howdy...I am refinishing a takamine gx 100t electric guitar and have a couple simple questions. I have stripped all the paint and primer and am ready to grain fill the mahogany...I dont have the sanding sealer yet or the laquer yet, can I grain fill and leave it for a couple months before I seal and paint, or should I wait till I can do it all at once? also, has anyone applied a veneer on their guitar, ie. a flamed maple veneer on the top of the guitar?
thanks a lot everyone

poobah · 30th May 2006, 04:17 AM

Yep... in fact the longer your sealer dries the better... and be sure to put on a bit too much.

There are some venering threads here... check: "a lost method of finishing"

icurays1 · 30th May 2006, 06:02 PM

Generally you would seal the surface before using a grain filler - a sanding sealer works fine, or thinned shellac. You would then apply another coat of sealer, then your top coats. If you're thinking about staining the wood at all (doesnt sound like it) you could use a dye first, then seal, then fill, then seal again, then topcoat/toner/more topcoat. *phew*

now, you mention paint...are you planning a clear finish or a fully tinted lacquer?

Adding a veneer layer to the top of your guitar wouldn't be impossible - but there are a lot of things you would have to consider.
1. is there any shape to the top of your guitar? veneer can only bend in 1 direction, so if you have a carved top (i dont think the gx 100 does) then it would be difficult. You would have to think about what to do with the rounded edges, too. you can start with a thicker veneer (almost 1/4") and round/carve the edges.
2. how are you going to cut it out? If you have a (nice) router with a sharp bit, you could glue the sheets on square then rout around for the edges and plunge for the pickups, then come back and smooth down the edges by hand - or - you could try to trace the body onto paper, then transfer to your veneer and try to get it perfect before gluing...
3. flame maple is tougher to finish than mahogany - more steps.

Anyway, good luck with your refinish, it's certainly a fun way to make your guitar look better.

9am53 · 2nd June 2006, 02:38 AM

Hmm, thanks, the order of steps according to reranch and another place I checked are different, now I dont know what to do!!! thanks though, maybe I need to look at this more closely before I do anything to the wood...now that I think about it I think I will stay away from the veneer, just put some lake placid blue over top...thanks

30th May 2006, 04:08 AM	#1
9am53 diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ontario	refinishing guitar howdy...I am refinishing a takamine gx 100t electric guitar and have a couple simple questions. I have stripped all the paint and primer and am ready to grain fill the mahogany...I dont have the sanding sealer yet or the laquer yet, can I grain fill and leave it for a couple months before I seal and paint, or should I wait till I can do it all at once? also, has anyone applied a veneer on their guitar, ie. a flamed maple veneer on the top of the guitar? thanks a lot everyone __________________ Guitar is Good

2nd June 2006, 02:38 AM	#4
9am53 diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ontario	Hmm, thanks, the order of steps according to reranch and another place I checked are different, now I dont know what to do!!! thanks though, maybe I need to look at this more closely before I do anything to the wood...now that I think about it I think I will stay away from the veneer, just put some lake placid blue over top...thanks __________________ Guitar is Good

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30th May 2006, 04:17 AM	#2
poobah diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2005	Yep... in fact the longer your sealer dries the better... and be sure to put on a bit too much. There are some venering threads here... check: "a lost method of finishing"

30th May 2006, 06:02 PM	#3
icurays1 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006	Generally you would seal the surface before using a grain filler - a sanding sealer works fine, or thinned shellac. You would then apply another coat of sealer, then your top coats. If you're thinking about staining the wood at all (doesnt sound like it) you could use a dye first, then seal, then fill, then seal again, then topcoat/toner/more topcoat. phew now, you mention paint...are you planning a clear finish or a fully tinted lacquer? Adding a veneer layer to the top of your guitar wouldn't be impossible - but there are a lot of things you would have to consider. 1. is there any shape to the top of your guitar? veneer can only bend in 1 direction, so if you have a carved top (i dont think the gx 100 does) then it would be difficult. You would have to think about what to do with the rounded edges, too. you can start with a thicker veneer (almost 1/4") and round/carve the edges. 2. how are you going to cut it out? If you have a (nice) router with a sharp bit, you could glue the sheets on square then rout around for the edges and plunge for the pickups, then come back and smooth down the edges by hand - or - you could try to trace the body onto paper, then transfer to your veneer and try to get it perfect before gluing... 3. flame maple is tougher to finish than mahogany - more steps. Anyway, good luck with your refinish, it's certainly a fun way to make your guitar look better.

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