Removing a finish on top of another finish?

[tbonesullivan]

So, I just had a sale for my G&L SB-2 go south because of the awesome blue paint someone put on over the factory finish. In some spots, the blue paint scraped off, rather easily it looks, so I'm considering trying to see if it can be scraped off.

Anyone have any suggestions as to how this might work? I was going to see if tape can make it come off. I don't want to use chemicals yet, until Im sure I can't get off the new finish.

[Andrew]

Fine wet and dry paper used wet with detergent, that will remove softer paint off of a harder finish.

And hours and hours of patient work.

[murkat]

that is a tough one...

depends what type of finish is on what type of finish as well.

If the top coat is starting to flake, loosen off, etc. you might be golden.

two things that come to mind...

Heat gun. use in an area that may be inconspicuous to test?

use the heat gun sparingly, lightly just to get it going?

wetdry sand paper and a lot of naptha....

[zenmindbeginner]

that is a tough one...

depends what type of finish is on what type of finish as well.

If the top coat is starting to flake, loosen off, etc. you might be golden.

two things that come to mind...

Heat gun. use in an area that may be inconspicuous to test?

use the heat gun sparingly, lightly just to get it going?

wetdry sand paper and a lot of naptha....

Yeah, if heat won't take it off... it's not ready to come off and you'll end up taking the finish underneath it off too. Even if you do take off the new blue finish... you'll in all reality have mucked up the existing guitar's clearcoat too.

If it's some automotive latex bull, you'll get it off with heat... but if it's poly over nitro or catalyzed urethane, it will be a nightmare

[Studio Custom]

A plastic putty knife might be stiff enough to rid the top layer without digging into the factory finish.

Anohter idea is a damp sponge, the one with the scotch bright green thing on it. It will scuff the paint underneath, but you're going to have to compound and polish that no matter what.

Which brings me to idea three, use a rough cut automotive compound, which is basically liquid sandpaper.

[tbonesullivan]

The factory finish on the G&L's of that time is almost certainly polyurethane or polyester. Question is what kind of paint is the chameleon paint. There is NOT a clear coat put on over the chameleon paint. It does not look like any prep was done to the original finish before it was put on.

And of course If I find that the original finish was scratched to hell, then it's citristrip time.

[murkat]

id try a lil heat from a heat gun, with a putty knife and see how it goes.

the poly should take a lil more heat than that top coat.

[Stike]

If the original finish was not properly prepared for the refin the newer finish might come off quite easily. If you have a couple chips off already try and shoot some compressed air in a chip and see if you can't force delamination.

Once you get it off then you can evaluate the condition of the original finish.

[kizanski]

delamination

Always loved that word.

[The Shark]

delamination

Always loved that word.

One of my faves is "defenestrate".

[ptm1diver]

I've always found a 3x24 belt sander and a box if 36 grit belts works well, bit for a smoother finish, start with 60 grit. LOL

:-)