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Greetings all, Reaching out to the members to see what the average cost of a refinish would be. I am thinking lacquer.
Best,
What is the current finish? Getting the old finish off without damaging the wood is the tricky and time consuming part. One doesn't like to use paint removers since the spirit based ones can react with the glue and water based removers can damage the wood and/or glue so you're stuck using scrapers and sandpaper. It's a nasty unpleasant job for which the craftsman should be well paid. You're most likely looking at $800-$1000 or more.
I've had no issues with spirit based strippers. I use Nitro Mors Varnish remover, I have used it on easily 20-30 various instruments over the years. The only place I've found you need to be careful of is over the roseette, so just leave that area until later. I offer a strip and refinish for £300. Which is probably quite cheap really.
I've had no issues with spirit based strippers. I use Nitro Mors Varnish remover, I have used it on easily 20-30 various instruments over the years.
Your price is indeed resonable Stephen. The EPA in the US has made paint strippers pretty much worthless. 20 years ago I could buy strippers that would take the skin off your hands and remove lacquer effortlessly but not any more. I'll look for the product you recommended.
Your price is indeed resonable Stephen. The EPA in the US has made paint strippers pretty much worthless. 20 years ago I could buy strippers that would take the skin off your hands and remove lacquer effortlessly but not any more. I'll look for the product you recommended.
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Yes I agree, I stripped and finished an oud a few weeks ago and the polyurethane was the dickens to get off. I was curing the low strength of this junk. In the old days they sold a stripper by Jasco that would have taken the ply off in nothing flat.
The difficulty of removing the finish makes me usually turn away guitar refinish work unless it has shellac on the instrument.
Hehe I get kick out of the word 'Dickens' as in the writer being censored.
The guitar was built in 1980 and has a few miles on it. Also has a few cleated cracks in it. But she growls and has an awesome sound. She needs a bit of TLC
A strip and refinish carries with it the risk of changing the sound, especially if the soundboard is thinned to eliminate scratches. Like Shellac, new lacquer will burn in to old so repair of the existing if absolutely necessary may be better. Destruction of existing patina may reduce value.
Holy Evil - Yeah it is french polish. Also I have only just put it up from £200!
I wonder if the strippers in Spain are as bad too. I stripped the laquer off an old Conde while working at Stephen Hill's shop years ago now and the stuff out there didn't do much either.
The Nitro mors says it tough on varnish and kind to wood. well its perhaps not kind but it doesnt hurt it either. Very little sanding is needed once done as well. Usually just a light going over with 320.
The change in sound will probably come about more if you swtich from Poly to french polish. I usually only refinish french polished guitars or warn that the sound may change on other finishes. I haven't refinished one that got worse yet so that a good thing!
Whilst on this topic I also bought a 20 year old Blanca 2 weeks ago, Spruce top, Cypress and spanish Cedar. It was very well looked after and the sound is ecstatic however there are cracks etc but what caught my eye a few nights ago is that on the top just behind the bridge theres some swelling in 2 parts, what can be the cause of this and is it repairable? I also want to have it redone but theres some wood scraped off by the rosette too, not sure if this is even repairable. Just want the look of the guitar to match the sound. any advice will be appreciated
Its impossible to say anything without at least a photo and even then it can be impossible. Most things can be fixed though, but sometimes guitars change shapes with time and this what you call swelling might not be something you can do anything about and if you do, the guitar may end up being "stressed" and sound and play worse.
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