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H Folks

I'm thinking of sacrificing one of my early builds, a mahogany dread, to practice some repair work etc. I am not that happy with it anyway.

I'm planning to take the neck and top off. Make and fit a new top/bindings. re-set the neck (if needed, probably not). Inlay my logo in the headstock (which i didnt have at the time) and refinish the hole thing.

My question is what is the best way to strip back the old nitro? Chemicals or just good fashioned sanding?

Thanks for any tips.

G.

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www.leddingtonguitars.com

I have used the gel type strippers and prefer them. Brush them on heavy, let it dry,
scrape off. I have also used lacquer thinner but that gets messy.

I just finished doing this myself, and have another one to do! I used lacquer thinner and a roll of paper towels. Took a couple of hours to strip the entire guitar. Any way you go about it, it's messy!

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

I've done a few with chemical stripper. It's very effective on nitro. It came off almost in sheets and required very little clean up.

For stripping nitro I use lacquer thinner (the cheap big box stuff). You can soak a paper towel and lay it on the finish and let it rest and soften the lacquer, then scrape the lacquer off using a plastic or dull (with edges blunted) metal scraper. Then use a scotchbrite dipped in thinner and finally more paper towels wetted with thinner. For some finishes I use the gel stripper, but for lacquer I use thinner.

Cool thanks for the tips guys...

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www.leddingtonguitars.com

Don't forget the nitrile gloves and change them when they start breaking down.