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How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10137&t=46244		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Fws6 [ Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:39 am ]
Post subject:  How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
Hi fellas I am a new member here, and have a restauration question I hope some of you more experienced luthiers can help me with.

How to take off tape from a guitar , without damaging the laquer finish ?

This tape was put on 30+ years ago by a previous owner, apparently to secure areas of loose binding. It has since hardened and dried out. I am only showing one spot, but is all over the guitar, frontside and backside.

I tried lighter fluid , but it wont penetrate through the plastic. When I scratch some off the tape away with my fingernail if comes off in very small fragments , lacquer stays intact underneath. But it goes slow, that does not work either.

Any experience and / or good ideas ?


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Author:  Chris Pile [ Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
Have you tried a cleaner like Goop or Fast Orange?
Author:  johnparchem [ Wed Aug 26, 2015 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
maybe a little heat from a heat gun might soften the glue. I do this on new tape. No idea about old tape.
Author:  Fws6 [ Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
Thanks for the rapid responses !

I am in Europe but could look for a comparable cleaner to Fast Orange ?

Heat gun would scare me a bit... I dont want to risk damaging the finish or binding (it is an 80 year old guitar !)
Author:  Rodger Knox [ Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
I suspect a scraper would be the best alternative. There's little chance that you can get that tape off without the finish underneath being damaged, since the tape adhesive has probably already degraded it anyway.
If you can peel all the tape off, a white vinyl eraser works nicely for getting the remaining adhesive off.
Author:  Lonnie J Barber [ Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
Rodger I agree adhesive tape on an antique guitar is a nightmare to the finish. Is it really bothering you a bunch? You could call it Mojo and be proud of your guitar. Just an idea but I love my antique guitars war wounds. It's part of their history


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Author:  Fws6 [ Wed Aug 26, 2015 3:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
>Is it really bothering you a bunch?

Yes, theres lots of tape all around and it all has to come off to do necessary repairs to loose bindings and separating top
Author:  Bob Shanklin [ Wed Aug 26, 2015 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
If you don't want to use a heat gun, try a hair dryer.

BOB
Author:  Mark Fogleman [ Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
A plastic scraper blade made out of an old plastic hotel key card or gift card or credit card filed down on one long edge to a sharp edge will help loosen it after it heats up and not gouge the finish. Gradually heat the tape until you are able to lift an edge with the scraper and slowly work it through. Protect the surrounding area with corrugated cardboard while heating if concerned but you don't need a lot of heat to get the old tape to loosen. I've also read that a vinegar soaked paper towel laid on top of the old packing tape for ~10 minutes and then rubbed on the tape will soften it but haven't tried it.
Author:  Fws6 [ Thu Aug 27, 2015 1:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
Thanks Tarhead I will try both those techniques

I have scratched off about a 1 inch length with my fingernail and that took colose to an hour, so I really need to find something to speed up a little

On the bright side, the finish stayed intact underneath so far
Author:  fumblefinger [ Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
If you can find a Teflon type of bar stock, you can grind a sharp edge then buff it down a bit. It works well for scrapping.
Author:  Fws6 [ Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
Teflon I ll try that

I already worn through my fingernails by now and there s lots of tape to go still

Took me an hour and a half to go from here

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Author:  Fws6 [ Sun Aug 30, 2015 8:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
... To here ! But the lacquer stays OK underneath so far.

Image
Author:  Chris Pile [ Sun Aug 30, 2015 9:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
Coolness!
Author:  SteveSmith [ Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How to remove old tape from a guitar body ?
Nice work
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