So I decided to strip my Tele...

[CyaNitrate]

So I've never been much for black guitars, or even more boadly dark colors with maple boards, but I love this Tele. But I want to love it more, so I've decide to strip it and refinish it in Seafoam Green

You can't see it in this pic, but the finish had uniform lines running parallel to the neck, which I thought were shrink lines, shrinking at seams in the wood pieces, leading me to believe it was like a butcher block and made of like seven pieces. I haven't stripped the front yet so I'll try to get a pic of what I'm describing.

Step 1: Disassemble

[Dandolin]

So I've never been much for black guitars, or even more boadly dark colors with maple boards, but I love this Tele. But I want to love it more, so I've decide to strip it and refinish it in Seafoam Green

I'm right witcha on that--I've got an Offset Special that I've been thinking on doing the same thing, down to the Seafoam....

Good on ya and Bon Voyage!

I'll be watching with interest....

[CyaNitrate]

Step 1a: Purchase heat gun

Step 2: HEAT!

I wasn't real sure what to expect, as I've never done this before. I kept the gun moving over a section about 5 inches or so, and eventually the poly just kind blisters and pops up, completely separated from the body, then you scrape it away.

Step 3: More heat and elbow grease

So first, this is a top-load only body, leaving the back sexy smooth with no holes. Second, I can't see ANY seams. That doesn't mean they aren't there..I haven't done any sanding and I highly doubt its a one-piece. But I can pretty confidently say it isn't a butcher block!

[kosta]

Excited to see how this turns out!

[CyaNitrate]

So I've never been much for black guitars, or even more boadly dark colors with maple boards, but I love this Tele. But I want to love it more, so I've decide to strip it and refinish it in Seafoam Green

I'm right witcha on that--I've got an Offset Special that I've been thinking on doing the same thing, down to the Seafoam....

Good on ya and Bon Voyage!

I'll be watching with interest....

I will be the guinea pig for both of us

I'm likely going to be using Reranch products, because I want it to be pretty. And store bought enamel is too soft unless you bake it, and I'm not putting this in my oven (Though I did buy a toaster oven for pedals for exactly that reason, works like a charm!)

[Dandolin]

You go.

Although it would be cool to see pics of a Tele body in rattle can Surf Green roasting away in a pig smoker or some other barbecue gear.

[CyaNitrate]

Krylon has a color called Sea Glass that's pretty close, that I almost tried.....It's readily available, but I don't wanna chance it.

seaglass.jpg (15.75 KiB) Viewed 6380 times

[Dandolin]

That looks good on the can--but I agree, spending a little bit more on a finish that will set up hard with less fuss is totes worth it....

[ChannelingHemingway]

50s custom color tele? Hnnng.

I'll be watching this thread lustfully.

Edit:

I vaguely recall working on a MIMcaster several years back that had a 4-ish piece body with a veneered front and back. It gives the manufacturer the economy of a multipiece body but they can still do bursts without the guitar looking like a cutting board. Probably helps hide shrink lines, too.

[skullservant]

Awesome!

[antennafarm]

ugh, that fullerplast shit is the devil.

[CyaNitrate]

I vaguely recall working on a MIMcaster several years back that had a 4-ish piece body with a veneered front and back. It gives the manufacturer the economy of a multipiece body but they can still do bursts without the guitar looking like a cutting board. Probably helps hide shrink lines, too.

This is the case. But, they decided to paint it black anyways...

[CyaNitrate]

ugh, that fullerplast shit is the devil.

NO JOKE. Color came off easy and in nice big flakes. Sealer...ugh. came off in pieces the size of a grain of rice..

This is a pain in the ass. You will burn yourself.

But! Nearly down to bare wood..more pics later.

[ChannelingHemingway]

This is the case. But, they decided to paint it black anyways...

It's probably cheaper to have a single production method for bodies than it is to have one line for opaque finishes and another for transparent. Mine was midnight wine.

[kosta]