Sanding/stripping satin finishes: difficulty level?

[Big Mon]

Specifically, them Epiphone LP Specials with the P90's-thinking about getting (another) one, removing the finish, & doing my own, maybe like worn olive green or something, not sure yet. How difficult would that be? I'd heard from an old luthier that "worn"/satin/matte finishes were a pain in the ass when I asked for an estimate on refinishing an Epi G400 I used to have. He basically told me he wouldn't even bother with it

[whoismarykelly]

Removing a finish like that is the same as removing any other finish. Its applying a non-oil satin finish that is much more difficult than a gloss finish.

[qersty]

If you are lucky you may be able to get it off with heat, I know that works for some "plastic" finishes. Otherwise its probably just time that is an issue. Flat surfaces you dont have to do by hand tho so there is a time saver if you got the tools.

Another option could just be to get an unfinished body off aliexpress

[repoman]

It can be a massive pain in the ass to remove polyurethane from guitars. The poly comes off with a heat gun fairly easily but usually the guitar wood is some "mystery meat" fake mahogany like sapele, khaya, lauan, etc that are usually considerably softer than actual mahogany species so the bodies are covered in a thick layer of some type of industrial epoxy that is highly resistant to both extremely toxic chemical strippers and heat, the only thing that really removes it is endless hours of sanding, which is a pain in the ass itself because this epoxy clogs sandpaper very quickly.
I recently did this to a Edwards Les Paul, never again.

[kosta]

Yeah, who knows what you'll find under there if it's thick poly. Would you be stripping the neck and headstock too? If you're game for many many many hours of sanding, followed by many many many hours of wipe on staining and oiling and more sanding, and achieving highly imperfect results, then go for it. I'm kind of into it personally. It just takes time and patience and elbow grease. A lot of each.

[Big Mon]

It's punky wood, no doubt. But I think I read that they're poplar or something, which ain't horrible. Mahogany top is certainly veneer. I think that if I wind up doing it, I'll go for an amber stain, but I don't have a workshop so I'd have to make arrangements with a pal who does.

[kosta]

Do you have a pic of said guitar?

[Big Mon]

Do you have a pic of said guitar?

I have a pic of the one i own in Worn TV Yellow. I'm not gonna strip it, but am planning on getting a Worn Cherry to keep as-is, & will possibly get another TV Yellow to strip & stain.
Here's a pic of mine (I put on green P90 covers & pink speed knobs. Worth mentioning that in person, you can see some of the grain, but not so much in the pic)

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