The Guitar Refinishing and Restoration Forum

[Vince]

Eventually ... but you are still going to have to deal with the witness line. The best way I have found to deal with that is by trying to get the levels allot closer before trying to bring it all together with spraying clear.

I understand that you do not want to get close to the Les Paul part. You can get close and try to blend... it will work but will take a little massaging...
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[Cody Paul]

OK, this is what I have so far. Sprayed 2 coats over the whole face, then 6 more on just the top part. Still a little difference but close. Going to let it dry for a week or so and then sand it and see what happens. Hopefully it'll be all right. Theres a little bit of a color difference though so really want to see how that works out.

Just thought the last few pictures were interesting. When I peeled off the masking tape the clear coat on the piece on the bottom came off the tape. Wasn't expecting that. Six coats of clear and how thin it still looks.

[Cody Paul]

Also ordered some micromesh, colortone and hide glue from Stew Mac. Second time I've ordered from them and it arrived three days later both times. Got my clearcoat from ReRanch and it also arrived superfast. Everything else I order takes forever. Fortunately the colortone and glue came packaged in their own bags. The lid wasn't on tight on the glue and it leaked out. They sent a sanding pad with the mesh and I wasn't expecting that. Can't complain.

Sanded some of the maple plugs down and collected the dust. Was going to mix it with superglue and use it to fill the gaps in the holes I'm filling. Read that the CA dries superhard though and is almost impossible to sand so decided to try the hide glue instead. Hope it works. Then I'll have to see how to color it and blend it all together. Could get interesting.

Tru oil is still in the mail, hopefully it'll be here soon. Right now though I think I may be better off finishing everything that needs clearcoating first. Probably doesn't really make a difference but seems it would be easier in keeping the oil off of where I don't want it that way.

[~frank]

[Cody Paul]

Thanks Frank thats good to know. I thought it was runny and soaked in. Maybe it'll be easier to work with than I thought. An 8 oz. bottle arrived in the mail today. I'm eager to try it but have some more sanding to do first.

In the meantime I had a good day. Just, not, today.
The clearcoat on the headstock has now started to peel off from around the trussrod. Guess I should've stripped the whole thing after all. Don't think I want to try the piecemeal approach again. It looks like two different colors, may buff out but the top half looks a deeper black and is shinier. Oh well, another lesson learned. Got a little experience in the process too. Anyone know where I can get a good decal for the Les Paul Model?

Oh yeah I guess I have to say something else as well... *hanging head in shame* Vince, um.... you were right....

[Cody Paul]

Deep dark depression, excessive misery.... Didn't want to but was afraid if I patched it again something else would peel and I'd just be going in circles. Besides it didn't match. Vince kept trying to tell me it was more work but did I listen? Nooooo, I wanted to see what would happen. So, ok, stripped the top of the headstock. No more Les Paul Model Fortunately Geocha said he'd make me some. Just have to come up with a little money to pay him. Definitely looking forward to it... Ummm, do I apply the decals before any clearcoat, or put on a couple coats and then apply the decal? If I put clearcoat on first, do I sand it before putting on the decal?



In the meantime used some of the mahogany dust from sanding and some hide glue to patch the back of the neck. It came out darker than the rest for some reason, but filled well and sanded smooth. Can't even feel it.



Some black still around the serial number. If it was in the numbers and lettering it would look ok. Sand it much more and I'll lose it altogether. Lacquer thinner isn't doing anything to it nor is the stripper. Any ideas?



Have the holes in the top patched. The way things have been going though I'm afraid to even test the colortone let alone actually use it.

[Gatorcountry]

[Cody Paul]

[Cody Paul]

Ok some pictures of the headstock. What do you think? Something that can be fixed or does it need stripped again?

I also mixed some of the colortone and practiced on some of the maple plugs. I liked the way it came out so colored the plugs in the guitar. Still not quite right, but from a distance it's not too noticable. Let it dry awhile and try a second coat then spray some clear in a cup and see if I can learn to drop fill.








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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

YEAH a good day!! Look what came in the mail today. Geocha did a really good job. Love the way the light reflects off of it. Got more than I bargained for as well. All I expected was 2 decals that said Les Paul Model. Definitely recommend everyone checks him out.




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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

Did a little more work on the plugs. Sanded the top one to lighten it, then was going to add a bit more stain. The colortone was mixed with water and thought it would soak in a bit. Barely touched it and the color came off. Didn't think it would that easily. So, definitely had to do it again. Let it dry then did a escond coat over it and the smaller plug. Used a small modellers brush so I could make it darker in some areas. See if I could blend in the grain. I think it matches much better now but still looks like crap close up. Has dark rings around them that makes them stand out now too. Probably leave it like this and see if I can build some clear up then respray the entire top. What do y'all think?








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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

OK, fear has set in this time, messed it up to many times. Hopefully third times the charm for the headstock, hope to get it in one for the decal.

Sprayed two coats of clear on the headstock and let it dry three days (fortunately work slows me down when I get impatient.) Was afraid I'd trim the decal too close and it would fall apart when I placed it. So didn't get as close as I wanted to. Still had a little trouble, it folded over on itself in a few places and had to work it to get it down right. I think it looks brighter than what was on it originally. Didn't get it placed quite right though. Sounds funny, "I can live with it, but I'll always be annoyed it's a little off." I'll let it dry today and decide later. Could be worse, I came real close to putting it on upside down. Probably leave it though and see if I can spray clear over it without messing it up again.






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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[top_cat]

That looks a 100 times better than when you were trying to patch It up.

Just go really easy misting you're first coats of clear on the decal, and give It time to harden a bit before going to wet with It.

[Cody Paul]

Thanks Topcat. I think it looks tons better too. Should have done that from the beginning. Was afraid I couldn't replace the Les Paul decal though. Learning experiences abound... Still wonder how it would have looked sanded and buffed out.

Have 8 coats of clear on it now. Looks SHINY. My youngest son's afraid to touch it. Thinks it still looks wet and freshly sprayed. Now, if only I'd been smart enough to use a tack cloth first. I have got to stop inviting Murphy to help. Can't seem to get the decals edges buried either. Don't want to spray too heavy though.

Well, lots of pics of the same thing. trying to show the dust in the clearcoat, the decals edges and the shine. Think it will sand down ok with the dust in it?








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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins

[Cody Paul]

I've been reading the threads talking about Timbermate and asked for a sample. Unfortunately I asked for the Mahogany thinking I may try it on the back. Still planning on the Tru-Oil right now though. Anyway, I was now wondering if I'd used it on the plugs I put in the top, if it would have blended in better and not showed the rings around them. Already built up several coats of clear over them. Could always strip back down and try it. But how would the mahogany timbermate blend with the maple?
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"I was told when I started to play that simple music is the hardest music in the world to play. And blues is simple music." Albert Collins