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8d2studios
July 31st, 2009, 11:05 AM
After thinking it over and over i decided to do my first Les Paul refinish to my heavily relic Les Paul, all the stain and faded was done by hand with NO SPRAY GUNS, the lacquered finish was done with a spray can and polished by hand too, this was a 4 days work, around 16 hours total.

Hope you like it,The flames really got enhanced and i love it and think i will do nothing more to this baby........after I'm done with the back and sides. :)

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/Evolution-comparison.jpg

Sanded body, ready for staining:

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/a0f037ee.jpg

First stage of staining:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/2003-to-1959-faded-refinish-work.jpg

Final polished top:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/DSC02292.jpg

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/DSC02290.jpg

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/DSC02293.jpg

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/DSC02296.jpg

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/DSC02287.jpg

After i used the stripping juice i was scared because the binding started melting, so i did it quickly, after that i used 150 grit dry sanding paper, then 220 and then 320.

I grabs some old t-shirts cut little pieces of it and use it as brush. The combination of the stains was tricky and i used a piece of pine to try the colors before i got it right and use it on the paul.

i spent about 2 hours total in staining the top, let it dry over the sunday night and on monday noon started spraying the lacquer, 2 good coats every 24 hours and light sanding with 2,400 grit wet sanding paper between every 24 hours, this until thursday morning where i did the final polishing with 3200, 3800, 4000, 8000, 1200 wet sand papers and a polishing paste #4 Swirl Remover from Stewart-Macdonald on a t-shirt. :

Here is a shot of the products i used for the finish.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/Myfinishingproducts.jpg

Heywood Jablomie
July 31st, 2009, 11:22 AM
You did WHAT???!!! Refinished a classic Gibson Les Paul????? Took a guitar worth twenty-seven-thousand-dollars and reduced it to a $14.95 piece of junk???!!! Blasphemy!!!!!

Just kidding. Looks like you did a very nice job. And you now have a LP unlike any others. Unique is good. Kudos to you!

MichaelE
July 31st, 2009, 11:24 AM
Very nicely done. Looks great!

marnold
July 31st, 2009, 12:38 PM
Under normal circumstances I would have advised against that, but you did a really nice job. I think it looks great.

Tig
July 31st, 2009, 01:18 PM
OMG, that is a beauty! Very classy and tasteful.

All the prep work and polishing after made the difference. Well done.

Kazz
July 31st, 2009, 04:21 PM
Very nice....do you have any before pictures?

rylanmartin
July 31st, 2009, 04:33 PM
I would be scared to death to re-finish a Les Paul....

However, I feel I have done a very professional and convincing new finish on one of my strats... I could give you a few pointers if you wanted

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/3334/imgp1729.jpg

Plank_Spanker
July 31st, 2009, 09:43 PM
VERY well done! :bravo:

8d2studios
July 31st, 2009, 10:35 PM
Got some better sun light today, it makes the grain pop up.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/DSC023423.jpg

Nico.

Tone2TheBone
July 31st, 2009, 11:31 PM
Were you bored? I'm guessing the original finish shown in the pics (if the pics are your guitar) didn't do it for you. I don't get it. :confused:

Brian Krashpad
August 1st, 2009, 04:47 AM
Wow. Great job.

Kazz
August 1st, 2009, 05:45 AM
Got some better sun light today, it makes the grain pop up.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/DSC023423.jpg

Nico.


WOW.

8d2studios
August 12th, 2009, 06:39 AM
This is an update on my 2003 LP refinish, now its time to show the back and sides.

I need your opinions on whether to leave it as it is right now, with all that beautiful grain showing in all its porous glory, or continue applying lacquer until the mirror gloss comes out. I have to say that i like it this way, but know it will look great with high gloss too......decisions......decisions....Urrrr

Back sanded ready for staining:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/back-unfinished.jpg

Reflection of the porous back:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/Back-01.jpg

I did not know the back had so much going on, with all this refinish test i have learned that Gibson does not do its best to really show how beautiful its wood can be, same happened with the top, it has much more flames now.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/back-side-by-side.jpg

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/neck-joint-comparison.jpg

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/side-comparison.jpg

MichaelE
August 12th, 2009, 07:04 AM
Tough decision. It does look good now, but...

I like a mirror shine so I'd be laying on the lacquer. Think how beautiful it will look under that shine.

Tig
August 12th, 2009, 03:31 PM
This is an update on my 2003 LP refinish, now its time to show the back and sides.

I need your opinions on whether to leave it as it is right now, with all that beautiful grain showing in all its porous glory, or continue applying lacquer until the mirror gloss comes out. I have to say that i like it this way, but know it will look great with high gloss too......decisions......decisions....Urrrr


If the stain you used is also a sealer, I'd put on a coat of satin varnish, lightly sand with dry Silicon Carbide 400 to knock off the imperfections and to provide a slightly roughened texture, then a second varnish coat followed by an extra light sanding with dry Silicon Carbide 600. Personally, I'd use a satin varnish instead of a high gloss.

That said, I have plenty of staining and varnishing with various woods on fireplace mantals, and custom mahogony doors, but not guitars. A durable finish on a stained exterior door requires 3 thin coats of spar varnish with sanding using dry Silicon Carbide 220, 400, and 600 after each respective coat, for instance.

8d2studios
August 12th, 2009, 05:34 PM
If the stain you used is also a sealer, I'd put on a coat of satin varnish, lightly sand with dry Silicon Carbide 400 to knock off the imperfections and to provide a slightly roughened texture, then a second varnish coat followed by an extra light sanding with dry Silicon Carbide 600. Personally, I'd use a satin varnish instead of a high gloss.

That said, I have plenty of staining and varnishing with various woods on fireplace mantals, and custom mahogony doors, but not guitars. A durable finish on a stained exterior door requires 3 thin coats of spar varnish with sanding using dry Silicon Carbide 220, 400, and 600 after each respective coat, for instance.


Great advice man, thanks a lot.:AOK: :master:

8d2studios
August 13th, 2009, 02:54 PM
Thank a lot.

I did 2 more coats on her yesterday, still far from glossy the back is becoming more beautiful with every coat.

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/wr.jpg

peachhead
August 13th, 2009, 06:30 PM
I dunno if I would have had the guts to do it, but it does look really nice!

8d2studios
August 17th, 2009, 09:49 AM
New image:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/RIVERA-BURST-01.jpg

bigG
August 17th, 2009, 10:07 AM
Absolutely gorgeous, 8d! Man, that's a real work of art! :master:

8d2studios
August 17th, 2009, 10:16 AM
Here is one that shows almost the exact color of the back and sides, i try to make it a really fade red mahogany finish.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/side-and-back-new.jpg

8d2studios
August 17th, 2009, 10:19 AM
Absolutely gorgeous, 8d! Man, that's a real work of art! :master:


Thank you BigG:beer:

deeaa
August 17th, 2009, 11:42 AM
Yep it sure looks much better now, excellent job!

mrmudcat
August 17th, 2009, 11:45 AM
Looking good brother:D

pes_laul
August 17th, 2009, 01:07 PM
You did an excellent job dude :AOK:

msteeln
August 17th, 2009, 01:35 PM
This is essentially what I'd do to every relic'd guitar out there!

That said, a friend just came back from Japan with a relic'd Edwards Les Paul that look's pretty sweet because it was done smartly (one ding and a disstressed finish) and look's real. Plus it sounds like a very good vintage LP with the light weight and Bareknuckle's in it. But I'd still prefer it as new.

8d2studios
August 21st, 2009, 09:40 AM
Another new image.

Thank you all for the great compliments.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/Outside-morning-photo.jpg

Robert
August 21st, 2009, 09:43 AM
Sweet looking axe, dude! Can I have it? :D

otaypanky
August 21st, 2009, 11:17 AM
Lookin' Good ;)

8d2studios
August 23rd, 2009, 03:11 PM
Here is the back of the headstock with the serial applied by hand and first hand of varnish.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt61/nicolasrivera-photos/Rivera-Burst-Serial-and-1st-hand-va.jpg

8d2studios
August 26th, 2009, 01:03 PM
Here a preview images of my guitar naturally aged.

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/a220458a.jpg


http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/7fe49d13.jpg


http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/8db1a867.jpg


http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/9a25648e.jpg


http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/b73c7782.jpg


http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/2ecd8c10.jpg

Nico.

deeaa
August 26th, 2009, 11:20 PM
I remember the old cellulose lacquer at least used to be prone to cracking in quick temperature changes.

When I bought mine I wondered about the extra cloth layer on the case, which remained over the guitar when you opened the case, and the salesperson said that one function is to slow down the temperature change when you open the box.

I never had any problems, but whenever my guitar was riding to a gig in a cold trailer at minus -25 celsius and I took it in to room temp at a gig, I always made sure I waited at least 15 minutes before opening the case, then cracked it open but still left the cloth on for a while.

A buddy of mine swore that when his goldtop was relatively new in the 70's, he had walked to practice in -30 weather and when he had gotten to the practice late and promptly taken the guitar out to play it, its lacquer had simply cracked in a hundred small hairline cracks like snap crackle pop...and it remained that way ever since. The cracks looked a little like those on the last picture, around the edges mostly.

8d2studios
August 28th, 2009, 10:44 AM
Mode details of the aging parts.

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/Knob-59--Nico-Aged.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/middle-detail.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/59-nico-aged-detail.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/59-sun-detail.jpg

mrmudcat
August 28th, 2009, 12:05 PM
Them tophats sure are tasty looking!!!:master:


Would love a authentic vintage aged set:beer:

8d2studios
August 28th, 2009, 02:29 PM
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02731.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02734.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02735.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02738.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02747.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02728.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02726.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02749.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02751.jpg

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/DSC02752.jpg

Kazz
August 29th, 2009, 04:54 AM
Is this the same guitar that you just recently refinished? Were the very first pictures that you posted, pictures of this actual guitar or stock photos?

8d2studios
August 29th, 2009, 08:22 AM
Is this the same guitar that you just recently refinished? Were the very first pictures that you posted, pictures of this actual guitar or stock photos?


This last images are of the recently refinish guitar that i just aged!!!:thwap: ...... i know i should have left her alone, but whats the point of having an UNBURST finish if the guitar is going to look like new, it just doesn't match.

8d2studios
November 29th, 2009, 10:35 PM
New photo!!

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/8d2studios/IMG_2455.jpg

Ch0jin
November 30th, 2009, 01:19 AM
Thats a nice looking guitar and a job that would never have attempted for fear of messing it up, so mad props to you for that.

Just a question though, in one of the images on the first page, the one in the case, it looks like the binding is badly damaged, was this a result of the paint stripper you mentioned? I'm curious as to how you fixed that up?

I also note it sports a set of duncans now :) I have the SH1 and SH4 in my Maton MS2000DLX and love them. What'd you go for?

Oh and the photographer in me loved the shot of it up against the brick wall. You know, you could make the picture even cooler if that guitar was leaning up against, oh i dunno, say a vintage Marshall stack? hahahaha.

mainestratman
January 27th, 2010, 10:42 AM
Well done on the refinishing job... the macro photography is incredible as well.

I would LOVE to refinish guitars. :-)

Coco
February 4th, 2010, 03:05 PM
Very very nice.

kidsmoke
February 4th, 2010, 05:05 PM
I'd take that over any other Les Paul finish I've seen. Beautiful. :applause

DrumBob
April 21st, 2010, 06:00 PM
Very nice. Had it been mine, I would have left the top with a less glossy finish to keep the relic look, but if you like it, that's what matters.

phup
October 27th, 2011, 12:08 PM
Old post. Beatuiful job on that guitar! I wondered if you noticed any difference in "playability" after refinishing the neck. Some folks have noticed the neck being a bit "sticky" after refinishing. I actually prefer the slick feel of a lightly sanded neck. How do you like the way it plays now?