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I used Dingo Tone on my very first kit build. The natural stain colour and final top coats were used on my ash body and maple neck. These came out well and I am happy with them. But the Bondi Blue kit I used on my maple veneer was a disaster. I’ve never really liked it, it still has a slightly tacky feel and the blue is now an olive green.
Can anyone suggest a way to remove the finish from my guitar top? I’d like to give it a new colour and try a different finishing product.
I’ve just gone through this with one of my earlier builds. DT natural on an ash TL body.
I ended up using a cabinet scraper where it was sticky to scrape back to a state where sandpaper would take it off. Took forever.
I tried gum turps, mineral turps, 80 grit and nothing really got it off until after I scraped it back. Once it’s sticky or tacky it just gums the paper up after one or two passes.
good luck with it
Removed the butterscotch Dingotone a few weeks back on my Gretsch kit. Fortunately was dry to the touch and 120 grit took it back quite well. Moved up in grit grades until I was happy then reverted to true and trusted PAINT, Can't say I'd use Dingotone again but each to their own. Good luck. FW's advice is probably worth following.
I have never used, nor been inclined to use DT, so I can't offer any first-hand experience.
Frankie's method sounds like the best option and one I would try if I were in your shoes.
The tricky part will be removing it from the veneer and I wouldn't go at it with P80.
That said, if things did go horribly wrong with the veneer, at least you have an ash body underneath. Just saw a post this morning from a member that removed the veneer and binding, rounded over the edge and rescued the body (and quite nicely I might add).
kman42 rescue tele
It may not be in line with your original intention, but it is an out and could give something truly unique.
Hi all, hate to resurrect an old thread, but are there any more tips for removing DT other than scraping? Would a heat gun help in the process?
In my first build, my tl-1, I used DT, and like some others have experienced the top coat has gone all funky. Sanding has gunked up the sandpaper without actually removing much.
Any advice will be appreciated. I did some test scraping with a razor blade and seemed to work.
Sorry (although not surprised) to hear about your issues with DingoTone. Unfortunately, I have heard more bad than good outcomes. There may be a few folks around that have used it. I am sure I'd have bought some with my first kit if they'd have been able to send it outside Australia. So, I can only speculate, and am only going by what I see on the boards here. Hopefully someone who has actually used it will chime in.
Given that it has a citrus aroma and is "all natural"...and that it is contrasted with poly, I am guessing that it is oil based. First approach would be to try mineral spirits or natural turpentine, but the posts above suggest that wasn't too effective. You could try something more aggressive like acetone. I'd start with a paint scraper or razor blade (pulled rather than pushed ;-) ), to remove as much of of the tacky stuff as you can, then graduate to 100 or 120 sandpaper or sanding sponge.
+1 for razor blade, or a cabinet scraper.
Thanks everyone for your advice! Managed to get it off with a combination of a scraper first and then lots 80 grit wet sanding. Looking forward to a new paint job on this one!
Hope you'll post it. Also hoping the new finish works out better. What are you thinking of doing?