Non PBG LP project refresh

[Andyxlh]

Hello everyone,
I have decided that I'm a multi tasker. I'm not suggesting that I'm good at this, just that I like to have a few things on the go to give me something to fiddle with even if the main project is drying or whatever.
Currently on the to do list...
Polish frets and finish setup on the strat Tele TLA
Recess bridge and refinish headstock on RCA4
Buy a steel nut for SV1 as the locking nuts are stripped
Continue working on the incomplete SG
And to top it off, I have decided to refinish my first kit guitar, an LP kit. I bought it off eBay about 6 years ago, and it isn't a PBG kit, but I did get the Tonerider Rocksong pickups from Adam. It plays like a blinder and has been my go to guitar for years.
Here it is, I painted it to match the Harley Night Rod which I rather fancied the look of, but I didn't end up getting one!
The paint was auto finish, and it didn't stick too well. The flat black feels a bit rubbery and can be scraped off with a fingernail, the Chevy orange is as hard as a rock!
I have done a bit of exploratory scraping to see what it looks like underneath, and I'm hoping I'll be able to save the rather nice 3 layer binding on the body.
More to come, but not in a rush!!!

[JohnH]

Man, those stripes are nice. Pity the black isn't adhered properly. Any idea what caused it?

[Andyxlh]

Man, those stripes are nice. Pity the black isn't adhered properly. Any idea what caused it?

Not sure, I painted the body orange, then masked the edges and the stripes and painted it flat black. The primer and orange has taken really well, the orange is an enamel engine paint. The black is White Knight epoxy enamel, amazing on metal, obviously not so good on timber!
On the neck it can be removed with a fingernail, it peels of not flakes, which I have never seen before. Wrong product for the job I guess.
I liked the stripes, but I don't think they suit the classic lines of this guitar. If I'd bought a Harley night rod with the same paint I might think differently!

[Simon Barden]

I had a similar encounter with peeling varnish on my home-made bass cab. Used a coloured varnish then a clear one over the top to build up some depth, same make, same product range, no exact statement on the tin as to what it was but was water-based so maybe it was poly or acrylic, applied several coats. Left to dry for a couple of weeks, then went to sand it down flat before polishing and the random orbital sander just started pulling patches off. It just hadn't stuck to the wood at all and was a flexible plastic film that I could peel off (on all except the bottom of the cab). So it's now been sanded right back, re-stained and has just had its first coat of good-old high VOC yacht varnish on it.

[Andyxlh]

Yes could be it. This will get a gold top as I'm going to lose most of the holes on the front and go with an Axis setup with one volume, one switch

[Simon Barden]

Mmmmmnnn, gold top....

[Andyxlh]

That's what I thought, it's the only opaque finish for the top I like. I will have to hide the three holes I'm gonna fill so I have to go solid. I have started stripping the finish off the back, it is super hard to get the orange and primer off the body, the black came off of the neck in 10 mins!
I'm hoping to save the binding which is under the finish, so far so good, and go with a timber stain on the back, probably Jarrah. Satin finish on the back, gloss on the headstock and arch top

[wazkelly]

How about this if a Gold Top is too boring....

[Andyxlh]

Ooh that's nice too!
I am going with the Harley vibe with this one, and have two Harley tank logos cut in vinyl I'm intending to use as stencils on the body, they are a left right pair.
I was going to paint the top black, add the vinyl, paint it gold and peel off before clearcoat to show the decals as black against the gold, but against the blue would work as well!
I have all black hardware for it now, was almost there anyway bot got a cheap black tailpiece setup with roller saddles to finish the look.

[Andyxlh]

Attacked it with the sander tonight and it's looking ok, the finish is coming off as anticipated, but making a lot of messy black dust!