Stripping Les Paul, neck back and sides. Trepidation... 2016 1950's tribute with coloured back.

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I recently acquired second hand a Les Paul 1950's Tribute, Satin Honey Burst 2016, for sensible price. I'm not keen on the dark brown nitro finish on the back, so have started stripping it, gently! Having removed all fittings, I set out by using paint stripper on  a small area with a corresponding small brush. The finish is surprisingly thin. I found the aunty molly tv dinner trays with polystyrene bead backs great for supporting and protecting the face down body and fret board on the table top.
Some masking tape over the switchgear access panels makes sense as the stripper will melt 'em. I used a blunt stanley knife blade on all flat faces including the sides with large amounts of kitchen roll. When applying stripper to neck and body sides make sure the guitar is flat with fretboard and maple surface uppermost, the stripper will, by gravity want to get to the maple cap edges and damage the upper finish. Careful scrapping over the body sides will expose the maple cap edge which gives a pleasant binding effect.
On all 'sensitive' edges I did not put stripper but gently sanded medium then  v fine paper.
When doing the back of the tuning board be sure to put some tissues in the holes to stop excess stripper seeping thru and messing the front black face finish!
This face incidentally seems to be an added surface lamination, not sprayed, so again dont let any stripper get near in seep under. Lots of gently work with fine sand paper is safest.all round.
Finally using cotton buds for detail areas and my wifes face wipe pads I went carefully over everything (except front and fretboard) with cellulose thinners, this leached any colour left in wood grain out.
As ever horror set in when half way thru job, pondering at what a mess it looked but hang in there the final result in my view is more than worth it.
Have pictures of various stages oi of interest to anyone. Im new to this forum and not IT techie so happy to send pics to email address if this suits?
Btw have fitted a pickup cover to bridge pup, which has mellowed it more in keeping with my blues style.
All best,

Strat_a_tat_tat

You might want to move this to the 'Guitar' subsection of the 'Gear' section. It's not likely to get many views here... as this is the section for feedback about the website.  :-)

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Thanks Strat. New here, not sure how to move this but will have a go. thanks.