Chapman Refin

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GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
in Making & Modding tFB Trader
I don’t usually do specific threads about refins but I thought this was worth a nosy. A looooooong time ago (sorry Steven) this Chapman was dropped off with me to get a new paint finish.

https://i.imgur.com/bHUPwRn.jpg

The customer is local so obviously I wanted to do the job but I won’t lie, it’s one that I’ll not be doing again. The finish on these models is beyond thick. As per usual on Far Eastern mass manufactured guitars they use a sealer to avoid having to grain fill. And boy oh boy… it was THICK. Not only that but it was also adhered to the wood so strongly that it took several sessions (split over months) to get it all off. I mean, it was REALLY on there. But I guess when they sprayed the finish they didn’t plan on some guy in Northern Ireland trying to remove it, right?

I took a few shots part way through..

https://i.imgur.com/tQP1Lcw.jpg


The picture of the back shows a milky/semi opaque look to the mahogany, this is the sealer. And it was a good few mm thick. Luckily the owner wasn’t bothered about keeping the veneer on show on the front of the body as it is paper thin. It was never going to survive this part intact. Somehow I managed to get all the sealer off and proceeded to make the surface good and ready for paint (skipping to the white primer phase)

https://i.imgur.com/yN1rxEQ.jpg

Once I saw the white go on I was so relieved. I had missed a few small imperfections from the stripping but these were quickly sorted. And so onto the colour coat.

https://i.imgur.com/J6AFfmg.jpg

It really takes some clear and sunlight to show it off nicely so once I had built up a little gloss it was outside to see how it pops.

https://i.imgur.com/8I65Kvv.jpg

Regardless of how the camera is picking up the colour it’s actually a deep dark metallic green. This is a few of the pics I took with a different setting on my iPhone which shows, more or less, the true colour - 

https://i.imgur.com/GCK5mYu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/RSKvbBO.jpg

Im not quite done yet, still a little clear to go then a flat and polish. I’ll hopefully be able to update this in a few weeks.




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Comments

  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7732
    Nice colour, looks like the sanding will take longer than the finish/flat/polish part. Crazy
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  • DeadmanDeadman Frets: 3852
    Agreed, lovely colour. Do you ever use a heat gun to remove paint?
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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 4067
    I love that colour, great choice - what is it?!
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  • Jez6345789Jez6345789 Frets: 1756
    Nice job 
    I striped my old JHS Vintage Junior and it was in the end just brute force and wearing it off with heavy grade paper. That base coat stuff they use could stand a nuclear blast. 

    Cool coloiur
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  • normula1normula1 Frets: 639
    +1 on the colour
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30826
    Chapman noted for being quite thick, I believe....

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • martmart Frets: 5205
    I don't suppose you weighed it before and after to see how much finish was on there? I recall somebody stripping a Squier and taking about half a kilo of stuff off.
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  • CheesyfeetCheesyfeet Frets: 16
    I'm curious, would an option be light sanding back the top coat so it's mostly still there and spraying solid covers over it? Or would there be a risk of incompatible finishes?

    You've done an ace job on that and it's a curiously fantastic colour!
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  • daveyhdaveyh Frets: 681
    I once sprayed an 87 Ibby RG560 in this shade of green, looked awesome.

    Unfortunately I later found out it was a really early demo graphic and now worth a considerable amount.
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    Sorry, I’ve had a crazy few days so I kind of abandoned this thread.

    The finish was definitely worthy of withstanding a direct hit from a comet. Initially I thought I had taken it down far enough but the sealer was part that totally destroyed me. The majority was removed using a head gun and fresh scraper. However, I started at 80 grit on my Makita to remove the left over bits that wouldn’t budge. Complete nightmare but I guess companies don’t think about potential refins when they’re finishing their guitars.

    For the colour, I started with a LPB and ocean turquoise mix and tinted it from there. It’s a stunning metallic colour and I hope to get some better pics once it’s assembled.

    I didn’t weigh it prior to stripping unfortunately but I’ll weigh it once I’m finished with it. I reckon a lot of weight has come off the box but I also think the guitar will still be 9lbs + when assembled. @Cheesyfeet no that wasn’t an option tbh, better starting with a clean wood finish to build the paint on.
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    The time has come to get this guitar finished. Sanded and buffed out, ready for ageing and a pickup swap

    https://i.imgur.com/ASMX6bE.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/JohtFWV.jpg

    https://i.imgur.com/HEtFA2i.jpg

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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    Almost forgot this pic…

    https://i.imgur.com/FbrnGmD.jpg

    Check out that old finish shadow line on the neck. And that’s with the new finish on. I’ve never seen a guitar with that much sealer on it before.
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  • CorvusCorvus Frets: 2924
    tFB Trader
    Lovely colour that, it's got a nice depth to it too.
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  • mudslide73mudslide73 Frets: 3049
    Lovely work as always. The colour is very close to my Skoda Superb.. 
    "A city star won’t shine too far"


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  • JazzthatJazzthat Frets: 163
    Ah very good job !
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    Ta muchly, the colour is lovely. It’s away to get rewired and set up so it should be amazing when I get it back. Can’t do much about the weight on this one though, not even taking the old finish off made a difference. I’ll pop it on the scales before the customer takes it home just for reference 
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  • guitargeek62guitargeek62 Frets: 4067
    Almost forgot this pic…

    https://i.imgur.com/FbrnGmD.jpg

    Check out that old finish shadow line on the neck. And that’s with the new finish on. I’ve never seen a guitar with that much sealer on it before.
    That's utterly mad! I knew these guitars felt plasticky in person, but that is waaaaay worse than I'd appreciated!
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    Almost forgot this pic…

    https://i.imgur.com/FbrnGmD.jpg

    Check out that old finish shadow line on the neck. And that’s with the new finish on. I’ve never seen a guitar with that much sealer on it before.
    That's utterly mad! I knew these guitars felt plasticky in person, but that is waaaaay worse than I'd appreciated!
    Yip, it was pretty thick and awful to remove. I’m sure it removed the need to grain fill the mahogany back and sides but I’d say it was 3-4 times what was required to do the job.
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