Stripping paint (not gloss) off a body? Easy to do?

Creed_Clicks · April 2023

Hi all. I bought this bass body a year or so ago, and it already has a light stain on it. I wouldnt mind staining it another colour.
Would the process of stripping the colour away be easy to do? Inside the pickup routes etc could stay as they are. Or would it be a difficult job?
p-bass-body

SteveRobinson · April 2023

Because the stain is *in* the wood, you'll need to remove some wood. How much wood depends on how deep it's penetrated.

Likelihood is that by the time you're down to unstained wood you'll have changed the shape of the body, or at the very least, lost some definition.

Funkfingers · April 2023

Either hide the green stain under coats of opaque paint or make a feature of it. e.g. Khaki 'n' dark brown camouflage.

Creed_Clicks · April 2023

@Funkfingers twas going to be a crimson red type thing. Red and green(ish)....

WezV · April 2023

There is no way of knowing how much work it would be until you start.

The colour is likely to have absorbed more on end grain, you may sand forever and never get it all in some locations

Personally, i would start sanding and see how it goes. The body would look good with a softer roundovers and contours, so I wouldn't worry too much about over sanding, jus try to keep it consistent

Do you know if it also has a finish over the stain? oil or something else?

Creed_Clicks · April 2023

@WezV it feels like it has a thin coat of oil over the stain.

WezV · April 2023

You may be better starting with a scraper before sanding, as it may clog more within oil finish

Creed_Clicks · April 2023

Thanks for the tips folks!

Funkfingers · April 2023

WezV said:

The body would look good with a softer roundovers and contours, so I wouldn't worry too much about over sanding, jus try to keep it consistent

Got to agree with this. The forearm contour transition could be smoother. I also wonder whether the control cavity can accommodate full size pots.

The existing shade of green would not look out of place as the centre of an aquamarine burst finish.

Creed_Clicks · April 2023

Funkfingers said:

WezV said:

The body would look good with a softer roundovers and contours, so I wouldn't worry too much about over sanding, jus try to keep it consistent

Got to agree with this. The forearm contour transition could be smoother. I also wonder whether the control cavity can accommodate full size pots.

The existing shade of green would not look out of place as the centre of an aquamarine burst finish.

The one good thing about it is that I tried a Fender J bass neck and it is a perfect fit, no gaps etc.

Funkfingers · April 2023

Rock on, Tommy!

BillDL · April 2023

That stained green is not dissimilar to the 2nd electric guitar I built from scratch around 1984. Remember the old Pizzaland chain with the dark green and red signs that went bust in the 90s? I had built the guitar but hadn't yet decided on a finish. I was sitting in a Pizzaland admiring the dark hardwood tables that were stained dark green and decided. I used spirit-based stain and applied it with a sponge. By good fortune I dwelled a little longer on the perimeter (which was rounded over and had more end grain) and it came out darker, so I deliberately turned it into a "burst" of sorts and went over the middle with a hint of very light blue then darkened the green for the edges and sides. It came out really well with a few coats of oil and beeswax.

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Stripping paint (not gloss) off a body? Easy to do?

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