How to degloss the shine on a guitar w/o scuffing it up

[Terry]

I just got a used Gibson SG Special (as in "less special" than their other models).  The Cherry doesn't look so good as glossy as it is.  Any ways to degloss...just a little bit.

I mean ways that will look good.


Thanks,
Terry

[LooseChange]

I gave my very glossy neck on my Parker Guitar a satin finish with 2000 grit sandpaper.

[TheElectricMoron]

A few light passes with 0000 steel wool will do the trick.  I use it on every neck - works like a charm


Charlie

[G._Hoffman]

Just as a by the way, none of those will be permanent.  Any part of the guitar that sees contact with your body will get glossy again.  The only way to make it permanently satin is to put additives in the finish, which makes the finish softer and less suitable for a guitar finish.  None the less, I do satin finish necks by wet sanding with 320, and then going over it with OOOO steel wool (make sure it's a good oil free steel wool, such as Liberon).  But I'm doing that to necks that have not been polished out before.



Gabriel

[tubesornothing]

I have "sticky hands".  Most nitro finishes are good for me, but a few I find just too sticky.  On my LP R8 I just knocked it down - a lot - with 320 - and viola, satin finish here it is.

This 320 grit is pretty radical, so I suggest doing it in steps to see what  you like.

This is also for a Nitro finish - not poly or anything like that.

[dbtk44]

I once had a telecaster someone painted in navajo white semi-gloss enamel. As beautiful as it was, orange peel and all, I just had to strip it. I used some paint stripper that was...well, it was environmentally friendly and didn't have a noxious odor, so I assume it wasn't so potent. And I really wasn't; took a few times slopping the stuff on to get all the paint off.

Underneath was a clear poly over ash, and I noticed the poly had gone satin. I hit it a few times with fine steel wool to get all the remaining paint off, but it wasn't like sanding it really, just cleaning it off. By the time I was done I had the smoothest satin finish I'd ever felt, and stayed that way for 10 years. This thing was like velvet.

Probably doesn't help for a nitro finish on a Gibson though. On a poly finish however, a mild stripper would probably knock the gloss off pretty easily and not really get too deep into the finish..easy satin. YMMV

[G._Hoffman]

I once had a telecaster someone painted in navajo white semi-gloss enamel. As beautiful as it was, orange peel and all, I just had to strip it. I used some paint stripper that was...well, it was environmentally friendly and didn't have a noxious odor, so I assume it wasn't so potent. And I really wasn't; took a few times slopping the stuff on to get all the paint off.

Underneath was a clear poly over ash, and I noticed the poly had gone satin. I hit it a few times with fine steel wool to get all the remaining paint off, but it wasn't like sanding it really, just cleaning it off. By the time I was done I had the smoothest satin finish I'd ever felt, and stayed that way for 10 years. This thing was like velvet.

Probably doesn't help for a nitro finish on a Gibson though. On a poly finish however, a mild stripper would probably knock the gloss off pretty easily and not really get too deep into the finish..easy satin. YMMV

I'd pretty strongly advise against trying that.



Gabriel

[G._Hoffman]

I have "sticky hands".  Most nitro finishes are good for me, but a few I find just too sticky.  On my LP R8 I just knocked it down - a lot - with 320 - and viola, satin finish here it is.

This 320 grit is pretty radical, so I suggest doing it in steps to see what  you like.

This is also for a Nitro finish - not poly or anything like that.

The whole point behind a satin finish neck is to feel like raw wood.  There isn't a finish manufacturer - nor a finishing expert - in existence who doesn't caution against sanding raw wood past 220 at the most (this is contrary to a lot of advise you will see on the internet suggesting you sand raw wood to 1000 grit or something like that, but anything past 220 and you are starting to risk interfering with the finishes ability to bond with the wood - just another example of the internet not being the best place to get information unless you know the source's credentials).  So, if you want the feel of a satin finish, wet sanding with 320 is the highest I would go, followed by OOOO steel wool.  It's also the lowest I would go, by the way, as 220 raises the risk of sanding through the finish.

Also, you want to do your wet sanding in as few passes as possible - ideally, one - because the finish is pretty thin and sanding through is a very real possibility, and a very big pain in the behind. 


Gabriel

[dbtk44]

I'd pretty strongly advise against trying that.

Gabriel

Ya know what...I did forget to say..maybe a dab on an inconspicious spot of poly first might give you some idea if it will work at all or not.
And be sure to use the weak stuff.

Why would you strongly advise against trying it? I wouldn't use aircraft stripper of course, but poly is a TOUGH coat to get thru. I've read many people using stripper on Poly and, 9 out of 10 times, about all it does is...nothing.

Not being argumentative, just curious on your take is all.   

[G._Hoffman]

I'd pretty strongly advise against trying that.

Gabriel

Ya know what...I did forget to say..maybe a dab on an inconspicious spot of poly first might give you some idea if it will work at all or not.
And be sure to use the weak stuff.

Why would you strongly advise against trying it? I wouldn't use aircraft stripper of course, but poly is a TOUGH coat to get thru. I've read many people using stripper on Poly and, 9 out of 10 times, about all it does is...nothing.

Not being argumentative, just curious on your take is all.   

Chemical reactions can be pretty hard to predict - particularly when your finish coat has cured for years.  Plus, there are a lot of different chemicals used as stripper, and there is no way to know which is which.  Plus, there are better ways to accomplish a similar effect.


Gabriel

[dbtk44]

Chemical reactions can be pretty hard to predict - particularly when your finish coat has cured for years.  Plus, there are a lot of different chemicals used as stripper, and there is no way to know which is which.  Plus, there are better ways to accomplish a similar effect.


Gabriel

Indeed..upon further consideration, I have to agree with you. There are more predictable (and less toxic) methods to arrive at the desired outcome.