Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: marantz1300 on May 17, 2009, 07:50:08 AM

Title: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: marantz1300 on May 17, 2009, 07:50:08 AM

I just got a Gibson smartwood Exotic. How do I make the flat finish shine.The top is Peroba.                                                                 (http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii98/marantz1300/100_0884.jpg)                                                      (http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii98/marantz1300/Pic_5.jpg)

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: Mr. Air on May 17, 2009, 08:53:22 AM

That's a very beautiful guitar. I don't know how to make it shine, but if it was my guitar I wouldn't change it. I like the look as it is.

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: indysmith on May 17, 2009, 12:14:55 PM

No idea but nice guitar! Why change it?

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: Philly Q on May 17, 2009, 01:15:13 PM

As I mentioned in the other thread, you could just dive straight in with some T-Cut.

But I'm not sure (a) how thin the finish is (danger of rub-throughs) and (b) whether it'll turn out to be perfectly smooth if you polish it.

I agree with the guys, personally I'd leave it matt - then change the hardware to nickel to make it look less "furniture", more like a workhorse.

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: marantz1300 on May 17, 2009, 02:00:19 PM

Thats what I'm aiming for.Like the Briggs.But that was polished.

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: indysmith on May 17, 2009, 02:36:10 PM

Quote from: Philly Q on May 17, 2009, 01:15:13 PM

change the hardware to nickel to make it look less "furniture", more like a workhorse.

Ohhh good plan!

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: Philly Q on May 17, 2009, 03:15:50 PM

Quote from: marantz1300 on May 17, 2009, 02:00:19 PM

Thats what I'm aiming for.Like the Briggs.But that was polished.

Try polishing with T-Cut on an inconspicuous part of the guitar - maybe somewhere on the back, just a little bit to see how it looks. 

If it looks bad, you can get the finish back to matt with some wire wool, micromesh or fine wet/dry paper.  If it turns out OK you can take the plunge and do the rest of it!

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: marantz1300 on May 17, 2009, 03:33:48 PM

I'll  try a small area like under the pickup rings or under the switch ring.

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: gwEm on May 17, 2009, 11:21:00 PM

i used t-cut on a faded finish V and it works well to give a shine... but be careful - its easy to get t-cut stuck in the grain, and it doesn't look good! looking back, i would try a different way to shine it

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: pagan7 on May 17, 2009, 11:48:24 PM

Short of giving it a couple of coats of clear laquer for a glossy finish, then liberal amounts of any beeswax based furniture polish well buffed will make it shine more but I agree with Phily - leave it as it is and change the "bling" hardwear for something more workmanlike.

p.s. avoid silicon based polishes as they can give a hazing effect on some finishes

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: Tellboy on May 18, 2009, 12:00:30 PM

My PRS Standard has a similar satin finish. I found that by regularly using a good quality guitar polish (I use Gibson and give the guitar a good clean/shine everytime I change strings) the guitar finish will get much shinier. Also I went for the chrome covers when I fitted the calibrated Cold Sweats
(http://freespace.virgin.net/terry.tildesley/pics/PRS.jpg)

Title: Re: Faded /flat finish's. How do you make yhem shine?
Post by: marantz1300 on May 18, 2009, 05:20:41 PM

That looks great. I'll buy some guitar polish .