Stripping with Heat Gun

[DannyB819]

I'm finally ready to strip my old RG570 with a heat gun. I've done a bunch of research and read some tutorials, but if any of you have some last-minute advice, I'm all ears.

Thanks! Wish me luck...

Cheers,
Danny

[jkahrs]

Don't burn the paint off. It makes too big of a mess. I think the best technique is to heat an area until it's hot to the touch, then use a razorblade scraper and just shave the paint off. It comes off extremely easy. The other benefit of doing it this way is you leave the factory sealer intact. That saves you having to re-seal the body after it's stripped. The only other advice I have is start on the back. That way you can get a feel for how it's going to come off without worrying about gouging up the front of the body. --Jason

[brunning]

definitely use a light touch. keep the gun around a foot away from the guitar and just heat a little bit at a time. start at the edge of a cavity or something and work your way across the body with the scraper, heating a small section ahead of the scraper and working that chunk of paint off.

when you get your technique down, you'll be able to peel off the finish in big sheets.

if the paint starts bubbling, you're too close. you'll leave ugly burn marks on the wood which are hard to sand out.

also, use a plastic scraper at first, metal scrapers gouge the body too easily.

[Robstar]

Yeah i stripped an old peavey bass before i did my rg550. mine was the all black one so i decided to stripp it to the bare wood.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29804581@N06/2785341828/
I can tell you the heat gun is the best way for me to stripp a guitar.
You will hit some sections where it seems like the paint adheres to the wood more and in those parts you'll want to add a little more heat.But beware like mentioned above of how long you point the heat gun on that spot or it will start to burn.
But you know what i left a bunch of burnt marks on my rg550 on the back side and it looks really cool.
Oh and put on a long sleeve and gloves for when you bump the heat gun. OUCH!

[TAorama]

Yeah, and DON'T TOUCH THE SCRAPER unless you like the smell of burnt flesh.

[Ryan350DX]

Wouldnt it be a better idea to use chemicals to get the paint off, a heat gun is far to dangerous for someone who hasnt practised using a heat gun before. I Don't want you to mess up your Rg man.

[DannyB819]

Thanks for your concern, but the RG is already messed up. You may (or may not) recall a thread about how my girlfriend's cat peed on my guitar from a few months ago...well this is that guitar.

I figure I'll strip it (and hence rid the guitar of the smell) and if it looks good I'll get some new electronics for it and use it tuned to Eb. If I mess the thing up totally, I'll be no worse off than I already was...