How to Refinish a 2000 Gibson Les Paul Special
A 2000 Gibson Les Paul Special is a variation on the standard Gibson Les Paul. The instrument is a solid body electric guitar that began production in the early 1950s. The manufacturing company Gibson, in collaboration with guitarist Les Paul, produced the original design. Refinishing a Les Paul is similar to refinishing any solid wood piece, but the collectible nature of this classic makes it a suburb choice for the guitar hobbyist.
Things You'll Need
- Needle nose pliers
- Screwdriver
- Sand paper (50 to 60 grit)
- Eye goggles
- Facemask
- Sanding block or palm sander
- Soft cloth
- Sanding sponges
- Masking tape
- Wire hanger
- Freestanding holding support with clamp
- Spray acrylic Paint
- Spray scrylic clear varnish
Instructions
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1
Remove the strings from the guitar. Turn the string winder counterclockwise and let the strings fall slack. Pull the string out of the winder with needle nose pliers.
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2
Turn the guitar over and remove the screws holding the neck in place. Gently pull the neck off the guitar. Depending on the finish, you may need to sand this area to break the varnish and remove the neck.
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3
Remove any faceplate or fixtures from the body of the guitar. Some will screw on; others may have adhesive securing them. This will depend on the style of the piece and the original designer.
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4
Put on protective eye goggles and a facemask.
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5
Attach 50 or 60 grit sand paper to a sanding block or palm sander. Run the paper over the surface of the guitar to break the shine.
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6
Replace the sand paper and sand off the paint finish. Apply the sand paper to the surface of the guitar in firm even strokes. Dust off the paper and surface frequently with a dry cloth.
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7
Switch to sanding sponges to remove paint from the curved or difficult to reach areas on the surface.
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8
Sand the surface of the guitar body until all paint is off and the piece is bare wood.
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9
Mask off the neck pocket on the front of the guitar with masking tape. Fill as much of the pocket as possible with tape. This protects the area from paint buildup that may affect the alignment of the neck.
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10
Turn the top of a wire hanger to unhook it and open the wire to one straight piece. Bend the wire to a "J" shape. Attach the straight end to a clip that allows the piece to hang freely, such as a rod with a clamp attachment. Insert the open end of the wire into one hole used to secure the body onto the neck of the guitar. The guitar body now hangs suspended.
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Paint the guitar body. The method used to paint the guitar will depend on your taste. For an easy solution, use a can of spray-on acrylic paint. Apply as many coats of paint as needed to achieve the look you want. Let the paint dry between coats. Follow the instructions provided with the paint to avoid dripping or streaking.
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Leave the guitar as is for several days to allow the paint to dry thoroughly.
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13
Apply several coats of clear, spray on varnish to the body of the guitar. Let the varnish dry and reassemble the guitar.
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Tips & Warnings
This is a basic method to refinish a solid body guitar such as a Les Paul. Advanced hobbyists might want to use air brushing or stencils to add a design to the piece.
References
- Photo Credit electric guitar body image by Jeffrey Zalesny from Fotolia.com
