The Steel Guitar Forum

I realize this is probably in the wrong category, but I can't tell where else to put it. I have a 1970s or 80s Aspen (japanese) acoustic that is very well made,nice pearl inlays, solid wood etc. The problem is the 1/16 inch thick poly finish on it that I'm pretty sure mutes the tone something severe. I would like to strip the top at least. Anybody ever tried this with good results? thanks-BC

Good luck finding a way to get that stuff off.. I have a cheapo Kentucky KM675 mandolin that I refinished in black nitro. lacquer. The only way I could get the finish off was with a 1" chisel. The finish literally exploded off in sections ranging from very small to about 4" square. The "pearl inlay" on the headstock was just glued to the face, then the poly finish was "pooled" around it to give the appearance of inlay.. what a surprise when that came off! I have since radiused the board and put in slightly larger frets.. it's a pretty good utility mandolin now. As for your Aspen, I would enjoy it for what it is and leave it alone.

Don't do it...
You'll have a big messy job ahead with uncertain results. You might see a slight improvement, but even a perfect finish can't make up for clunky construction. Even assuming that the top is solid, the back and sides could be laminated and the braces are not likely to be gracefully executed by any means. If it was really a well made guitar, the finish would probably be better.
It's probably a perfect campfire guitar. Save your energy and buy a guitar kit from Luthier's Mercantile and start from scratch and make it the way you want it. If you have the skills it would take to manage your refinish properly, you could build a good guitar from a kit.

There are chemical strippers that avoid the use of violence, although they are very nasty stuff - outdoors only, long rubber gloves, eye protection - seriously. One of the finishing pros over at the Warmoth forum has done a lot of this, here's a link to a neck he did with "Jasco Paint and Epoxy Remover":

Chemical Stripping

Here's another thread about a stripper from Eldorado Solutions - (Tonar works in the industrial chemical industry, besides doing period-perfect finishing):

Eldorado Solutions 3031

I looked at that, but I could only get it shipped in gallon sizes. All of this stuff is really potent - it'll EAT inlays, binding, it'll kill your lawn, if your dog eats it he dies etc. - you need to be careful. If you search for other threads from "Tonar8353" there's other products used too.

Years ago, after much experience with laquer and varnish refinishing, I took in an ovation that had lot of bad finish checks. I learned a valauable lesson with that-NEVER TRY TO REFINISH A POLYESTHER FINISHED INSTRUMENT. It is just not worth the effort. The poly finish is just one indicator if the corners that were cut to make this instrument affordable. John and Brian are giving you good advise here. Learn from the experience and the time wasting mistakes of others. As John said, get you a kit and finish it. I assure you that you will end up with a better instrument.

If you must try to help this Aspen out, I would carfully sand the finish off the top. But, I would heed the warning that things are not always as they seem. As has been said, the inlays on a lot of the imports, are not inlays at all. they are very thin and glued to the surface and then covered with finish. It would not surprise me if you end up messing up the trim, especially if you do find a stripper that will remove the poly. Your finish is only part of the problem, the top, and everything else are as much too thick as the finish. Have fun, be safe and good luck.