Defacing my beautiful guitar!

[Tipsy Jazz]

Hey,

To try and make my shitty petite bouche copy a bit louder, I'm going to sand the varnish off the sound board.

Hopefully it'll be cheaper than buying a new guitar.

Does any one have any tips?


Chars!

Jonathan

[justjack]

There was some talk here:
http://www.djangobooks.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2836

best,
Jack.

[Teddy Dupont]

Does any one have any tips?

Don't bend down near Cabo.

[Tipsy Jazz]

Thanks Jack.

I'm thinking of doing my sanding in a public place, so people can learn how not to do it.

and, er, thanks Teddy. I'll look out for Cabo. What is it?

[Caballero]

Not an 'it', a 'he'.
Mr Dupont is a vulgar and offensive old man with a grudge against anyone who likes gypsyjazz, apart from Django. My advice is to give him a wide berth and don't drift to the lowside of the road. He smells of urine too, which I suppose, can't be helped at his age. Bless.

[Teddy Dupont]

Not an 'it', a 'he'.

No! Definitely an "IT"! And "it's" a bit of an indiscriminate shirtlifter, I'm afraid.

My other advice is to have yourself sectioned before you attempt such a truly insane project.

[Cattermole]

My other advice is to have yourself sectioned before you attempt such a truly insane project.

Wise words from the Old Man of the Tower.
Sanding a finish off is a dirty old job, which I will go to ridiculous lengths to avoid, mostly by lying to people . However if you're going to do it my advice would be to remove as much as you can with a cabinet scraper and save the sanding for the very last knockings as nothing clogs sandpaper quite like an old finish will.
Nor would I leave the wood bare. A few wash coats of French polish will seal the wood nicely and at least stop it getting grubby. French polishing well is tricky but anyone can slosh a wash coat on if you're not to concerned about how it looks.
Better still, pay someone to do it. A well finished top will improve the sound of the guitar.

[Thrip]

Leave the guitar as it is and spend that time running a few arpeggios.

[wirralgitane]

Hey, i took the finish off but i also broke me moustache so be careful doing it your self. Doesn't take that long either, One afternoon.

It does give a better warmer slightly bassier tone to me, sounds more wooden or 'dry' aswel, but i have raised my action to 4.5mm on it now, obvousily that had something to do with its change in sound but it is great and much louder with more gypsy character to it, it was loud anyway but now.... oooo yeah thats the sound.