Removing spray paint from a Raider I

Hi guys! I'm new member here! I just picked up a Raider I online (I haven't received it yet) It has flat black spray paint covering it's original red/yellow glitter paint. Does anyone know what type of finish the Raiders have? I'd like to know, so I can approach this project properly. I'll probably start with the duct tape "stick-and-rip" method on the back for starters to see if it comes right off. Thanks guys!

If its the usual mats standard then it's going to be pretty much bullet proof. Don't know how you'd go about removing the overspray - fine wire wool?

Hi Billoney and welcome here.
Mats instruments were finished in a catalyzed polyethylene finish (commercial name "Imron"). It's a tank-tough finish and generally a heart breaker to remove for those silly enough to try.

As for removing spray paint over top of the original, I think you're wise to try the simplest method first and see how it goes. Try to do as little mechanical or chemical damage as possible. The one thing we know for sure is that the original finish will respond remarkably well to rubbing compound and wax. So if you are able to remove the cheap paint don't be discouraged if the reveal is dull. it will shine again.

I have used a chemical stripper to remove overcoats of paint but my intent on that occasion was to find bare wood. Even with that, I ended up retaining a lot of the original black finish because it was so well bonded. It ended up being an undercoat! You don't want to go to that extreme but if you are extremely careful you might be able to remove the inferior paint with a stripper, without the original suffering too badly. But it will require close attention and a minimum contact time.
Good luck!

Catalyzed polyethylene! Awesome! Thank you! Now I can research properly!
You're absolutely correct. I intend to approach this project very carefully. I will first try with my fingernail. Then move on to the duct tape method (stick and rip) and maybe even a light scraping with a plastic putty knife, before moving on to chemicals.

i used this stuff. i got it at the corner hardware store. use rubber gloves and a soft rag. do it outdoors or in well ventilated area. take your time and it will all come off.

i needed to remove a spray can job from a Corsair and it worked great! even the thickest blobiest muck was dissolved and wiped off with just a bit of rubbing

the best bonus of all was absolutely no damage to the underlying finish. here you can see the blue paint inside the trem cavity, but the rest of the finish looks great!

Awesome job on that one! The internet seems to be telling me that acetone will not damage catalyzed polyethylene. If I have to resort to chemicals, I'll start there, 'cause I can just grab a jar from my wife!

I got the Raider in the mail today. Here it is after about 2 minutes of cheap-o nail polish remover, and a paper towel and my thumbnail. I think it's gunna work! You can see the original paint in the spring cavity, and the small patch of paint that came off! I'm totally psyched!

Once you get this paint off, you'll be grinning like a mule eating briars.

Great to hear. What's underneath has gotta be head and shoulders above that awful black stuff!

Acetone + elbow grease!

Holy $napp'n @r$€#0le$, Batman!!! Talk about back from the dead!

Great save there. Way to go dude...

Now that's a thing of beauty and is also USMC colors to boot. Great job and great to see it's original beauty again. These are great players and that pickup has power to spare. Simple yet very effective. Congrats on a great score and restoration. She is ready to rock

WOW. That beauty sure did clean up well! Great work getting the original finish back!

Cracking job there, well done!
now you can enjoy rocking out glam style!

Abso-freekin' fantastic!!
Beautiful.

Thanks guys. It worked out nicely! It wasn't easy, but it's a labor of love. Here's what I've learned (this was my first time removing paint from a guitar)

100% acetone from the hardware store is 10x better than nail polish remover from the drugstore! I kept the acetone away from the fretboard and the pickup as i'm pretty sure that would have ruined them. The condition under the paint was as good as I could have hoped for. Lucky for me, the person who spray painted it did not sand down the original finish. It was about 5 hours of work to remove it all, but that made plugging it in, and ringing out that first note,all the sweeter





... even the back of the neck was spray painted! Who would do this?

Erm, westone did with the spectrum range

Yum yum yum....

John like.

Billoney send guitar to John.

Wow, you can see why he painted it black (only kidding ) great job and worthwhile doing, looks like the black acted like a protective coat, from your pics it looks immaculate.

I got to this post late - Great result!!

I have done a few guitars which came with a home done refinish. I use paint thinners and papers towels and it only takes about half an hour to 45 minutes.

The thinners will not touch the original finish which, as stated, is very tough.

But never mind, you got a great result there!

Hoax

Wow, these models arent my cup of tea but if they were I would be doing backflips down the street with this.

Billoney wrote:...Lucky for me, the person who spray painted it did not sand down the original finish. ...

You were very lucky there indeed! What a great result.

hey Billoney, saw this and thought of you
clicky here

I've pondered over this for a while now and I can't for the life of me understand why someone would paint over THAT with THAT!!!

No accounting for taste I guess.

Great looking axe, congrats

Sgt. Vimes wrote:hey Billoney, saw this and thought of you
clicky here

"More than 10 available"... color me 'ed

That ensemble brings to mind my favorite scene from Caddyshack...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzPsdkTCufs&feature=youtube_gdata_player