Translucent and CSpectrum Finish, and

Hello Again Westone Fans(Or is that Fanatics?)
Looks like I have everything I need to refinish the Spectrums, Red DX With lots of scuffs and dings, and the Translucent MX with stress cracks in the clear coat.  First guitar project so can someone take a look over my plans?

Red DX 
Remove all furniture from the body, and remove the neck, machine heads and locking bar.
Using Nitromors, small paint scraper and 120 Grit abrasive paper strip the finish back to the wood, The Neck is in a good finish, but the headstock also has some dings and scratches so sand this down as well.

Tape off the fret board and back of the neck, and all apertures on the body.

Apply P38 filler where it is still required depending on the severity of the Dings

Wipe down with Panel wipe and anti Static cloth

Body
Prime with a white colour primer

2 Coats of red colour

Satin PU Clear Coat - 12 coats sanding every 4th coat with a 1200/1800/2k grit paper

Headstock 
Prime with a black primer
2 coats of Matt black 
Waterslide Westone eagle ad "Spectrum DX" transfers.
Freehand gold infill inside the serial number stampings.
1 coat of Matt PU finish.
Once everything has dried and set replace the UBC Humbuckers with a set of DiMarzio, then re-fit the furniture.

Translucent Finish Spectrum MX
Red DX 
Remove all furniture from the body, and remove the neck, machine heads and locking bar.
Using Nitromors, small paint scraper and 120 Grit abrasive paper strip the finish back to the wood, The Neck and Headstock are in a good finish, but they also has the same finish  as the body so to avoid changes in shade etc it will all get done at once.

Tape off the fret board and back of the neck, and all apertures on the body.

Apply P38 filler where it is still required depending on the severity of the Dings and cracks

Wipe down with Panel wipe and anti Static cloth

Using mix of Candy Green and Blue pearescent paint give the whole guitar one coat 

Lightly sand where required so that the wood grain still shows through strongly.

Satin PU Clear Coat - 12 coats sanding every 4th coat with a 1200/1800/2k grit paper

Waterslide Westone eagle and "Spectrum MX" transfers.
Freehand gold infill inside the serial number stampings.

Once everything has set hard re assemble and re attach everything

Well thats what I have, Any comments/critique before I dig out the compressor?

That's a lot of work you have set for yourself there Syd!
I think the red DX should work out OK.

However, if you're attempting to recreate the translucent finish on the MX be aware that the original Mats process carried the colour in the finish, it was not a wood stain + clear. That's not to say you cannot reproduce a similar effect.

Please see our Corsair's post on a trans blue SX resto he did recently for some pointers.

Barry wrote:
However, if you're attempting to recreate the translucent finish on the MX be aware that the original Mats process carried the colour in the finish, it was not a wood stain + clear. That's not to say you cannot reproduce a similar finish.

Indeed you can replicate; Hans used a blend of Candy Apple paint with loads of non-tinted clear coats over the top.

Build it up with clear, right in the splits.
Then take it back with a bit of finish flatting and polish up.

No need for a refinish, is it worth all the toil, just a few lacquer cracks....

Yup.
It is a boat load of work for minor, albeit annoying, stress cracks.

Barry wrote:Yup.
It is a boat load of work for minor, albeit annoying, stress cracks.

My thoughts is that it has been caused by varyations in temp and or moisture in where its been stored, and if left un attended it may get worse.

Syd, the Spectrum body is made of several pieces of rock hard Canadian(!) Maple. It is extremely stable, and that tough catalyzed polyurethane finish creates an effective moisture seal. However, it tends to be brittle.

Most of the cracks we see in these finishes are caused by stress, yes, but mechanical stress from impact (bumping, dropping or twisting, etc).

If you're worried about humidity movement I think you're worrying unnecessarily. You won't get a better finish than the one that's already there.

Barry wrote:Syd, the Spectrum body is made of several pieces of rock hard Canadian(!) Maple. It is extremely stable, and that tough catalyzed polyurethane finish creates an effective moisture seal. However, it tends to be brittle.

Most of the cracks we see in these finishes are caused by stress, yes, but mechanical stress from impact (bumping, dropping or twisting, etc).

If you're worried about humidity movement I think you're worrying unnecessarily. You won't get a better finish than the one that's already there.

Yeah but also worried that  the "Pathes" of fixing from sanding down the ridges and re finishing that area would stand out like a spare prick at a bar mitzva

Not if you do it with care.
What you're seeing mainly is light refraction. If you thoroughly clean the crack, fill and level you remove that effect.

But hey, it's your party, knock yerself out!