Overspraying Highway 1

I've got the itch to build a partscaster, and I keep seeing some decent Highway 1 bodies that would fit the bill going for a reasonable price on the 'bay. I can't stand the matte finish, though. I played an American Special yesterday and loved the look and feel of the finish. How can I get there from the Hwy 1? Just overspray with nitro and polish?

I've got the itch to build a partscaster, and I keep seeing some decent Highway 1 bodies that would fit the bill going for a reasonable price on the 'bay. I can't stand the matte finish, though. I played an American Special yesterday and loved the look and feel of the finish. How can I get there from the Hwy 1? Just overspray with nitro and polish?

If you are careful, you may be able to buff it to a nice shine without burning through it. Other wise yes you can clean it up and spray nitro over the top and finish it from there.

Bones is absolutely right; the existing lacquer shines up super nice. Find a pretty one and end up with a soft sexy gloss that doesn't resemble the matte finish you start with, but ends up prettier than the new American Special:

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t25/Bubbanov/18OCT022009002.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t25/Bubbanov/30August102008024.jpg

Yep - a HWY1 can be wet-sanded and polished to a really nice gloss. Use a flat block for the flat areas and a rubber backing pad for the curves - definitely don't just use your fingers. Go slow, use progressively fine grits (600 is a good starting point) and you shouldn't have any issue burning through the clear. Once you're sure the clear coat is level, polish with your favorite compounds (Meguairs, Mothers, 3M, etc...).

The finish was not that thin on my HWY1. When starting on mine, I aggressively sanded a very tiny spot under the pickguard to see how much I could bear down before getting into the color. I can't quantify it exactly, but it took a good bit of doing to break through. Way more than I'd ever do wet-sanding the "important" parts of the body. However, be extra careful on those hard edges of a Tele. I did this all on a Strat and it doesn't have the same sharp edges.