Removing Veneer from MIM Tele?? good idea?

Ok I didn't realize my MIM Alder tele body had a Veneer (possible Maple)

Lesson number 1 learnt ... but too late!! hahaha

Over use of the heat gun has caused it to bubble and crack.
I would now quite happily remove the veneer and get back to the Alder before I begin sanding and re-spraying... That just seems right to me, no crappy thin veneers??

Am I crazy, can I remove it, is that done thing?? what problems might this entail..(apart from revealing a shockingly glued mis-mash of alder bits beneath, and that I'm prepared for!!

Id replace it, it might be hiding something even more hideous.

..But...I'm disappointed even if it's not a US Fender they're using a veneer..just cheapens the whole deal for me.

The veneer is a known technique for bodies that will get a sunburst finish.
Sounds like you have no choice.

It was candy apple red, grain filler, silver, gold, red then clear... so no chance of ever seeing wood???


I could repair laminate no probs, just feel i want to remove it?? beside if whats underneath is really bad.. I can always cover it up with paint like it was before...Im gonna paint it in some way anyway.

Is Fender using so many body pieces and paying so little attention to matching them up? Wonder what lies beneath the black paint on my Highway One. At the same time, makes me wonder why a cheap brand like SX can make a $150 bass with ash body, sunburst, look good without using a veneer (you can see the seams but they're not bad). Like this one http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/bass/ursa1mnash3ts5.jpg

fudge it...
im gonna take off laminate..I want this guitar to be my main guitar, a friend that Ive worked on, I want to love its imperfections... :grin:


Any tips on top coats? want it black but see the grain underneath a bit, and not glossy...

There was a extra $50 charge on MIM Sunbursts, then I seems that the difference in the billets with ALDER veneer and plain alder billets was so close in their costs it was easier to just use the veneer-ed billets for all of the bodies. Appears they started doing that in '08 as the SB's are the same price since then.

Its off, I now have a nice alder body, the wood is nice! the joints are a little clucky, but a little filling and sanding can improve that.

Good tips for anyone removing a veneer..
I tried a blunt'ish scraper with heat gun and a steam Iron.. I found the heat gun more affective and..

this is the important bit, I found it a lot better going against the grain (width ways) even super heating the venner so the glue was soft going with the grain removed bit of the alder beneath, going width way it came off clean, so much less filling and sanding. Ill get round to posting a series of pics soon

How thick is the veneer ?

poidh

How thick is the veneer ?

About this thick (pretty much paper thin).

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5015/5457732842_d82671b492.jpg

Looks kinda like this (finish removed via careful heat gun use).

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz265/rcole_sooner/Telecaster%204/removingpoly6.jpg

Edit: Oh, and as thin as the veneer is, it is really hard to sand off. I messed up the first one I tried to scrape (actually it was a strat, and they are harder to scrape), and tried to sand off the rest of the veneer, for a while. I finally just gave up, filled the gouges, and luckily they were under the PG.

What colour are you planning to finish it in ?

Im going to...and have. Wood grain fill, then spray a few coats of sand and sealer.. then spray black... As i say I ve got this far now..
I only want a few coats of black as Id like to see a bit of finish through it, there are a few imperfection in the finsign beneath and i like that!. Im not going to spray a clear coat on top i think ill just T-Cut the black and leave for a semi gloss finish. I have also had my chrom parts soaking on hydrochloric acid to tarninsh them as they looked so bright on the black body..I love the way the chrome looks now, kinda like stainless steel, gun metal ror something.:mad:
It already looking pretty evil!! Im gonna leave the body to harded for a couple of weeks before i T-cut etc

reading that back my typing is terrible.. I'd make a rubbish secretary!

The problem with removing the veneer is not just that the wood underneath will be ugly (that doesn't seem to bother you, okay) but that it will also not be smooth. The joint lines and filler and whatever else is under there is likely to print through and you won't get a smooth glossy topcoat.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with veneer, though for some reason it's gotten a "plastic" connotation that suggests modern manufacturing shortcuts. The truth is that veneer is a great way to get an attractive and smooth surface, and it's been used in fine woodworking for centuries. I would suggest that you use an Exacto knife to make a few slits in the bubbled veneer, inject some wood glue underneath (or smoosh it under there with a small artist's palette knife), and flatten it out with a household iron over a piece of cloth.

IMHO removing the veneer is a ton of unnecessary work that will get you a less attractive result.

reading that back my typing is terrible.. I'd make a rubbish secretary!

hahahah as long as you looked good in a tight dress, youre fine by me.

How's the progress going ?

good progress thanks!, I will post pictures soon
i take the advice from the post above and agree but with care with grain filler etc you could get a perfect finsh after removing the veneer, plus I think the maple veneer just looks to good, to perfect.. I like the look of the alder underneath,... but warning to others 99% of most people would most likely prefer the veneer look.

I hope doing what Ive done my guitar will have character of its own and become a trusted friend on the road.
All my other guitars are fairly banged up with use so I wouldn't want this one to look out of place!!!

The problem with removing the veneer is not just that the wood underneath will be ugly (that doesn't seem to bother you, okay) but that it will also not be smooth. The joint lines and filler and whatever else is under there is likely to print through and you won't get a smooth glossy topcoat.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with veneer, though for some reason it's gotten a "plastic" connotation that suggests modern manufacturing shortcuts. The truth is that veneer is a great way to get an attractive and smooth surface, and it's been used in fine woodworking for centuries. I would suggest that you use an Exacto knife to make a few slits in the bubbled veneer, inject some wood glue underneath (or smoosh it under there with a small artist's palette knife), and flatten it out with a household iron over a piece of cloth.

IMHO removing the veneer is a ton of unnecessary work that will get you a less attractive result.

Very well said. I agree 100%.

I scratch my head every time someone tries to remove these finishes. The risk to reward ratio is really not so good.

good progress thanks!, I will post pictures soon
i take the advice from the post above and agree but with care with grain filler etc you could get a perfect finsh after removing the veneer, plus I think the maple veneer just looks to good, to perfect.. I like the look of the alder underneath,... but warning to others 99% of most people would most likely prefer the veneer look.

I hope doing what Ive done my guitar will have character of its own and become a trusted friend on the road.
All my other guitars are fairly banged up with use so I wouldn't want this one to look out of place!!!


The problem you will likely encounter is that over time the joints will become visible in the finish. The different planks will grow and shrink at slightly different rates, etc. It won't be drastic, and you might decide that it won't be enough to worry about, but it will be visible.

Worst case, you could run the whole thing through a planer and then put on a thick maple cap. I have a luthier who would do that for me for around $200.

What ever you do, it will effect the tone. And may not be reversible.