knocking down shine on nitro - best way to do it?

[appar111]

I need to knock some of the shine off of my strat and wondered what the best method for doing this would be.

Scotchbrite pad? 0000 steel wool? micro mesh? Don't want swirl marks or anything. I also have some 400, 800 and 1000 grit wetsand.

[Wally]

Just play it and never clean it. That way, when it belongs to someone else---or when you want to sell it for the best money (shiny, in other words), you or they will be able to shine it back up.
IF you have to approach it from an 'immediate' type of thinggn, yes....2000grit paper will dul it. However, as soon as you start playing it, the shine will come back whereever your body rubs on the guitar....just the way a Highway One goes shiny in those places.

[Colt W. Knight]

I use oooo steel wool.

[sacizob]

I never clean mine and its dull except where my arm rubs. Be careful they chip easy.

[appar111]

Originally Posted by Colt W. Knight

I use oooo steel wool.

And it doesn't leave swirl marks or anything?

[BernardoK]

I built a Cabronita a while back, and the Surf Green finish looked way too shiny by the time I wet sanded it. I was going for a mild relic look, and the gloss didn't fit. Anyway, I read on a forum that rubbing with wadded brown paper, as you would find on a grocery bag would do the trick. Indeed, it did work, knocked off the excess sheen, and didn't appear to scratch anything!

[Shepherd]

Originally Posted by Wally

IF you have to approach it from an 'immediate' type of thinggn, yes....2000grit paper will dul it. However, as soon as you start playing it, the shine will come back whereever your body rubs on the guitar....just the way a Highway One goes shiny in those places.

+1

[otterhound]

You could try a coat or two of satin nitro over the gloss .

[bullfrogblues]

Originally Posted by appar111

And it doesn't leave swirl marks or anything?

Use the steel wool in the direction of the grain, never in a circular pattern. That's how I get swirl marks, YMMV.

[twangplank]

Is the guitar intact? If it is put tape over the pups because steel wool will destroy your pups.

I use the brown paper bag to smooth up lacquer a lot at work. It works good for relicing but if to want an even satin finish all over that may not be the best approach.

[Rockdog]

Originally Posted by twangplank

Is the guitar intact? If it is put tape over the pups because steel wool will destroy your pups.

Use the synthetic stuff, similar to scotchbrite. Problem solved.

[dada]

I'd go with the 1000 wet/dry or finer. 0000 leaves scratches. Personally my experience with nitro is that it will lose it's high gloss rapidly. If it was my guitar I would leave it alone and play the finish in naturally.