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1989 Explorer


Warriorsoul

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Hello, all, I haven't posted much, if at all, but I've been part of the forum for a while now. Anyway, here's my issue. A few months ago I bought a 1989 Explorer from ebay, calling in the serial numbers, I was told that it was a sunburst explorer, but the one I bought was white. Doing some research, the logo is correct, the truss rod is correct, (including the 2 screw for the cover), the only difference was that it was white, and the neck joint was smooth, (not the traditional offset of the two parts joined). So, I had accepted the fact that I had bought a great knockoff. When I got it, I noticed some paint wear on the neck close to the fret board, and it was dark natural. That stayed on my mind, I mean the guitar plays well, feels great and has that awesome dark explorer tone. The other day I realized that the neck shouldn't have any finish other than white on it, so I scraped on the area and revealed that it is in fact dark natural underneath, and aren't most Gibsons with sunburst finishes finished natural on the back?

Long story short, I scraped a few areas on the sides, and, yep, they're black, today I took off the pick guard and scraped from the edge of the control cavity all the way to the edge of the bottom and up towards the top, and what do you know, it's a sunburst finish. Sweet. So then it's not a knock-off, it's genuine. They must have sanded the neck joint smooth when they painted it.

My question is, if possible, how can I remove the paint without damaging the original finish? If it all possible. Thanks for any help.

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Yeah, it isn't fake, but paint on top of paint might as well be fake. That's a tough one. Good luck with it.

 

rct

 

 

 

If this is really important to you, reach out to Gibson's Restoration & Repair Dept. and ship it in. A repainted guitar isn't "as bad as a fake."

 

 

I appreciate both of your input, and opinion, but I don't think it looks fake. What do you guys think?

 

 

 

814654062_o.jpg

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Looks fine to me. I said "might as well be fake" because a guitar that is paint on top of paint is going to be a problem. It'll cost an awful lot to get it back to normal, and if you don't it will be probably impossible to sell for any money if you have to tell people it is paint on paint.

 

rct

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  • 1 month later...

Well, I ended up trying to remove the paint my self,

 

here she is after about 30min

 

IMG_0452.jpg

 

after about an hour

 

IMG_0458.jpg

 

and after a couple of Saturdays

 

IMG_0570.jpg

 

 

IMG_0573.jpg

 

 

IMG_0574.jpg

 

 

IMG_0575.jpg

 

 

IMG_0576.jpg

 

 

IMG_0569.jpg

 

 

 

IMG_0571.jpg

 

 

you can see gouge marks and dents more, but at least it's back to original,and there are a couple of spots that where stubborn where I had to concentrate on that are noticeable when you look really close, but overall, I'm happy with it. I might throw a couple of coats of clear on it, eventually, but for know I'm good. I can't believe someone would cover up this finish.

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Looks good from here - well done! [thumbup] To my taste, the only thing left to remove would be the poker chip below the toggle switch sleeve nut.

 

I agree with you and also would have left the finish stock. Anyway, I knew lots of guys who recoated their guitars during the 1980's.

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Looks good from here - well done! [thumbup] To my taste, the only thing left to remove would be the poker chip below the toggle switch sleeve nut.

 

I agree with you and also would have left the finish stock. Anyway, I knew lots of guys who recoated their guitars during the 1980's.

 

 

Totally agree on the toggle ring, I replaced the chrome looking switch tip with a crème one, the only thing with the poker switch is that it's a lot whiter than the rest of the pick guard, I guess they put that on it a long time ago, and I can't seem to find any Gibson brand pick guards for the explorer. Any ideas on fading out the area? I was thinking of taping up the whole guard minus the area of the toggle ring and put it out in the sun.

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I found some on the web but no original Gibson parts, but I think an authorized Gibson dealer may be able to help. On the other hand, I guess a lighter area around the toggle switch wouldn't bother me. I would do nothing to age that artificially.

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T and I can't seem to find any Gibson brand pick guards for the explorer. Any ideas on fading out the area? I was thinking of taping up the whole guard minus the area of the toggle ring and put it out in the sun.

The problem with getting a new guard is it will be a different color- a different "shade" of white.

 

So the question often might be, does a new, brighter one look better than the softer "aged" one there now? Which will match the overall guitar better?

 

I pose the question as one to ask yourself: I have no idea how "faded" the color of the body is, being as it was under a coat of paint.

 

Personally, I know of no way to get rid of shadowlines from aging, but on plastic guards, sometime, (SOMETIMES), you can polish them and getting that top layer of grime and guitar polish or will help to even it out.

 

Really have to say, that trying to "age" on area quickly by masking it off or whatever doesn't work, and doesn't give the desired results when it does.

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Thanks for the advice and comments, I agree with you CAPMASTER, I've had the toggle ring off of it for about a week now, and I must say, the discoloration doesn't bother me as much, or look that bad.

[thumbup] Obviously this toggle switch sometimes wore sunglasses [biggrin]

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Well, I ended up trying to remove the paint my self,

 

here she is after about 30min

 

IMG_0452.jpg

 

after about an hour

 

IMG_0458.jpg

 

and after a couple of Saturdays

 

IMG_0570.jpg

 

 

IMG_0573.jpg

 

 

IMG_0574.jpg

 

 

IMG_0575.jpg

 

 

IMG_0576.jpg

 

 

IMG_0569.jpg

 

 

 

IMG_0571.jpg

 

 

you can see gouge marks and dents more, but at least it's back to original,and there are a couple of spots that where stubborn where I had to concentrate on that are noticeable when you look really close, but overall, I'm happy with it. I might throw a couple of coats of clear on it, eventually, but for know I'm good. I can't believe someone would cover up this finish.

 

 

That is beautiful

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