What do I find under the paint on a 2004 Korean Les Paul?

[Maxr]

My boy just bought a 2004 Epi Zakk Wylde (Korean made) from Ebay. It's an Epi, not a Chepiphone, it sounds pretty good, and weighs just under 9 lbs. He has a mind to strip the finish off (yeah, I know, why bother...) and replace with an oil finish. These guitars have a natural color maple neck and fingerboard, and the website reads like a solid mahogany body, no cap. I've suggested he might find it has 4 or 5 jointed pieces of mahogany under the finish, and maybe some filler under bindings and anywhere else with a chance of tearout when they routed recesses - and that might not look too great with a clear finish. Trouble is, the preparation and finish on this is good enough that I can't see the join lines in the body. Has anyone stripped the finish off a Korean LP from that period, and what did you find underneath please? Thanks, Max

[stein]

Always, it's a chance.

 

If some of the guitar has clear, it can be an indication of the rest, but as you point out, on this one there is no indication, as what is clear finished on this one is different wood and construction that what is covered.

 

It might be hard to find an answer from those experienced, because stripping the poly finish on modern Epi's is VERY difficult. Stripper and solvents won't do the jod, it has to be sanded.

 

Also, the finish is harder than the wood, so sanding it off without taking wood takes more than elbow grease.

[Maxr]

Thanks Stein - sounds nasty, maybe he'd be better getting the top resprayed over the poly if he really can't stand the glossy camo finish. I took the p/ups out, and it looks like the body of this guitar has a 1/2" cap of real nice tight grain pinkish mahogany under the paint. The rest of the body undr that appears to be yellowish flecked wider grain 'mahogany'.

[skydog6653]

Aircraft stripper will get you pretty close, but don't get it on the binding, it'll eat it up.