Finish on Chinese Dots

[scantron]

How is the finish on the newer Chinese-made Dots? I've only owned Korean Dots and they seemed like they were dipped in a vat of hot plastic. I just bought an MIC Dot online but it hasn't arrived yet. I seem to remember that the new finish is a lot thinner and more fragile.

[RotcanX]

Doubt it. I can't really tell if there's any diff between any of the Korean builds and the Chinese ones.

[Grant]

My Chinese Dot is pushing two years old. I wouldn't say it seems like it was dipped in plastic, unless you compare it to a vintage nitro finish or something. On the other hand I managed to bash the front of it a week ago leaving an ugly scuff mark on the finish. But a rag and a little toothpaste made it good as new.

[Sydex]

I've got a 2004 Dot from deawon. I'd have to say I'm quite pleased with the finish, although it's not without flaw.

Around the top F hole there's some cherry colored finish and on some various scratches on the back some red is showing...

[scantron]

My Chinese Dot is pushing two years old. I wouldn't say it seems like it was dipped in plastic' date=' unless you compare it to a vintage nitro finish or something. On the other hand I managed to bash the front of it a week ago leaving an ugly scuff mark on the finish. But a rag and a little toothpaste made it good as new.[/quote']

 

Toothpaste? Never thought of that as a "buffing compound"... Cool idea!

[byrds1965]

Doubt it. I can't really tell if there's any diff between any of the Korean builds and the Chinese ones.

 

Same here. The only difference I have noticed is on the naturals, the MIKs seem to have a little honey tint to them while the MICs just clear.

[scantron]

I'm trying to resist the urge to refinish this black Dot I just got in Cherry or Natural. I'm going to gut it anyway & replace all the parts, so while it's apart....

[byrds1965]

I'm trying to resist the urge to refinish this black Dot I just got in Cherry or Natural. I'm going to gut it anyway & replace all the parts' date=' so while it's apart....[/quote']

 

I don't know if that will work out well.

 

I thought the same thing on one of my black guitars, but the tech I talked to said forget it.

 

The black finish bleeds through to the layers of wood and you can't get them out. You can go from Natural or Cherry to a dark color but not a solid like black to a trans color.

 

I was told you will have black streaks always there. I may be wrong but that is what I have been told. The tech also showed me a black Gibson LP he was redoing as it had been underwater in flood damage and the black streaks were there even though he had stripped all the old finish off and done the sanding for the refinish in black.

[Vic Flick]

 

I don't know if that will work out well.

 

I thought the same thing on one of my black guitars' date=' but the tech I talked to said forget it.

 

The black finish bleeds through to the layers of wood and you can't get them out. You can go from Natural or Cherry to a dark color but not a solid like black to a trans color.

 

I was told you will have black streaks always there. I may be wrong but that is what I have been told. The tech also showed me a black Gibson LP he was redoing as it had been underwater in flood damage and the black streaks were there even though he had stripped all the old finish off and done the sanding for the refinish in black.[/quote']

 

Roger that. Here's a closeup of a Les Paul Deluxe I restored. Someone had sprayed painted it black glitter, I sanded it down to bare wood, I would have had to sand it to the mahogany to get all the black out, it was in the grain of the maple.

 

[PP_CS336]

 

Roger that. Here's a closeup of a Les Paul Deluxe I restored. Someone had sprayed painted it black glitter' date=' I sanded it down to bare wood, I would have had to sand it to the mahogany to get all the black out, it was in the grain of the maple.

 

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Jerry, I kind of like that though. It gives your guitar a sort of worn look.

[byrds1965]

 

Roger that. Here's a closeup of a Les Paul Deluxe I restored. Someone had sprayed painted it black glitter' date=' I sanded it down to bare wood, I would have had to sand it to the mahogany to get all the black out, it was in the grain of the maple.

 

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Your's looks bettter than the one I was shown.

 

He did not go through the Maple cap either just enough sanding to get the old finish off and a new surface for the refinish. The one I was shown had black streaks following all the the grain lines.

 

The one he showed me would have made a beautiful cherry or burst. Gibson used a really nice figured top cap only to finish it in black.

[scantron]

This is good to know. I thought that usually these guitars were clearcoated first, then sprayed with black.

I bought it used and it has a few nasty dings in the top, I might just "relic" it a little and take some of that uber-gloss off so it has a slightly dulled look like my 335.

I bought it as a project and plan to upgrade the hardware & electronics.

[pohatu771]

My Gibson Spirit is currently down to bare wood, and there are obvious black stains from the original finish. I still have to sand it to even it out and remove the little bits of yellow that are left, but I doubt that they will come out entirely. How much they come out will determine what colour I refinish it in... if they're almost invisible, I'll do Vintage Amber, if they're a bit more noticable, Cherry. If I can't ignore them, it'll be back to Black.