Will taking finish off my guitar effect the tone much?

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metalj

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I have a PRS SE with soapbar2 guitar which i just love.

It sustains, the body resonates, the pickups have high quality tone at any volume level, its light and easy to play.

THe finish however is that venere stuff. It is starting to bubble. My dealer said they would ship it off to get it fixed at no charge, but that means i could go months before i get it back.

It only a $350 guitar. Would anything change sonically if i took the venere off and just had a plain ugly looking wood guitar which by the way i would love. I hate those high maintenence guitar finishes, just a flat wood would be fine with me.

Any idea what the underneath would look like? would it look like a bunch of wood put together with seams, or would it have a solid look to it??

Just wondering, thanks
 
You can read around, but my understanding is John Lennon, of the Let It Be and maybe White Album timeframe, had his stripped down to let it "breath" or something like your asking.
 
Yeah. Wow. That sucks. You have to send it back. You're gonna have to get the guy at the shop to give you some kind of killer deal on some shitty guitar to use in the meantime. You can't take off that verneer and pretty it up. It would be like tearing off someone's face and trying to fix it with make up.
 
cephus said:
Yeah. Wow. That sucks. You have to send it back. You're gonna have to get the guy at the shop to give you some kind of killer deal on some shitty guitar to use in the meantime. You can't take off that verneer and pretty it up. It would be like tearing off someone's face and trying to fix it with make up.


Even if I used a sander?
 
metalj said:
Even if I used a sander?


Particularly if you use a sander.

By the by, particularly with an inexpensive PRS, they won't refinish it; they will replace it.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Exactly, I had an EBMM that went back to the factory for a blem in the paint...they just replaced the body. Too much hassle to strip it down.
 
metalj said:
Even if I used a sander?
With the greatest respect that comment proves you have little idea of how to handle the job. You've had good advice on what to do so take it back. The moment you attack it with anything let alone a sander you invalidate the warranty. Why not drop an email to PRS with a brief description and picture. Tell them your location and ask for their advice. Better still call them. You can find your local PRS warranty authorised dealer on their website.
 
muttley600 said:
With the greatest respect that comment proves you have little idea of how to handle the job. You've had good advice on what to do so take it back. The moment you attack it with anything let alone a sander you invalidate the warranty. Why not drop an email to PRS with a brief description and picture. Tell them your location and ask for their advice. Better still call them. You can find your local PRS warranty authorised dealer on their website.

your right, i have no idea, that is why im asking you fine gentleman. It is such a unique sounding guitar to anything i have ever played.

The pickups and body/neck compliment each other so perfectly. I have tried to take it back, but my bullshit dealer wont even give me a loaner, which is a whole other story. SO im stuck without it for many months(possibly) and it really helps define my sound for my live gigs.

Maybe I'll just buy a new one and so I have two. But from someone else.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Maybe ill post a pic of it.
 
Weird, i just noticed there is TWO threads posted on this one?

Sorry to the moderators.
 
metalj said:
your right, i have no idea, that is why im asking you fine gentleman. It is such a unique sounding guitar to anything i have ever played.

The pickups and body/neck compliment each other so perfectly. I have tried to take it back, but my bullshit dealer wont even give me a loaner, which is a whole other story. SO im stuck without it for many months(possibly) and it really helps define my sound for my live gigs.

Maybe I'll just buy a new one and so I have two. But from someone else.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Maybe ill post a pic of it.
If your dealer isn't interested then contact PRS directly. Finish dosent just "bubble" and it could be as a result of many possible causes. Get it lookewd at by someone who knows. Post a pic if possible. Beg or borrow a loaner if you have to.
 
As a loaner you could always pick up a used PRS or other high demand quality used instrument on ebay to hold you over till you get yours back then re-sell it for what you paid for it once your is repair is finished. Might even make a few bucks on the transaction if you dont overpay to begin with.

I had a painted guitar stripped for me once and was suprised to learn the repair guy used a heat gun and putty knife to remove the paint rather than any solvents or sanders. I just had to fine sand it a little bit afterward before refinishing myself with tung oil. If anything no paint will sound better than a painted guitar but I dont expect most people would be able to detect much of a difference as it would probably be only slight at best.

I'd take full advantage of your PRS warrenty if you have it though.
 
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