This is the reason Historic Makeovers, and many other refinishers, have a thriving business. Keep up the good work Gibson, you’re keeping hundreds of people in employment that don’t actually work for you..😎👍
@@strawsparky33 and I’ll let you in on another secret. That “old brown glue” they use to glue the maple to the mahogany, nothing like the phenyl formaldehyde they used on the 50’s. Stays soft, will never set like glass like the pf glue.
Satisfying and heart breaking at the same time. I've got a 60th Anniv. R9 and its sad to know its painted like this. Your technique and workmanship was very satisfying. Great video!
Thank you. Nitro lacquer softens quite easily with temperature. If it is too hot, then it starts to burn much faster than wood. That's why I always check the temperature by hand. But with polyester varnish it is more difficult, as it softens at a higher temperature. And there is a risk of overheating the wood.
So back in 2019 l buy the all new R9 from the all new Gibson Company, my 2019 R9 was suppose to be the closest thing to a real 59 “The Holy Grail” ….. After seeing you strip that 2019 R9 all that plasticiser “lm shaking my head with disgust” My R9 will never ever age naturally like a real 59. So Really nothing has changed at Gibson .. Thank you for the enlightenment, very educational and very much appreciated …….
A brand new 59 in 1959 had sticky lacquer as well.. Don't fall for the hype. "Plasticizer" has always been in the nitro. Those real 59s are over 60 years old now. They didn't look that aged in only a couple years.
I am shocked at how much plasticizer is in the paint used on that R9. Gibson advertises how they still use Nitro as a finish, but it looks like they use plastic paint to give the guitar its color, then cover it with a thin coat of nitro to give it that nitro feel/smell. I need to do more homework on this.
Thank you ! this was very informationa. I have a Les Paul cherry sunburst, and I have wondered what the nitro finnish is. The finish on my 2022 Les Paul is real nice.
I have videos of my 2021 Epiphone custom koa Les Paul with the specs also posted so there is no debate or arguments..it's discontinued recently I would not sell it for any Gibson..great video I subbed
Thank you you so much for sharing your experience, I think it's not the fault of the Gibson workers because they have been told to have high production figures and they are under the pressure. However the quality department should have dealt with these issues , this raise a red tag and a lot of concerns. But again this is the century of every about figures not quality. That's why in my opinion it is much better supporting a trustworthy small luthier businesses and encourage them and they will definitely do their best work and you are are my friend such a talented skilled knowledgeable luthier and please share your contact details so we can cooperate in the future. Keep the good work going please. Thank you. 👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏
It makes me worried that I have a R9 about the same, in factory burst. Late 2019 I drove up to Sweetwater to buy it because it was the last batch of the 60th anniversary of the 59. no problems with it but it does have a lot of red die bleed on to the binding. another great video Alex and rock and roll for all.
The pink hairs of some guitar cases cause this kind of reaction on contact with nitrocellulose varnishes. I changed the case after sanding and revarnishing the guitar with nitro varnish and in the new case I no longer had this problem. Nitro varnishes are very sensitive to certain chemical reactions with certain materials, such as certain guitar support foams as well. It is always necessary to monitor after a few days if this phenomenon is not observed. If it starts to happen then it is better to change the element that is in contact with the nitro varnish and look for another that will not have this reaction.
Wow! Excellent video man. I had no clue. To perhaps give the new ownership an out, the new models were introduced mid 2019 so maybe this is an earlier model? That or it took a period of time to adjust the formula. I have a 2020 USA LP and while I'm sure there is plasticizers in the nitro it certainly hasn't helped mine from easily scratching, denting and starting to check. I also didn't have the dye running into the binding. Additionally the cherry on the neck on mine is starting to fade noticeably behind the frets where I play the most. Maybe mine has a different formula or the CS uses a different type or the formula was adjusted at some point between new ownership and mid 2020 when mine was made. Whatever the deal is this is an excellent demonstration of how it ideally should NOT be done.
wow, if this hasn't broken the internet yet:),...im used to corners being cut by the "great American instrument manufacturers" ,...but on an R9, holy sh#t,... what an embarrassment. , wonderful video again 👍 ,im so glad ive never pulled the trigger on one of these yet. I've always appreciated your honesty on Custom Shop Fenders too.
Great video! Thank you for sharing. After watching you work I’m glad I only bought a 2019 Traditional and not a high dollar CS. And probably never will.
Это было очень подробно и точно. Мне очень нравится это видео и твоя работа и то, как артистично ты вкладываешь время в свои гитары. Это было очень элегантно, а также поучительно для меня, и я надеюсь, что вы скоро опубликуете вторую часть. Спасибо за это ваше видео на UA-cam.♥♥♥♥ (Я использовал Google Translate для этого текста)
Amazing amount of plasticizers in the finish. Being a 2019 Model I wonder if newer Gibson CS use the actual Aniline Dye on the wood. It would also be interesting to see an actual vintage Gibson finish stripped to see the differences. Great Content, Thank You
GREAT VIDEO! When you watch video of Gibson employees spraying their plastic lacquer on these guitars, notice how they do not use face masks at all. Its probably because the lacquer is more acrylic and NOT toxic fumes.
Thank you Dave. I noticed that In Gibson fatory don't used breath mask. Perhaps this is due to the mega strong hood. But I think with poisonous nitro the safety technique is strictly prescribed.
You will find about all the materials that I use and about all the nuances of working with them on my Patreon in the Maker level www.patreon.com/8bombcustom
Thanks for the informative video. I have a Les Paul that has been refinished on the top (thin nitro) but still has the "old" and thicker finish on the back. You can feel that at the binding. Do you think I can just strip the back and neck to do a more natural oil finish and keep the nitro on the top? What would you suggest?
You will find about all the materials that I use and about all the nuances of working with them on my Patreon in the Maker level www.patreon.com/8bombcustom
Maybe for such specific guitars (with Brazilian fretboard) gibson used other lacquer. I don't know. I have heard that necks with Brazilian rosewood manufactured for Gibson in China.
@@8BombCustom def not China. I know someone in the custom shop. Most if not all the Brazilian boards are very old and left over from a long while ago. Was sad about the current reissues and their “feel” though.
Holly wood has a very smooth texture and is very dense and resilient, almost like bamboo. This veneer provides additional protection against breakage of the headstock. Now instead of it they use plastic that eats sound. But on Customshops still use holly.
Someone that works in the Gibson CS had said that the reason they use this type of Nitro is so that the guitars that are shipped to the dealers as Standard CS models will not have any finish cracking before hand. This Nitro will harden over time and become brittle with age just like the old originals. Custom shop guitars can be ordered with finish checking from the start and these use a different Nitro.Anyone that orders a "Murphy Lab" gets the more brittle nitro with age checking. Gibson does not want dealers to be sending back R9's or any Custom shop model due to finish checking the customers did not want.Those that want the checking have to order a Murphy lab.
Naturally this is true. Factory production is always reinsured. Most new guitar buyers love the glossy, shiny finish. Like a new car. Those who want an aged look pay extra to Murphy Lab. But this still does not change the fact that soft and thick varnish on a standard custom shop kills resonance. But unfortunately they can’t make guitars any other way.
Fantastic and clean job.. my only question is the heavy use of Acetone .. do you find any damage to the binding in such use? when attaching binding you really dont need much to get it to melt.. perhaps the flash time is enough and your contact time is short to prevent any such damage to the existing binding.. your process is fantastic.. love your vids
Thank you. Nitro dissolves faster than plastic, so this is not a problem. Enough time to wash off the varnish and not damage the binding. But sometimes a vintage Royalite binder after acetone becomes brittle and small cracks may appear in the future. But for a relic it's ok.
Hi! This is exactly the tutorial im looking for thanks! I do have a question though, is it possible to only remove the top nitro with acetone and then refinish it without messing up the back and the binding?
Yes, you can that is how I strip LP's...I don't trust myself with a heat gun lol. Just be very careful, even more careful around the binding Have alot of clean cloth rags, and lots of acetone. Gibson uses plasticized lacquer, and a thick vinyl sealer underneath. It's amazing once you get all that off, how resonant the guitar becomes.
I had a 1992 Gibson SG Standard & the nitro was very thin & hard. I have a 2019 Gibson SG Junior now & it just feels nothing like the finish from 30yrs ago. Feels cheap & plastic. Would Acetone remove the nitro but leave the cherry stain? Thanks.
If Gibson CS have put a coat of nitro lacquer like you use on VOS R9s, some of those paints might be cracked before someone buy. and some guitar shops would send those guitars back to Gibson as defective product. So I think Gibson is not wrong, they just choose an efficient manufacturing rather than similar replica.
That's correct. Fender does the same thing. It's simply impossible to make a guitar with a super thin coat of nitro with no (or very little) plasticisers in it and have it arrive at a dealer without some kind of stuff having happened to the finish. That would be prohibitively expensive for the end user (us).
At 7:15 you peel away the nitro lacquer that has much plasticizer in it. It would be great if you could make a video where you attempt to peel away Nitorlack only to show its brittleness. It would be a good comparison between the two types of lacquer. Thank you Dr. Nitro.
Wouldn't using acetone destroy the binding for the guitar? I'm thinking about refinishing a Gretsch 5420, but I'm worried about destroying the binding using acetone to strip the poly.
Curious to know if Gibson uses the same lacquer on the true historic and Murphy Lab Guitars, any idea? Figured this was the case with the lower end Gibson Guitars, using some form of Nitro hybrid. Going through a tour of the Fender Corona Factory was told they can only use a small percentage of "Real Nitro" because of meeting government standards (limits) for waste and emissions. Thanks again for the video, great work as always.
Thank you. People said that real nitro used in Murphy Lab, butthat what i seen last month was disappointing. Anyway i think they use different nitro but still not on all Murphy Lab guitars. I want to believe 😁
I wonder if the finish is flexible like that to stop people relic-ing their own guitars with the hot/cold checking treatment because Gibson would prefer they buy a Murphy Lab model. ??? What do you think?
I really enjoy this channel . Can you please add audio clips of the guitars you review . I hope to build guitars like these one day . Thank you Dr Nitro
so you take the headstock gold les paul silk screen off, im very interesting to see how you remake golden les paul silk screen, hope have headstock side by side to compare when you finish the guitar , is silk screen right, i think i watched some gibson factory video some years ago it was silk screen.
Hi! I want to start by saying that I love your videos. But personally, I don’t see anything wrong with Factory finish. I focus more on sound and playability that any other things. Could you please explain why is the finish “wrong”? I’m not an expert, an artist or a painter, so I don’t really understand much about it. Thanks!
Something odd: I’ve just purchase a new VOS R9 from November 2024 and the lacquer is not the usual now. Extremely thin, hard and brittle compare to my previous Gibson historics from Custom Shop. It’s not a Murphy Lab, as I said, but the VOS has changed to something similar, I suppose, Murphy’s lacquer now.
Ok I see a lot of comments by people who clearly can use some insight. The aniline dye stains on plastics and binding is not due to a faulty finishing process. The dye migrates by rubbing off by playing, fingers, hands, everyday use. The lacquer also takes weeks to completely cure which lets the dye migrate for a period of time. And for a small period of time, the more you use the guitar the worse the dye bleed will get. These stains and the whole phenomenon will eventually fade in a matter of months of normal use or in a matter of days if the guitar is regularly exposed to sunlight. Vintage guitars do not have that migration effect because it has faded long long ago. There are plenty of reasons why someone whould like to refinish his guitar, and that's perfectly fine. But doing it so that the dye stains are removed is not a legit reason. Just let the thing in the sun for 3-4 days and the problem is gone.
I have two Murphy Lab guitars - a ‘57 Goldtop Les Paul and a Cherry 🍒 335. The finish on the 335 is falling off. The guitar plays and sounds great. But, the finish is just flaking off without even touching it. I’m assuming Gibson is using plasticizers on regular Custom Shop guitars for a reason. They know half of them will be returned due to finish issues if they didn’t use plasticizers. However, I’m sure if anyone complains about the finish coming off a Murphy Lab, Gibson will just say - that’s exactly how the originals were - It’s authentic.
I knew that Gibson had put a lot of plasticizers in it's nitro when I ran my hand up n down the neck of my 2007 R8 and heard static crackle thru the amp. Like rubbing my finger tips on a strat pickguard. My older Gibson and my PRS (that's nitro) don't do this. Still a nice guitar and honestly the wood and how it's cured is more important than finish. How thick the finish is is much more important than what it is. A poly finish is just fine if it's THIN. At least the finish on my R8 is so thin that the grain still shows thru.
Why is the raw mahogany's color so bright yellow on the Gibson, almost like maple? Isn't mahogany supposed to be dark reddish-brown in color? On vintage Les Pauls the mahogany is always dark red like brick. What kind of mahogany is this?
This is Honduran mahogany. It is bright. But if it is soaked in oil, lacquered or polished, it will look darker. On vintage guitars, exposed woods are polished and soaked with grease and grime, making them look dark.
I do agree that the finish they are using is a little disappointing, I'd rather just have old-school nitro even if it cracks and so forth. On another note, there are tooling marks on the side of the headstock of my 2019 Les Paul Special Original Series (great guitar) which I've seen people complain about, and I get it, but on the other hand I remember at age 19 or 20 back in the mid 80's I almost bought an original Gibson double neck like Page played and couldn't believe how bad the fit and finish were, looked quite crude in some areas and that shows me that that's how Gibson's could be even back then. I just ignore the little things I guess and play them.
I have a 2018 r8 that looks to be painted like this. The binding It’s turning red and pink everywhere. Like the comment below mine my heart breaks watching this. I spent good money on a dream
So does my basic 2021 Les Paul Standard have the same crappy thick ass finish on it? Here I thought I was buying a nice thinly nitro finished guitar. The way you peeled that off the back almost made me vomit 😢
![How to refinish Gibson Les Paul R9 [PART 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qHcaSaUVswg/mqdefault.jpg)
![How to refinish Gibson Les Paul R9 [PART 2]](/img/tr.png)
![How to Refinish GIBSON Les Paul R9. [PART 3] R9 to '59 conversion](/img/n.gif)
This is the reason Historic Makeovers, and many other refinishers, have a thriving business. Keep up the good work Gibson, you’re keeping hundreds of people in employment that don’t actually work for you..😎👍
😁
hater much?
Amen to THAT!!!!
@@strawsparky33 and I’ll let you in on another secret. That “old brown glue” they use to glue the maple to the mahogany, nothing like the phenyl formaldehyde they used on the 50’s. Stays soft, will never set like glass like the pf glue.
@@GrovesGuitarsDo you want a glue to dry hard as glass? Isn’t a bit of flexibility better for durability?
Satisfying and heart breaking at the same time. I've got a 60th Anniv. R9 and its sad to know its painted like this. Your technique and workmanship was very satisfying. Great video!
Thank you
The control you have done with the heat gun, avoiding burnt spots, is impresive. Congrats!
Thank you. Nitro lacquer softens quite easily with temperature. If it is too hot, then it starts to burn much faster than wood. That's why I always check the temperature by hand. But with polyester varnish it is more difficult, as it softens at a higher temperature. And there is a risk of overheating the wood.
So back in 2019 l buy the all new R9 from the all new Gibson Company, my 2019 R9 was suppose to be the closest thing to a real 59 “The Holy Grail” ….. After seeing you strip that 2019 R9 all that plasticiser “lm shaking my head with disgust” My R9 will never ever age naturally like a real 59. So Really nothing has changed at Gibson .. Thank you for the enlightenment, very educational and very much appreciated …….
Thank you
I think you still could say the R9 was the closest guitar to a real 1959 Gibson itself had made.
If you want the closest to closet you need a Murphy lab. They use the same nitro as they did in 59.
A brand new 59 in 1959 had sticky lacquer as well.. Don't fall for the hype. "Plasticizer" has always been in the nitro. Those real 59s are over 60 years old now. They didn't look that aged in only a couple years.
@@Tonskiislegit do we know that for sure?
That was amazing. R9s are beautiful guitars just for $10k I am not really missing out on much when my home builds sound just as good for $2k.
I like when you used the acetone on the top, it looks so beautiful with the finish removed
Thank you
This is why im a fan of the Faded finishes with half the laquer.
Agree
At least you know what you are getting
Wow!!! You did the guitar community a great service. This is what I would have expected from a Chibson, not a Gibson.
I am shocked at how much plasticizer is in the paint used on that R9. Gibson advertises how they still use Nitro as a finish, but it looks like they use plastic paint to give the guitar its color, then cover it with a thin coat of nitro to give it that nitro feel/smell. I need to do more homework on this.
Maybe the guy on the paint machine had a bad day putting all the ingredients together :D
This is such a great video, haven't seen a refin like this on UA-cam before
Thank you
The balls this guy has. Acetone to an R9. Huge.
😁😁👍
Hey that English is improving sir! Nice job. 👍 thank you for all of the awesome videos that maintain the history of these guitars!
Thank you
Can't wait for the rest! Will look awesome I'm sure!
Thank you
This needs more views.
Great video.
Thank you!
9:00 Them chuckles not sure whether to cry or to laugh. Great job on that guitar btw.
You always give us such good information, and the quality of your videos is top notch - spaciba Bolshoi!!
Thank you!
Honestly, it's beautiful without any stain!
Thank you
Wow. Your attention to detail is impressive. Love this channel.
Thank you
Thank you ! this was very informationa.
I have a Les Paul cherry sunburst, and I have wondered what the nitro finnish is.
The finish on my 2022 Les Paul is real nice.
I have videos of my 2021 Epiphone custom koa Les Paul with the specs also posted so there is no debate or arguments..it's discontinued recently I would not sell it for any Gibson..great video I subbed
Thank you you so much for sharing your experience, I think it's not the fault of the Gibson workers because they have been told to have high production figures and they are under the pressure. However the quality department should have dealt with these issues , this raise a red tag and a lot of concerns. But again this is the century of every about figures not quality. That's why in my opinion it is much better supporting a trustworthy small luthier businesses and encourage them and they will definitely do their best work and you are are my friend such a talented skilled knowledgeable luthier and please share your contact details so we can cooperate in the future. Keep the good work going please. Thank you. 👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏
Thank you!
It makes me worried that I have a R9 about the same, in factory burst. Late 2019 I drove up to Sweetwater to buy it because it was the last batch of the 60th anniversary of the 59. no problems with it but it does have a lot of red die bleed on to the binding. another great video Alex and rock and roll for all.
Thank you
That red dye bleed is intentional as original '59s had it too to some extent. They apparently went a bit overboard on some of the new reissues.
The pink hairs of some guitar cases cause this kind of reaction on contact with nitrocellulose varnishes. I changed the case after sanding and revarnishing the guitar with nitro varnish and in the new case I no longer had this problem. Nitro varnishes are very sensitive to certain chemical reactions with certain materials, such as certain guitar support foams as well. It is always necessary to monitor after a few days if this phenomenon is not observed. If it starts to happen then it is better to change the element that is in contact with the nitro varnish and look for another that will not have this reaction.
So far this had been my favorite project of yours and have been wondering how much a guitar like this would cost from you.
Thank you. 8bombcustom@gmail.com
Wow! Excellent video man. I had no clue. To perhaps give the new ownership an out, the new models were introduced mid 2019 so maybe this is an earlier model? That or it took a period of time to adjust the formula. I have a 2020 USA LP and while I'm sure there is plasticizers in the nitro it certainly hasn't helped mine from easily scratching, denting and starting to check. I also didn't have the dye running into the binding. Additionally the cherry on the neck on mine is starting to fade noticeably behind the frets where I play the most. Maybe mine has a different formula or the CS uses a different type or the formula was adjusted at some point between new ownership and mid 2020 when mine was made. Whatever the deal is this is an excellent demonstration of how it ideally should NOT be done.
Thank you
My 2023 USA 335 already has a few checking lines on the neck.
wow, if this hasn't broken the internet yet:),...im used to corners being cut by the "great American instrument manufacturers" ,...but on an R9, holy sh#t,... what an embarrassment. , wonderful video again 👍 ,im so glad ive never pulled the trigger on one of these yet. I've always appreciated your honesty on Custom Shop Fenders too.
Thank you. In my opinion Fender meke better CS guitars (i mean painting and relic )
Great video!
Thank you for sharing.
After watching you work I’m glad I only bought a 2019 Traditional and not a high dollar CS. And probably never will.
Thank you
What are you using to remove the top color? Great video!
@@OttoVonRaz Thank you. I use acetone.
Это было очень подробно и точно. Мне очень нравится это видео и твоя работа и то, как артистично ты вкладываешь время в свои гитары.
Это было очень элегантно, а также поучительно для меня, и я надеюсь, что вы скоро опубликуете вторую часть. Спасибо за это ваше видео на UA-cam.♥♥♥♥
(Я использовал Google Translate для этого текста)
Thank you. The next episode will be out soon. The translator translated very correctly.
Just wondering, is it just Gibson that does plastified nitro paintjobs or do the other companies do this as well?
All companies do this. Hard nitros are very rarely used and only in custom shop lines.
Thank you for this video. Gonna remove paint on my Jr. What was that tool you used to lift paint after you used heat gun?
Thank you. I use surgical small scalpel (ophthalmic)
Amazing amount of plasticizers in the finish. Being a 2019 Model I wonder if newer Gibson CS use the actual Aniline Dye on the wood.
It would also be interesting to see an actual vintage Gibson finish stripped to see the differences.
Great Content, Thank You
Thank you
keep it up man!hope im gonna get the money for a pair of pick-ups🤘🏼🤘🏼.keep the good work goin!
Thank you
GREAT VIDEO! When you watch video of Gibson employees spraying their plastic lacquer on these guitars, notice how they do not use face masks at all. Its probably because the lacquer is more acrylic and NOT toxic fumes.
Thank you Dave. I noticed that
In Gibson fatory don't used breath mask. Perhaps this is due to the mega strong hood. But I think with poisonous nitro the safety technique is strictly prescribed.
What did you use to remove the finish? Was that acetone? Does this not melt the bindings?
You will find about all the materials that I use and about all the nuances of working with them on my Patreon in the Maker level
www.patreon.com/8bombcustom
Great video! I'm surprised the acetone didn't eat through the binding.
Thank you. The binding deluted mor slowly than lacquer
I wonder, if you heat up any guitar finish, will it become softer and more compliant until it returns to room temp?
It depends on the guitar. I've seen some guitar bodies split in half at the glue seam while trying to remove the finish.
Allmost any lacquers become softer with heat. When they cold then they become a normal harness.
You just got a new subscriber... Amazing.
What kind of knife is that? Is that a scalpel...?
Thank you
@@JeremiahL ophthalmic scalpel
i'm intrigued - do you think the same process could safely remove the solid black lacquer finish on a 1996 gibson les paul studio?
@@halsinden of course
@@8BombCustom thanks for replying. do you have to use a specific practised technique with the heat gun?
@halsinden only one important thing is not to overheat the lacquer and wood.
@@8BombCustom yeah, this is what i feared. i don't want to burn what's beneath. i guess i'll just have to try! thanks for the insights here.
Dear what I can do, my ESP les paul dusted the allen key socket in truss rod, what can I do to recover the fitting . Thanks
Thanks for the informative video. I have a Les Paul that has been refinished on the top (thin nitro) but still has the "old" and thicker finish on the back. You can feel that at the binding. Do you think I can just strip the back and neck to do a more natural oil finish and keep the nitro on the top? What would you suggest?
Thank you. Painting part of the guitar is always difficult then repeating all guitar.
Why did the acetone not melt the binding?
You will find about all the materials that I use and about all the nuances of working with them on my Patreon in the Maker level
www.patreon.com/8bombcustom
I subscribed because you know what you are doing. The guitar natural color is beautiful without all that ugly red. Thank you
Thank you
That’s why I sold mine. It felt plastic like. I got one with the Brazilian board and the finish was much better.
Maybe for such specific guitars (with Brazilian fretboard) gibson used other lacquer. I don't know. I have heard that necks with Brazilian rosewood manufactured for Gibson in China.
@@8BombCustom def not China. I know someone in the custom shop. Most if not all the Brazilian boards are very old and left over from a long while ago. Was sad about the current reissues and their “feel” though.
What happened to putting Hollywood on the face of the head stock?
Holly wood has a very smooth texture and is very dense and resilient, almost like bamboo. This veneer provides additional protection against breakage of the headstock. Now instead of it they use plastic that eats sound. But on Customshops still use holly.
The giggling while peeling was hilarious.
Really great work. Can’t wait for next instalment. New sub.
Thank you
Someone that works in the Gibson CS had said that the reason they use this type of Nitro is so that the guitars
that are shipped to the dealers as Standard CS models will not have any finish cracking before hand. This Nitro will harden over time and become brittle with age just like the old originals. Custom shop guitars can be ordered with finish checking from the start and these use a different Nitro.Anyone that orders a "Murphy Lab" gets the more brittle nitro with age checking. Gibson does not want dealers to be sending back R9's or any Custom shop model due to finish checking the customers did not want.Those that want the checking have to order a Murphy lab.
Naturally this is true. Factory production is always reinsured. Most new guitar buyers love the glossy, shiny finish. Like a new car. Those who want an aged look pay extra to Murphy Lab. But this still does not change the fact that soft and thick varnish on a standard custom shop kills resonance. But unfortunately they can’t make guitars any other way.
I'm curious what blade is that and how it would make the job easier vs. a pudy knife/ scrapper?
Thank you. Scrapper is good for polyester sometimes. But it is hard work.
@@8BombCustom its just a regular craft knife you use?
@@psp777 This is a medical "eye" scalpel
Wow! Very impressive work my man!
Thank you
I've seen better finish on a chibson how did that leave the factory
Fantastic and clean job.. my only question is the heavy use of Acetone .. do you find any damage to the binding in such use? when attaching binding you really dont need much to get it to melt.. perhaps the flash time is enough and your contact time is short to prevent any such damage to the existing binding.. your process is fantastic.. love your vids
Thank you. Nitro dissolves faster than plastic, so this is not a problem. Enough time to wash off the varnish and not damage the binding. But sometimes a vintage Royalite binder after acetone becomes brittle and small cracks may appear in the future. But for a relic it's ok.
Did you mail all that removed finish back to Gibson.?
@@calescapee9642 I dissolve it in acetone and make nail polish 😁
Hi! This is exactly the tutorial im looking for thanks! I do have a question though, is it possible to only remove the top nitro with acetone and then refinish it without messing up the back and the binding?
Yes, you can that is how I strip LP's...I don't trust myself with a heat gun lol. Just be very careful, even more careful around the binding
Have alot of clean cloth rags, and lots of acetone. Gibson uses plasticized lacquer, and a thick vinyl sealer underneath. It's amazing once you get all that off, how resonant the guitar becomes.
To remove nitro only of the top is difficult while acetone very fluid.
I had a 1992 Gibson SG Standard & the nitro was very thin & hard. I have a 2019 Gibson SG Junior now & it just feels nothing like the finish from 30yrs ago. Feels cheap & plastic. Would Acetone remove the nitro but leave the cherry stain? Thanks.
The stain will be removed along with the varnish by 90%
If Gibson CS have put a coat of nitro lacquer like you use on VOS R9s, some of those paints might be cracked before someone buy.
and some guitar shops would send those guitars back to Gibson as defective product.
So I think Gibson is not wrong, they just choose an efficient manufacturing rather than similar replica.
maybe.
That's correct. Fender does the same thing. It's simply impossible to make a guitar with a super thin coat of nitro with no (or very little) plasticisers in it and have it arrive at a dealer without some kind of stuff having happened to the finish. That would be prohibitively expensive for the end user (us).
Dr. Nitro!! Does my 2020 Standard use this same quality paint?
Maybe. I don't know.
At 7:15 you peel away the nitro lacquer that has much plasticizer in it. It would be great if you could make a video where you attempt to peel away Nitorlack only to show its brittleness. It would be a good comparison between the two types of lacquer. Thank you Dr. Nitro.
@@youtubecommentor4480 thank you. It all on my Patreon were I publish fool versions of videos about relic process.
@@8BombCustom …
Ok, thank you Dr. Nitro.
Wouldn't using acetone destroy the binding for the guitar? I'm thinking about refinishing a Gretsch 5420, but I'm worried about destroying the binding using acetone to strip the poly.
Acetone don't work with polyester. Binding soften much slower than Nitro.
@@8BombCustom What would you recommend for stripping polyurethane?
The wood can’t Breath🙈This guitar is going to Roar💥
👍
Re fin job lower the value?
Not by me 😁
Hi, do you have a workshop in Poland?
I am in Belarus. In Poland I work with frescoes.
Curious to know if Gibson uses the same lacquer on the true historic and Murphy Lab Guitars, any idea? Figured this was the case with the lower end Gibson Guitars, using some form of Nitro hybrid. Going through a tour of the Fender Corona Factory was told they can only use a small percentage of "Real Nitro" because of meeting government standards (limits) for waste and emissions.
Thanks again for the video, great work as always.
Thank you. People said that real nitro used in Murphy Lab, butthat what i seen last month was disappointing. Anyway i think they use different nitro but still not on all Murphy Lab guitars. I want to believe 😁
Isn't the wood supposed to be dyed to achieve the desired color and then lacquered? What am I missing here? Gibson doesn't do that?
that heat gun removes that lacquer like on the Fenders I've done with their poly paints. It's better than sanding at least
I wonder if the finish is flexible like that to stop people relic-ing their own guitars with the hot/cold checking treatment because Gibson would prefer they buy a Murphy Lab model. ??? What do you think?
Yes, it's possible. If you want a relic, you have to pay 😁
I really enjoy this channel . Can you please add audio clips of the guitars you review . I hope to build guitars like these one day . Thank you Dr Nitro
Thank you. I will make demo on Part 3
Have been waiting for this for a while! Thank you!
Thank you
so you take the headstock gold les paul silk screen off, im very interesting to see how you remake golden les paul silk screen, hope have headstock side by side to compare when you finish the guitar , is silk screen right, i think i watched some gibson factory video some years ago it was silk screen.
Usualy I use silkscreen frame vith true vintage logo.
Hi! I want to start by saying that I love your videos. But personally, I don’t see anything wrong with Factory finish. I focus more on sound and playability that any other things. Could you please explain why is the finish “wrong”? I’m not an expert, an artist or a painter, so I don’t really understand much about it. Thanks!
Thank you. I answered these questions in several of my past videos. About 59 Les Paul, Relic and many others.
@@8BombCustom I'll take a detained look at them. Thanks!
Something odd: I’ve just purchase a new VOS R9 from November 2024 and the lacquer is not the usual now. Extremely thin, hard and brittle compare to my previous Gibson historics from Custom Shop. It’s not a Murphy Lab, as I said, but the VOS has changed to something similar, I suppose, Murphy’s lacquer now.
@@ivan_emege it is a great news!
hi...what is the width of the guitar body?
Hi. What do you mean
@@8BombCustom 13 inches?the width of the deck
Where is the Holly wood headstock veneer? Did they not use it on early Gibsons? It looks like the headstock was just painted black.
All CS Gibsons is with Holly on the headstock. It was here too. 12:15
Why not use Methel Ethel Keytone instead of Acetone?
You can use it too. The result is the same.
At 13:20 the "2001: A Space Odyssey" breathing begins.
😁
Would be nice to show how your finish reacts when stripped with a heat gun, as a comparison I mean.
It was in previous video
It is normal. This is the reason that tells over an original Gibson guitar must be. A real Gibson with binding.
I’m amazed how easy that came off on the back and sides. Great video look forward to seeing the porgress
Thank you
It’s a guitar & a damn good one at that play the damn thing it’s not wall art.
Thank you
Chill out!
@@dada1952 You must be a cork sniffer.
Ok I see a lot of comments by people who clearly can use some insight.
The aniline dye stains on plastics and binding is not due to a faulty finishing process. The dye migrates by rubbing off by playing, fingers, hands, everyday use. The lacquer also takes weeks to completely cure which lets the dye migrate for a period of time.
And for a small period of time, the more you use the guitar the worse the dye bleed will get.
These stains and the whole phenomenon will eventually fade in a matter of months of normal use or in a matter of days if the guitar is regularly exposed to sunlight.
Vintage guitars do not have that migration effect because it has faded long long ago.
There are plenty of reasons why someone whould like to refinish his guitar, and that's perfectly fine. But doing it so that the dye stains are removed is not a legit reason. Just let the thing in the sun for 3-4 days and the problem is gone.
wo that's a really nice R9..
Yes, thank you.
I have two Murphy Lab guitars - a ‘57 Goldtop Les Paul and a Cherry 🍒 335. The finish on the 335 is falling off. The guitar plays and sounds great. But, the finish is just flaking off without even touching it. I’m assuming Gibson is using plasticizers on regular Custom Shop guitars for a reason. They know half of them will be returned due to finish issues if they didn’t use plasticizers. However, I’m sure if anyone complains about the finish coming off a Murphy Lab, Gibson will just say - that’s exactly how the originals were - It’s authentic.
I like your skills.
Thank you
I knew that Gibson had put a lot of plasticizers in it's nitro when I ran my hand up n down the neck of my 2007 R8 and heard static crackle thru the amp. Like rubbing my finger tips on a strat pickguard. My older Gibson and my PRS (that's nitro) don't do this. Still a nice guitar and honestly the wood and how it's cured is more important than finish. How thick the finish is is much more important than what it is. A poly finish is just fine if it's THIN. At least the finish on my R8 is so thin that the grain still shows thru.
Why is the raw mahogany's color so bright yellow on the Gibson, almost like maple? Isn't mahogany supposed to be dark reddish-brown in color? On vintage Les Pauls the mahogany is always dark red like brick. What kind of mahogany is this?
This is Honduran mahogany. It is bright. But if it is soaked in oil, lacquered or polished, it will look darker. On vintage guitars, exposed woods are polished and soaked with grease and grime, making them look dark.
It’s plantation Fiji Mahogany. Always lighter in colour than old growth, and way softer.
Chibson?
It is Gibson Customshop 59 reisue 2019
Excellent
It's a nitro?
Yes. This is regular Gibson fatory nitro.
Awesome video !
Thank you
I didn't know you could heat Nitro off with a gun like that? That technique is typically used with Polyester finishes.
Good video 👍👍
Thank you
To each thier own, I would have left it alone and just played it.
I do agree that the finish they are using is a little disappointing, I'd rather just have old-school nitro even if it cracks and so forth.
On another note, there are tooling marks on the side of the headstock of my 2019 Les Paul Special Original Series (great guitar) which I've seen people complain about, and I get it, but on the other hand I remember at age 19 or 20 back in the mid 80's I almost bought an original Gibson double neck like Page played and couldn't believe how bad the fit and finish were, looked quite crude in some areas and that shows me that that's how Gibson's could be even back then. I just ignore the little things I guess and play them.
15:25 nice Gibson studio faded)))
I have a 2018 r8 that looks to be painted like this. The binding It’s turning red and pink everywhere. Like the comment below mine my heart breaks watching this. I spent good money on a dream
you a good man
Thank you
How much does a refinish devalue an original Les Paul Deluxe from the 70s, if it was done good?
1200 euro
Holy cow, I feel better about my lowly USA Les Paul Standard, which has the same finish, but for 3 times less money.
👍
@@zorglubmagnus455 😁 it's regular Gibson nitro like on all others models.
Looks like a factory second from Gibson, wow. Seeing the ring hit the top of the guitar a few times made me nervous.
So does my basic 2021 Les Paul Standard have the same crappy thick ass finish on it? Here I thought I was buying a nice thinly nitro finished guitar. The way you peeled that off the back almost made me vomit 😢
Thank you. All Standards have a same finish.
polyester???
Gibson regular soft nitro