# RG1527 strip the paint.



## Trondset (Nov 24, 2010)

Good day guitarist and musicians.

I'm a proud owner of a Ibanez RG127 with te color Royal Blue.

I really like it and it's very nice to play, BUT... There is just something about this particular color. It looks very nice, blue and sparkly and sometimes almost black. But I dont get any connection with this instrument.
To be honest, I DONT LIKE this color. 

I've been thinking of sanding down the paint to get the natural wood out. But I'm not sure. I dont know how BASSWOOD looks like. if it has grains or not.

Does anyone know anything about it or maybe have pictures of gutiars, (or furniture etc.) with natural BASSWOOD.

just curious.


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## joaocunha (Nov 24, 2010)

This is what raw unfinished Basswood looks like. Please note that sanding is in progress. Straight from my Schecter Omen-7.






















You should be warned that it's common to have basswood bodies made of 3 or more parts. It doesn't look THAT good IMHO (as you can see in the pics).

- João


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## JamesM (Nov 24, 2010)

Yeah, Basswood is generally pretty ugly.


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## sk3ks1s (Nov 24, 2010)

Basswood tends to be a bit bland. You can come across some with decent grain contrast, but not often. My guess is if they're gonna paint it, what does it matter what the wood looks like.
Not to mention, there's a really good chance that the body will be made of 2 or more pieces that may not even be the same color.
You are taking a chance by stripping the paint off. I personally say go for it. Worst case Ontario, you don't like the basswood, you could always veneer it or stain it, then do an oil finish. That's just my $0.02.


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## iamrichlol (Mar 16, 2011)

I'm also thinking of doing this, Ibanez guitars look so fucking boring


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## Papaoneil (Mar 16, 2011)

my basswood actually didnt look too bad 
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/lu...ibanez-rg1570-stripping-refinish-project.html


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## Trondset (Mar 18, 2011)

Necropolis said:


> my basswood actually didnt look too bad
> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/lu...ibanez-rg1570-stripping-refinish-project.html



Your Ibanez looked wonderful! 
Cant wait to seeyour finished work.

I'm still thinking about to do the same to my RG1527.


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## CrushingAnvil (Mar 18, 2011)

sk3ks1s said:


> Basswood tends to be a bit bland. You can come across some with decent grain contrast, but not often. My guess is if they're gonna paint it, what does it matter what the wood looks like.
> Not to mention, there's a really good chance that the body will be made of 2 or more pieces that may not even be the same color.
> You are taking a chance by stripping the paint off. I personally say go for it. Worst case *Ontario*, you don't like the basswood, you could always veneer it or stain it, then do an oil finish. That's just my $0.02.



Holy shit, that made my night


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## Papaoneil (Mar 18, 2011)

Trondset said:


> Your Ibanez looked wonderful!
> Cant wait to seeyour finished work.
> 
> I'm still thinking about to do the same to my RG1527.


 

thanks man! its actually almost done then im going to have the body oiled and leave it at that since the grain looks good


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## MikeH (Mar 19, 2011)

Stained basswood:


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## Shadowrag (Feb 28, 2012)

MikeH said:


> Stained basswood:



Wow i really like that, is that a very light stain? I'm probably going to do this to my 7321


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## jordanky (Feb 29, 2012)

It's probably not a light stain. I'd say something like this will get you that color. 

Shop Minwax 8 Oz. Dark Walnut Wood Stain at Lowes.com


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## ZeroS1gnol (Feb 29, 2012)

I'd like to add that basswood is pretty soft. So if you go stripped, stained or oiled, it will get dents and dings really easily...maybe not if your only a bedroom player.


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## Pikka Bird (Feb 29, 2012)

jordanky said:


> It's probably not a light stain. I'd say something like this will get you that color.
> 
> Shop Minwax 8 Oz. Dark Walnut Wood Stain at Lowes.com



My friend stained his with something similar (dark-ish walnut, but from a different brand) and it turned out loads darker than that picture up there.

I personally think basswood with a stain on it is one of the best looking "plain" woods because of the way it takes the colour 100% in most places, but along the growth lines it doesn't soak in that well, leaving those nice light lines you see in the picture.

My best guess is that the one up there has one of those "mahogany" stains on it.


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## SammerX (Feb 29, 2012)

The left one is a single coat of the dark walknut stain over the minwax prestain conditioner. It is a fairly dark stain, if you want something like the above guitar you might want to go with something lighter. 

It seems to me like most of the higher quality Ibanez tend to have nicer pieces of basswood that aren't all loaded with body filler.


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