Recommendation for restore of 88's finish?

[///MK]

Anyone out there have a recommendation on who to go to to have my 1988 edition Charvel restored to like new condition on finish. The thing keeps getting dings on the clear coat The mahogony on mine is sooo soft that I swear I could easily squeeze my hand print onto the finish. I would like to restore it to its original condition maybe with a stronger laquer than what is on there. Has anyone hear ever one have this done or would it be cost prohibitive since its a import ?
Would appreciate any references for this.

[Cygnus X1]

I've heard this complaint, but have never knocked my 88 against anything harder than my hand, or pick.
Don't be so rough with it?

[straycat]

It has a polyurethane finish not lacquer.Could be a refin if the finish is soft.Post a pic.I'm assuming you mean the clear not the body wood.

[///MK]

both

It has a polyurethane finish not lacquer.Could be a refin if the finish is soft.Post a pic.I'm assuming you mean the clear not the body wood.

Actually its kind of both. Mahagony is a soft wood although this is the softest Ive ever seen (do not have same issue with PRS and other Mahogony bodied guitars I own. seems like clear is yellow (not cured well) and scrapes off too easily. and of course if clear goes ding happens. Also there seams to be this strange phenomenon of dimpling going on. Maybe I am over reacting but I would love to make her mint again.

[nhspike]

Boy... I'd be afraid of changing that tone.
Plus, you'll have to re-live the trauma of your first ding all over again!!
hehe

[Genebaby]

I had mine refinished in original style colours in Nitro, very cool. Pulled the trem posts and installed a Schaller Floyd, Floyd lock nut and oiled the back of the neck, very nice guitar now.

[Cygnus X1]

Wow.
I don't have any issues with mine, except my finger-swirls.
I see your pain, now...that sucks.
Problem is, the tobacco burst. I think it's a great finish.
I have seen refins plain, and honestly I don't like it. (Sorry, Budman).
I would post a pic, but that wouldn't help.

[Cygnus X1]

I had mine refinished in original style colours in Nitro, very cool. Pulled the trem posts and installed a Schaller Floyd, Floyd lock nut and oiled the back of the neck, very nice guitar now.

Which side of the 500 did you get...the Japanese market, or the US market?
That's interesting. I've not seen any "across the pond", at all.
(It wass 500 Jap, 500 US, for a total of one thou).

[Genebaby]

Mine is 222, I got it from Xeno (Mike) years ago. It was fine until I severely scratched it so had it refinished and kept going from there. It was registered with the Model 88 website that was going a while back.

[Cygnus X1]

Mine's 04XX, origin unknown, ended up in the old store.
Original finish, some sharp eagle eye caught that the back of the neck was stripped and oiled.
I didn't know that it came finished, originally.
Anyways, the body coat hasn't suffered any undue damage, and doesn't seem all that soft. And it's heavy.
Registry was dead when I tried it.
There, but in a coma.

[Robert Hendrix]

Actually its kind of both. Mahagony is a soft wood although this is the softest Ive ever seen (do not have same issue with PRS and other Mahogony bodied guitars I own.

Huh? Really? Mahogany is a soft wood???

Seriously, That sucks. I'm sure it can be refinished, the question is what would it take to do it.

[Diego]

QUOTE
would it be cost prohibitive since its a import ?

It is a great guitar I would love to have one of those. I would do it if I were you

[nhspike]

Mine should arrive today or tomorrow.
Finally.
Looooooooooooooong wait for this one.
Can't wait!!

[Model1VH2]

That shouldn't be happening if it's a factory finish.
My guess is that it was probably refinished with some sort of lacquer.

Why not strip the clearcoat altogether and go for a hand rubbed finish?
I recently finished this padauk guitar with several coats of tru-oil using 0000 super fine steel wool between coats and finishing it off with Bees Wax.

I realize your guitar isn't padauk, but I believe you could achieve similar results with mahogany.

[Genebaby]

This is what mine looks like now, after refinish, new Floyd, pickup, nut and oiled neck (not that you can see the nut or oiled neck).