Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey gang. What is the best way to remove paint from the inside of a soundhole on a Rick? I got a refin recently from a person who shall remain nameless... (he is not a regular here) and the dummy painted right down into the soundhole. Looks like garbage. Advice? Thanks, J

PS - I got a verbal explanation that he had one of his new apprentices do it, hence the sloppiness.

As that's bare wood that was painted, I don't know if you'd be able to successfully remove it. Maybe paint it light maple color?

Yeah, always give an apprentice a refin to do, without instructing him on the finer points...a way to get repeat business, fer sure...

Depends on paint color, and how thick it was put on. I have a thingamajig I made (2" 3M sanding disc mounted to a 4" long mandrel; goes on a hand drill or drill press) that sands out minor paint in the soundhole, it'll work on major paint, too, but it's slow and you must be very careful.

Chemical stripping not recommended; it'll stain the maple...In one or two very serious cases of thick soundhole paint, I've glued an oversized strip of new maple, 1/16" thick, inside the hole (with owner's permission, of course!). I don't use veneer---it's way too thin and warps and looks bad.

Good to hear you have a method for tackling this issue Paul. The 4005 I'll be sending you soon has paint in the soundhole.