In the event that the
Duct Tape Solution (sounds like a Robert Ludlum novel!) fails to deliver satisfactorily for you, Collin, please document for us, in as much detail as you can, the methods you and Robert use to coax the buried sunburst back into the light of day.
I'm sure that, even with the success of the duct tape method, there will be areas that will not come free. In this case, careful work with a plastic scraper can peel the overcoat back. My biggest concern is with areas of bare wood, to which the overcoat will cling like a hobo to a ham sandwich.
If this was brought to my own shop, here's how I'd go about it, hands-on. I'd first try the duct tape method, which, with any luck, will remove the lion's share of overcoat paint on the flat surfaces. This method depends upon the adhesion between the overcoat and the original burst being less than the adhesion of the original burst to its Fullerplast undercoat. Fullerplast being a polyester material, the bond between it and the old nitro Fender burst finish
must be a mechanical bond, i.e., scuff-sanding, way back then, on the paint line, in the Fender plant. These finishes stick very well, but of course we've all seen the type of wear:
Note that there seems to be some
real paint film thickness in the areas where the edge of the burst is visible. This thickness is 95% Fullerplast and only 5% the actual burst lacquer.
So, chances are that the original finish will continue to adhere to its undercoats, fairly dependably. Because the burst is nitro, nearly all solvents are out. Because there are areas of bare wood to contend with, water-based paint softeners are out. Citrus-oil-based softeners are also out, as they will dissolve nitro, too.
Back to my "method": After removing that I could of the overcoat paint, I'd use gentle scraping with soft picks and scrapers to remove the rest, with the size of the tool being dependent upon the size of the area (neck pocket edges=dental pick, curved outside radii=small plastic scraper).
Wait--dental tools are very hard, pointy metal. Yep. This is where "feel" comes into play. The rest of the time, it would be plastic. Wood scrapers are softer than aged enamel or lacquer paint. If this is latex, you're home free...but if you can't see brush marks, it's probably enamel. Aged enamel is hard, and it's brittle. If this is commercial automotive or utility enamel, applied with a spray gun, it's gonna be a tough fight. If it's, on the other hand, rattle-can enamel, it'll be very thin and adhesion won't be the best. That's your best hope--rattle can, duct tape, scrape and pick. And, as Robert says, "finagle" the overcoat off.
It's a new category--
Guitarchaeology 101.
