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So, I refinished my JTV69s. I think the gamble paid off.


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I was never crazy about the aesthetics of the JTV69 when it first came out. Then the JTV69s was released and I thought the appearance was FAR more palatable. But something always bugged me: The pickguard tells me it may be an offset guitar trapped in a strat's body.
 
Taking the Elvis Costello Jazzmaster as insipiration, I took my stock Shoreline Gold JTV69s...
 
Stripped the polyester finish (tediously with a heat gun and scraper):
 
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Then sanded to bare wood (and test fitted the new guard w/ electronics, because of course):
 
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And made it look different.
 
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I knew I was taking a risk by stripping it - after all, this body was selected for a solid color instead of a burst for a reason. I was pleasantly surprised at the nice grain underneath. The knot below the tremolo was probably the reason it was a solid color.
 
Anyway, after stripping and assessing the suitability for staining, I ended up with a walnut stain and used three coats of Minwax Antique Oil (hand-rubbed boiled linseed oil similar to Tru-Oil) for the final finish. It's a FANTASTIC satin finish that is light and has a great feel. These potato-quality phone photos don't quite capture how deep the grain looks in person. And I love how the satin body contrasts with the gloss pickguard.
 
Overall, I'm very pleased with the end result. 
 
Side note for anyone that may be considering a JTV refinish project of your own... Be prepared to spend time and a lot of effort in removing a THICK polyester finish. There was clear coat over the color coat and an extremely thick coat of clear/sealant under that and took a long time to remove. The heat gun and scraper approach did NOT remove the finish in sheets like you may see in YouTube videos of folks stripping Fender bodies. This stuff straight-up crumbled off after a lot of heat and elbow grease.
 
Also, because the finish was so thick, while it didn't cause any problems there are a couple areas where the end result is noticeable to the trained eye (but not noticeable while playing). The heel carve is no longer flush with the bottom of the neck (cannot feel it when playing and neck pocket itself was unaffected as I did not touch it all). Also, the bushings for the neck screws are no longer flush with the finish - they do stick out a little now (again, cannot feel when playing).
 
I did not remove the trem's threads - they stayed at the same height. I just sanded around them. Once reassembled, everything that contributed to playability and sonics were back in original places (pickups just had to be raised a tad).
 
The recessed cavity covers (over main board and battery box) protrude just a bit, but nothing major. Again, some things that a critical eye can point out, but no real problems.
 
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