Anybody try sanding down the top of their guitar?

[kizz]

I know a guy who has installed a web camera inside his guitar, so he can follow what's happening inside the guitar on a monitor while he play if a brace or something else should pop out.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by cip

Exactly. The braces are always super rough. I'm talking super high grit. Very light just to make everything baby butt smooth.

I know what I'm saying sounds crazy but i don't see how it wouldn't affect how sounds travels. Things move easier when things are smooth versus things are bumpy.

You posed your premise and you've gotten feedback that was nearly unanimous against your premise. But you seem to have convinced yourself that your premise must be valid so go ahead and sand the bottom of your guitar top. You don't need anyone's permission to do that. Then you can come back and tell us how it sounds like a totally different and is now a much better guitar (because you've reached that conclusion already and confirmation bias is a powerful drug).

[abn556]

Paul Kossoff of the band Free famously sanded the finish off of his Burst LP from the late 50s. The article attached says it was a 59 LP Burst - worth at least $500k now.

https://www.guitarworld.com/features...e-and-personal

This guitar was used to make one of the most often played classic rock songs ever.

[Gasworker]

There seems to be a belief that any subtle change in tone is airways better. If sanding the tops thinner/smoother or polishing the bracing so sound doesn’t hung up on the rough edges makes a guitar sound better to you and remember you’re the only one who going to know I say knock yourself out.

[Bluenose]

No need to sand the braces in this 2012 Eastman E10SS, they're already sanded.

[marciero]

Originally Posted by abn556

Paul Kossoff of the band Free famously sanded the finish off of his Burst LP from the late 50s. The article attached says it was a 59 LP Burst - worth at least $500k now.

https://www.guitarworld.com/features...e-and-personal

This guitar was used to make one of the most often played classic rock songs ever.

We all did stupid stuff when we were young. I think John and George did the same to their epiphone casinos. Having said that there is some truth that a thick finish inhibits the top, at least on an acoustic. For a violin, the finish is part of whole recipe for sound. At least the nice ones

[terryj47]

I did it to an Epiphone flat top fifty-some years ago using paint stripper. It softened and deformed the binding and pick guard just a little.

The binding hardened again and a little scraping fixed it. I think I removed the pick guard.

This was back when Epiphones were on par with Gibsons. Dumb kid thing. Not recommended at all.

[rollypolly]

Maybe on a home built guitar for experimentation, but not on a guitar that I plan to sell later.

[Slimt]

I guess the only way to find out if your question is a good question. Is to do it.

You will know the answer soon enough.

Bracing has been altered by many folks to get a better tone. But then its a question of how much to remove before compromising its structure. It is not a easy thing to do.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by abn556

Paul Kossoff of the band Free famously sanded the finish off of his Burst LP from the late 50s. The article attached says it was a 59 LP Burst - worth at least $500k now.

https://www.guitarworld.com/features...e-and-personal

This guitar was used to make one of the most often played classic rock songs ever.

So three things...
1. You either misread or didn't read the article you linked because it says, "At some point before Kossoff bought the guitar the top was stripped."
2. The value of the guitar has nothing to do with the top having been stripped at some point.
3. The OP is talking about sanding the bottom side of the top because his is rough on the inside and he's convinced himself that smoothing it out will yield a better sounding instrument.

[cyclistbrian]

Interesting thread. People are both over AND underthinking this question. The answer is pretty simple. Nothing is lighter than air. I suggest the OP should remove the top entirely.

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by cip

I'm talking super high grit. Very light just to make everything baby butt smooth.

But that's not how you get "baby butt smooth." You have to progress through grits to get the right results.

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by cyclistbrian

Interesting thread. People are both over AND underthinking this question. The answer is pretty simple. Nothing is lighter than air. I suggest the OP should remove the top entirely.

Perhaps a helium top?

Haha

Paul

[Roccorobb]

Goodall sands the tops from the outside, after the box is closed, just as cip is suggesting. It's how they fine tune the top/box.

Of course, they do it before finishing. If you have a cheap guitar with a thin finish I say it could be a fun experiment.

[Bluenose]

Originally Posted by Bowie

People frequently misunderstand what fine textures do to sound. Only the highest frequencies get caught on them. Those frequencies come off the strings but aren't transmitted through the top into the body. It just can't vibrate in that way. So, smoothing your braces (or the underside of the top) isn't doing anything.

Au contraire mes ami. It will prevent me from getting splinters when I feel around in the interior. Improving tone might call for major surgery if it's really as bad as some say.