How to Refinish a Gibson Les Paul. Ugly Duckling to Mean Green Machine

This is a great refinish on a faded les paul guitar. They did a horrible yellow finish that needed more.
This isn't even a great cover shot
buy the stains here: angelusdirect.com/bigdguitars
purchase the guitar here: www.bigdguitar...

[@bigdguitars]

you can purchase the dyes here: angelusdirect.com/?rfsn=566896.75dad582 purchase the guitar here: www.bigdguitars.com/products/y3rzcvuj3h2s61dvv7nyfl8kxkd16b

[@sharonlee4773]

How would you describe the neck size & profile please?

[@hkguitar1984]

5:09, you mention that the Kelly Green is picking up some of the black, have you ever tried mixing white glue into the black so that it becomes semi-color fast? Also, have you ever tested how the Angelus dyes fade when exposed to UV lighting? Great content Derek, thanks again.

[@wombat6]

After decades of Gibson putting garbage finishes (or even solid color) over nice tops, there's a whole market for you to tap into. Looks fantastic.

[@bigdguitars]

Yea I would do that for free for the most part.

[@spiderpignate1]

@@bigdguitars about to have you refinish my SG 😂

[@mariossavvas3108]

Stunning work as always. It's such a pleasure watching you make these guitars look so great. Greetings from Greece.

[@bigdguitars]

Thank you very much!

[@muurimc]

Never thought that a guitar could be refinished like this, and that it turns out that nice.

[@pangyre]

You did an amazing job. I have ALWAYS hated that tear-drop burst.

[@bigdguitars]

haha

[@veldhuizenhenk]

Absolutely stunning!!!! What a beautiful green finish!!! Love it!!

[@bigdguitars]

thank you

[@hobiecat901]

Absolutely much better looking. Does not even look like the same guitar. Now you have me wanting to change mine to a color instead of the drab finish I have.

[@danandratis]

Thanks for the video Derek - you can never go wrong with green - Cheers from Canada

[@GrouchoTM]

Finisher of 30 years here! Looks really good. Getting into guitar building myself and gonna check out those stains.

[@bigdguitars]

yea I love them. I have like 30 vids on them

[@avielkharrat5788]

The HULK BUUUUURST !!!!! Beautiful job! Outstanding color. The front and the back fit so well together! Amazing

[@bigdguitars]

me smash

[@avielkharrat5788]

@@bigdguitars hahaha !!

[@TheRockinDonkey]

That looks amazing. It really started to show after you hit it with the steel wool, but man, after you applied that clear coat it just looks wonderful. Great work!

[@markbundy1694]

Beautiful Work!🔥

[@johnlloyd9613]

Great video. I’m going to start my first Les Paul refinish. That green looks beautiful!! Good job!

[@genepoole1771]

Finisher here. You did a great job.

[@joshhuatheg3m3ni5]

I’ve always been a huge fan of green finishes in guitars. PRS was one of the first I saw that did the emerald green transparent finish and it looks so so beautiful. Such a stunning finish you got out of this guitar! Gorgeous work!

[@laurentiustratan7488]

Damn, your work is beyond custom shop level. Congratulations, I envy the future owner of this beauty.

[@bigdguitars]

thanks!

[@ak47dragunov]

Always a joy to watch a master of his craft at work

[@TomsGreenMind]

I love that aesthetic. I'm a big green guitar fan when it's the "right" green and you really knocked it out of the park with that.

[@neilmacmusic]

thanks Mr D for another inspiring video👍 Since watching your first videos i am now enjoying using Angelus dyes myself here in Australia having found a seller here in Melbourne All the best and thanks again !

[@andrewmundenandcadfellmast4624]

Hi Neil, who sells the dyes in Melbourne mate?

[@SergiOrtiz]

I wasn’t trusting the process at times but the end result was superb!

[@markkinney5030]

Man that guitar is sweet i love the color that you did it just pop's great job!

[@aussiezombie91]

Love the green and love the ormsby guitars shirt

[@fanmike0615]

Wow.. just wow! Really fine work!

[@bigdguitars]

Thank you very much!

[@bigkahuna100]

That thing turned out slick!!!!! I think it might inspire the next kit build I do.....

[@joshgreene4502]

This turned out a million times better than the stock color!

[@bigdguitars]

thanks

[@markbundy1694]

Best on the Net!!!👍🤘🏼👏 This Green color is Hot AF🔥

[@RedRose4711]

That has now become one of my favourite colour. Looks absolutely fantastic.

[@ericctheartofnoise8613]

FANTASTC!!!!!! One thing I would have done is lighten up the green a little to gat the flaming to come out more and to even out the top and back. Even still, it came out nice.

[@ilovejapanesemusic3858]

Initially, at the beginning, I got to say a much preferred the kelly green. It looks better on TV, but I haven't gotten to the finish line yet. I'm only at 9:40 in the video. I do love what the steel wool did for it that's exceptional, The final product that does look exceptional I would love a guitar that looks like that!!!🤩

[@thehandseesall]

Way better and not just in your opinion... nice work man, very nice

[@p.shephard2081]

So nice, I'm doing a flying V and your techniques will help me .thanks

[@martinclayton7260]

That's a gorgeous colour.

[@billsguitargarage]

That is an entirely different guitar now! Amazing work!

[@GTruck0]

Looks amazing! Cool Ormsby shirt too

[@scarmyguitar]

For such poor figuring to start with, you sure did make it pop!

[@SomeDudeDan]

That looks gorgeous! 🤘🎩

[@GoldenNuggetRec]

Tobacco burst is my favorite les laul finish but the green did turn out nice

[@RsSquier51]

That green looks great.

[@JesseJuup]

What a transformation! Very successfull makeover! 10/10.

[@GlenDeanII]

Stellar work, as always, Derek. I wish I had the extra funds... I'd take it off your hands.

[@yojimbodahut2748]

Absolutely killer! Bows down before you!

[@sharonlee4773]

OMG-That is THE best looking Lester Ive ever seen!!!🤩🥰😍

[@zepptar]

I love the green, but I love the original too.

[@tfejulienewmar]

This is an exceptional job and the guitar looks great ❤

[@hailmaryrecordings8255]

I want a green Les Paul one of these days. Sweet.

[@trevorclarey3336]

Good job , the Hulk of the Les Paul world.

[@mateekay]

Awesome learning video. Thank you

[@robertr4193]

Looks a lot more interesting than it did with the original finish. Pretty green nice but not great figure. Definitely an improvement.

[@SapperRJMorgan]

Beautiful job.

[@BBGuitars]

Looks unreal, Ive got the itch for staining now, looking at my first two builds that were just cleared and planning on stripping back to stain them

[@rcranky64]

Wow, that is gorgeous

[@bridge500t]

That turned out great!

[@aharkness5657]

I don't really like the light back with a dark top, but that is a fantastic colour and pattern on the top. Great work!

[@bigdguitars]

ahh gotcha

[@johndavidtice]

Amazing work and A+ explanation.

[@PaulHikes2]

This video caught my eye because I think I own the same guitar model/color. It looks like a 2018 Classic Player Plus. The color is Satin Vintage Sunburst. Personally, I love the original, but of course I'm biased. And the guitar just ROARS. Fantastic job on the refinish, though.

[@bigdguitars]

thanks

[@russellfranks3811]

Wow! Sweet guitar!

[@tonys.4657]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[@kevinshackleford790]

Nice work, man.

[@MrBobwood22]

I f’n love that green. I need a green guitar! Nice job Derek!

[@davidrees1840]

Wow, really superb job!

[@marcreno893]

Nice end product. Not sure what was so bad about the factory finish though.

[@oliveragnew8415]

Hey try Googling that that name as a song Mean Green and see what you come back with the guy that's name mean green that wrote the song lives here in Tucson or at least you used to but he was a really good guitarist check out that piece

[@HooksBill]

So nice!

[@shanedingz]

Looks awesome! Reminds me of the Slash anaconda burst guitars

[@bigdguitars]

yea that was a little inspiration

[@mattliebenau9083]

Looking good Derek. The only thing better than a nice P90 Les Paul is a green one.

[@bigdguitars]

buy it...

[@stavroblowfeld]

@@bigdguitars How much does it weigh ? Thanks.

[@SteveResor]

Oh Man that is Way Better and Cooler than what Gibson did 💚🎸🤟😃🤘

[@bigdguitars]

thanks buddy

[@Mr.Cynical92]

Is that a Classic Player Plus Les Paul? I have the same guitar and the tobacco sunburst and black p90s are what sold me on it. It reminded me of the Slash Brazilian Dream Les Paul but with different pickups. I didn't like the satin finish, so I buffed it into a gloss. I love the job you did here.

[@MarkRawling]

Beautiful. Do you redo the headstock silk screen on these too? Would love to see a video on that.

[@iaminbetweendays]

Awesome job!

[@ccchicken8889]

100% improvement!!

[@mr.astrophysics9115]

I kicked Gibson to the Curb back in 2019 for Epiphone and very glad I did I have never looked back..

[@bigdguitars]

smart man

[@DaveLovallo]

love you man!! you taught me so much, i am so so grateful!! \this is my next project, green LP.

[@bigdguitars]

Rock on!

[@ubertwerpify]

Well done!

[@davet.3587]

Very nice 👍

[@Elderwyrmmusic]

Is there an advantage to using black dye and sanding instead of pore filler?

[@mikes2270]

That looks awesome. I’d love to have you refinish the baby shit yellow top on my 2011 Gibson Les Paul 60s tribute. It’s one of my favorite Les Pauls to play, but gosh is it ugly.

[@josepheucolono]

Great job!

[@MangledGuitars]

Doing mine now thank you!

[@GuillermoSmyser]

Is it out of the question to add a middle P90? Can such a thing only be done early on in construction (and/or before adding the neck)?

[@bigdguitars]

If you have the right tools you can. I would love to do that

[@GuillermoSmyser]

@@bigdguitars I sent you an email (the one showed on the website) and doing a 3 p90s is on my mind.

[@j-dro6783]

Love me some green great job ✌🏼

[@jpoggi9081]

Made it look easy!

[@guitarsehole]

Wow! An amazing transformation! I think all of those tobacco sunburst LPs need to be refinished like this! They look awful in my opinion. And the world definitely needs more green guitars!!

[@alejandriabanda]

Hi! I'm really tired of my project, it's the same guitar, mahogany back and maple top, but any dye I apply to the top doesn't hold up, it doesn't soak in, I've tried water-based dyes (aniline), Varathan dyes (oil soy) and oil dyes to impregnate wood in my country (Chile). The blessed maple is so non-porous that nothing is impregnated. These Angelus alcohol products are ones that I have not tried yet. Will it be the answer to my problems?

[@hadleymanmusic]

You made it look like a firefly

[@DiveBarGamerYT]

So you can just paint over the binding then scrap it off later? Would it be easier to remove the binding or is that to hard?

[@maxwellblakely7952]

I have a Heritage H-150 that I’m going to remove the TERRIBLE neck finish on. Would you recommend stripper or a cabinet scraper to get the lacquer off of it?

[@ernestschultz5065]

I'm not particularly fond of green guitars but you made it look very good.

[@bigdguitars]

thanks

[@SantaAgain77]

So, sooooo nice !

[@rdykes828]

Stunning !

[@marclafferty6416]

The re fin looks great but it may just be me but I kinda liked the original finish. Still great job looks amazing

[@bigdguitars]

Fair enough!

[@papablue3015]

very nice!! thanks!

[@MrGeroth]

You are a pro. Thanks for sharing.

[@Asuraai]

Looks great, gives me ESP vibes

[@miltonfriedman9673]

Are the simpson strong tie plates to add more bass response to the pickups? or did I miss you explaining them?

[@Johnny.D]

that looks much better then the original finish.

[@kjell3inge]

Hot damn. 😮That really was an ugly duckling becoming a swan😍👍👍

[@BuffaloC305]

I am always tempted to match top-wood tones to the sides and backs, especially if side & back are matching already. Of course, I'd like to match the neck as well. So... why have the darker-edged sunburst effect? What purpose is served by darkening that top edge. Is it purely aesthetic? Does this make the top binding stand out more? (Which is does, yes.) I have zero affinity with any sunburst, though. I'd always prefer a tone-matched top, sides, back and neck, but I like wood and wood grains rather than paint.

[@bigdguitars]

i like the effect. I might have gone with an airbrush to add more contrast

[@alwayslearning8365]

Much improved. TY

[@marktheregulardude8651]

After spraying the spray satin finish, do you go back and sand it with really fine sand paper? (Or wet sanding?)

[@Rick_Cleland]

Good stuff! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻