Refinishing a Pre-lawsuit Ibanez SG (197X)

[Mexicanbreed]

Picked up this banged up Ibanez SG like 3 years ago for a project, then left it aside. Well, since I am starting with a LP kit, I thought why not work on both. It is a super light guitar, with a comfortable rounded neck. I don't know how original the parts it came with are, but I am guessing most of them. Somehow, I don't think it would be easy to find replacement parts for it, or am I wrong?

Anyway, here it is as it looks now.

 

[Mexicanbreed]

As you can see, it is made of multiple pieces of who knows what. I would have left it alone when I bought it, but someone had already sanded through the finish on the sides, so I've decided to attempt refinishing it. I am going to leave the headstock alone, though. Now that I tried sanding the finish off, I think I might get some thinner from the hardware store and remove it with that.

I'm still on the fence about what finish I want to try. On the one hand, I think it is a good candidate for a solid finish. On the other hand, I already have a red dye I bought for my other project, a LP kit. If I go down this route, I'd make it a dark cherry color with Tru Oil finish.

The hardest part with this project is that the frets are very low and some are very worn. It needs a refretting and I've never done any work on any guitar, let alone refretting. Can anyone point me to a good video or thread to learn about refretting and necessary tools?

 

[BadPenguin]

Ok, let's talk finish first. I wouldn't stain it, since all those pieces of wood, some of them aren't the same species of wood, (I know from experience with an Electra from the same manufacture.) so they will take the stain differently. Go with a solid color. Less pain that way.
Frets... try recrowning first. That is NOT a candidate for your FIRST fret replacement job. That SHOULD be a killer playing guitar once done.

 

[Mexicanbreed]

Agreed. Solid finish it will be. Does it make sense to strip it entirely first?

 

[BadPenguin]

If you are capable of doing a factory like finish job, then by all means, strip, seal, and paint away. If it's going to be a rattle can finish, and you would rather have a player more than a looker, them make it as smooth as possible before spraying.

 

[Mexicanbreed]

Ok, the plan is to sand it off entirely. Thankfully it's not poly. I am sure I can't do a factory finish like job. I'd like either a color similar to the original or, my preferred choice, gold.

Edit: Pelham Blue would be cool too.