Refinishing Questions...Anyone have experience?

I bought an ASAT DELUXE a couple years ago....I love it, but was kind of disappointed in the Blueburst finish. The front looks good with the flamed maple top, but the back is a dark purple/blue/black depending on what light it's in...I was hoping that the wood grain would show through....It is my dream guitar and didn't know if it was worth the trouble having it stripped and refinished to it's natural wood...Is it even worth it? I live in Chicago and went to Third Coast Guitar's website and they charge $500-525 for a refinish of a guitar body (What!?...I could buy a used guitar for a couple hundred more in a different color!)

Has anyone done this before? Would I be getting in over my head? I have refinished multiple doors in my home and they have turned out nice....

thanks!
fitz

Fitz, if it is a flamed maple top it is most likely a cap and usually if the back is painted solid it may be alder and you would not be happy with the look. I have refinished many different things and I am refinishing a Musicman Stingray 5. First of all it is a lot of work and I found a flaw in the wood in the Stingray which means it will be a solid color instead of clear which is what I was going to do. In my opinion it is not worth it just to change to look of the back. My F-100 Return has a flamed top and a black back. It is cool.
-- Darwin

Fitz -
The standard wood choice on an ASAT Deluxe is a maple cap over a mahogany body. It might look ok once you're done depending on the grain of the mahogany, etc, but in my humble opinion it isn't worth taking a chance on messing up your dream guitar.

How about posting some pictures of it? I bet there will be a pile of guys who think it looks great!
Ches

I bought an ASAT DELUXE a couple years ago....I love it, but was kind of disappointed in the Blueburst finish. The front looks good with the flamed maple top, but the back is a dark purple/blue/black depending on what light it's in...I was hoping that the wood grain would show through....It is my dream guitar and didn't know if it was worth the trouble having it stripped and refinished to it's natural wood...Is it even worth it? I live in Chicago and went to Third Coast Guitar's website and they charge $500-525 for a refinish of a guitar body (What!?...I could buy a used guitar for a couple hundred more in a different color!)

Has anyone done this before? Would I be getting in over my head? I have refinished multiple doors in my home and they have turned out nice....

thanks!
fitz

This will not help with your refinishing question, but it does explain why the guitar was finished the way it was at the factory:
Bursted finishes of G&L instruments. This is a link into the G&L Knowledgebase, sub-forum "General G&L Questions".

I guess every now and then you have to be reminded that the grass insn't greener.....

I will post some pics of my ASAT Deluxe and 89' US Strat soon.....

I appreciate the advice guys!

fitz