90's Strat Finish Checks

[Rich Middendorf]

Japanese made Strat with "Foto Finish" fake curly maple top. Evidently they took a photo of curly maple and glued it to a maple top then put a heavy, glossy finish on top. There are pretty heavy checks and I need to know the best way to fill them. I hesitate to refinish because of the fake curly maple underneath. And I don't know what kind of finish it is. Does anyone have any information / opinion on how to proceed?

[Donald A. Fortune]

The only thing that I can think of is if you take the finish off the body all together you can get away with a nice paint job-- peace, Donald

[Greg Mirken]

It's not possible to make checks go away in a cross-linked finish. In a material like nitrocellulose lacquer you can melt and reflow the finish, but not here. You would have to strip and refnish.

 

By the way, in your photos at least the curl doesn't look faux to me.

[Thomas James]

I think that is the Fender 'Photo Finish'. The repeated "hamburglar" face pattern is an easy mark to spot. I doubt you would have good results on a refin. If you do strip it; please take photos!  Would like to see what's under there.

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

I'd go for very thin CA glue then a bit of sanding and polishing. Won't be invisible but it will be ok.