Could you make a matte finish from a gloss finish?

[nyck]

I was thinking it could be done by sanding the body with extremely high grit sandpaper and steel wooling it at the end.

 

[Briggs]

watch your grade of steel wool (yes, they have grades, like sandpaper)

 

[Town Drunk]

Pull the hardware, and tape over the pickups (unless you want them dull as well) Testors makes a Dull Cote spray. I have never used it on a guitar, but on models this stuff is amazing. It is clear, but will remove the gloss. You might want to try a bit on the back side to see if it will bond with your existing finish. You may still need to scuff it with OOOO steel wool.

http://www.testors.com/catalog_item.asp?itemNbr=1382