Guitar Painting / Finishing Advice & Products

[AT]

Hey Everyone:

I'm about to undertake the process of stripping and refinishing (in a solid color) a Peavey Wolfgang Special body. I've assembled numerous custom guitars from parts before, but the finishing process is new to me. I would like to accomplish a decent solid color finish with clear coat that takes on as much of a pro look as possible. However, I will be working with limited resources and facilities, so I'm looking for advice on products and application. From having watched a few different videos, I think it's likely I'll go the aerosol route for both paint and clear, and I'll probably do some wet sanding between coats.

So if anyone has advice, please let me know! I'm also looking for reliable sources for the painting products themselves.

Thanks!

[HipCat5]

I've had great luck going down to a local paint shop and asking them to mix up some "colored stain" (a clear base with pigment) to whatever color I'd like. I apply it directly to the wood with a rag and allow it soak in. With this method, however, incredibly rich colors are achieved by staining it many times (almost to the point of insanity - you'd get to the point where you'd think it would never completely dry). After that, spray on some water-based clear coat (suprisingly, clear hardwood floor finish works wonders and is very durable). I've used Krylon's spray clear-coat as well ... works well but seems a lot softer when dry than the others I've tried. I've even brushed on the floor finish with some nice results (just make sure you buff the living daylights out of it if you brush it on).

A local luthier told me he mixes the pigment in with the clear coat to produce a very nice finish. Very professional but something I couldn't replicate because I don't have a sprayer at my disposal nor did I want to mess with trying to mix proportions of pigment to lacquer to thinner. I've tried those aerosol "baby-food" jar sprayers for mixing stuff yourself ... it never worked very well for me FYI.

Good luck

[Mikey Metalhead]

i just did my first one. the jem you have probably seen posted.

I rushed it a bit, but two things I can tell you.

grain fill and sand until it is like glass.

and wet sand wet sand wet sand wet sand etc....

when I wet sanded the primer, it looked smooth as glass, but I am here to tell you, paint covers NOTHING.. every tiny little imperfection showed thru when I put color on.

krylon worked great for the primer and color, I am not happy with the clear coat though.

[chucker5150]

Lots of good advice here: http://www.reranch.com/reranch

Good supplies here: http://www.reranch.com

I am currently working on my fourth guitar build... I have used ReRanch products on all of them and the guys on the boards build and refinish guitars for a living, so they know their stuff.

Chucker

[AT]

Thanks for the words thus far, everyone.

I started sanding and stripping the ivory Wolf Special body a couple of days ago. That process is in itself a messy and long undertaking.

I'm going to try a transparent dark green finish. I think the clearcoat process is what has me most nervous.