Paul Marossy Posted November 1, 2004 Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 Hello. This is my first post at this forum. I have a Strat body that I want to refinish, and I have checked out the excellent tutorials on guitar refinishing. I thought the one on material finish was ultra cool. My confidence level isn't at the point where I feel like I could pull that off, though. As an alternative, I was wondering if you could take something like a picture from a poster and glue it on the top instead. Has anyone ever tried that? I have my suspicions that it probably wouldn't work very well because of the interaction between the clear coat and the paper material. Am I correct in that assumption? Paul Marossy www.diyguitarist.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted November 1, 2004 Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 I've often thought about trying that, I think it could be done, but I would go to a graphics art supply store and do some inquiring there about topcoating over a pic. This is basically what decoupaging is (my mom used to do this, it's cool) So I know it can be done, but don't know the particulars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axemannate Posted November 1, 2004 Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 Ibanez did it with the JEM77BFP. It is actually a picture instead of fabric, like the FP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted November 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 (edited) Thanks for the replies. That's interesting that Ibanez has done that on one of their guitars... My intuition tells me that the first coat or two would be critical, but from there on out, it should be pretty simple. At least I would think. Edited November 1, 2004 by Paul Marossy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted November 1, 2004 Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 If you go to an art store you might want to pick up a rattle can of Artist Fixative which works on photographs......Krylon makes an excellent one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted November 1, 2004 Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 Yup, that's what I was thinking when I mentioned the art supply store, that fixative stuff! I don't know what's in it, but it was recommended to me once for pics when I was thinking about doing it, but I never went thru with it, that was years ago. I'd like to know whats in that stuff. You also have to be aware of the type of glue you use too I think, but again, I can't recommend anything in particular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted November 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 Right. Good point. Some fixative might be necessary. I may decide to do it, I'm not sure. It all depends on how that body looks when I strip the paint from it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotrock Posted November 1, 2004 Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 Check this out: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...c=4833&hl=comic there is another thread about this too, run a search for over a year (Inlay and finishing section) over that last year and you should find it. Good luck dude Kaj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted November 1, 2004 Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 i too have been thinking about this. i'm heading for the workshop this afternoon to work on another fabric project and i'll take a regular glossy poster and try a coat or two of lacquer sanding sealer on it to see if it makes it bleed or anything. i'll let you all know later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted November 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2004 Well, that other post gives me some hope! Looks pretty cool. I am not too afraid of doing fabric, I have covered some of my DIY tube amps with material so I know how to work with fabric, but... the part I am worried about is getting a smooth finish over the fabric. I suppose it might take a few coats with sanding in between, and a good buff at the end? I have so many ideas to toss around now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted November 2, 2004 Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 well i tried four different types of printed product with pretty good results. i was using a brush on lacquer sanding sealer as a first coat just like i would with fabric. first i tried a glossy color poster and it worked great. next a page out of a magazine also with good results. i tried a piece of newspaper and while the ink stayed fast it made the paper translucent so you could see the print on the reverse. the only real problem that i ran into was with an ink jet copy. the lacquer definitely made the ink run and smear. i'll bet that if you used a coat or two of spray lacquer as your sealant even that would work well. if memeory serves me a simple white elmer's type glue was all you needed for decopage. i use wood glue for fabrich and i imagine either would work equally well. after that i would probably use the sanding sealer and build up two or three coats to smooth out the edes of the paper. then top coat buff and play. good luck which ever way you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted November 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 Thanks for the update! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted November 2, 2004 Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 hopefully there will be a pic attatched to this, ive been trying ever since i joined this forum, and havent managed yet, an ive been at it for an hour already trying to put this one on. anyway, for this guitar i cut out loads of pics from magazines and glued them to the body with normal kids PVA glue, then sprayed nitro straight over the top. I had no problems with ink running from the pics, or the glue dissolving etc. the only problem that i did have was the amount of nitro that i needed to get a smooth finish (about 6 or 7 half litre cans as i recall). PS please dont mock the body. i just threw it together from some scrap marine ply i had lying around specifically to try this finish. the neck, scratchplate etc were just lifted off a fender for the purposes of the photo. ok, finally got it, but the quality of the image is bollocks but its better than nothing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted November 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 That's cool. I was hoping to see something like that on a guitar that wasn't an Ibanez RG or JEM. I just received my Strat body from the UPS man this morning, so I will be getting started on this project shortly. When I strip the paint off, I will know more about the direction that things will go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted November 2, 2004 Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 hey demon, that's a great looking guitar. i'm already planning a hippie version of it complete with flowers and peace symbols, etc. paul, unless you just want to sand all the finish off i don't think it's necessary. just take some 120 grit sand paper and rough the surface so the glue will bond. at least that's what i've done with the fabric ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted November 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 Yeah, but the finish is pretty thick already. I would rather strip it down and start over. I don't want all those coats of stuff affecting the resonance of the guitar body... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted November 2, 2004 Report Share Posted November 2, 2004 cheers guys. With that guitar i didnt even bother sanding it down all that smooth, although i did cover the entire guitar with pictures I suppose, so i didnt really need to. The only thing I'd say about this method is going round edges, like the cutaway horns and going round the edges of the body the paper can crease cos it doesnt fit the curves properly if you know what I mean. Ive actually still got that guitar. I made a neck for it eventually, although it was a quickie build everything fitted into it quite tight and nice, as well as a crap guitar anyway like an encore or somethin never finished it though, went into a cupboard. like i said it was an experiment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 i'd probably do a picture guitar edge just like the tutorial of fabric says. just lap your pics 1/8 to 1/4" over the edge then fill in with sanding sealer so that there's no line and then shoot a black sunburst around it. i'm sanding a fabric guitar as we speak and it only took two coats to fill the edge so that you can't feel or see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marossy Posted November 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 I designed the PCB for the onboard electronics last weekend. Got the PCB etched last night and populated it this morning (more like the middle of the night since I get up at 4:00AM now). It measures about 3/4"x2" and has Tillman's little FET preamp and Ansil's feedback thinga-ma-jig on it, too. I am going to have it so that I can switch either one on or off. BTW, I also ordered pickups, a Floyd Rose locking "tremolo", a neck, neck plate and tuners. I have to get started on that pickguard, too. I think I could do a two-piece Strat pickguard that wouldn't look too bad (I think). So far I am about $400 into this project. It's going to be worth it, though. I'll be updating the webpage tonight so y'all can see what I have cooked up do far. I'm having fun with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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