Auotobody Shop

[Sobot]

Hello... I don't know much about paint so I'm throwing out another question.

The guitar I'm making is going to have a nice light-amber natural finish on it (dye). But I need to know what to do for a good quality clear coat overtop.

My Dad knows someone who works at a shop where they paint cars, and I was thinking of getting a clear coat done there.

Now. The paint that they use; would that ruin the wood or anything? All it is, is a clear coat (or a few) so that the guitar has a nice, shiny look to it, with the natural dyed wood underneath it.

Is it a good idea?

Thanks

[unclej]

check with the body shop and find out what type of product they're shooting..nothing is going to ruin the wood but you're probably going to need a grain filler and/or sanding sealer so you'll want to know if it's compatable with what they're shooting.

[frank falbo]

I've used body shops to blow clear on guitars. You have to make sure you have prepped the surface, and they have to know if their finish will make your undercoat sag or drip, as with duplicolor mirage. So to a certain extent, you want someone with good knowledge of the chemistry, not just a "body shop guy" who just hangs your guitar up and blasts it without regard for your final expectations. Depending on the body shop, you can pay them for the wetsand and buff, too. I hate that part. Actually I like it once I make myself start, but I dread it beforehand.

If you're trying to build a mirror finish, you should find someone shooting 2 part poly. That'll really build nicely on a guitar. If you just want a gloss finish that shows the wood grain texture, then you might as well rattle-can it yourself with some Deft or something. The reason to go to a body shop is to take advantage of their equipment to shoot 2 part, IMO. Because anything else is very do-able if you take the time to educate yourself.