Very Noob Question

[IronFlippy]

I'm having difficulty understanding the whole finishing process for a body. What I've gathered was that you'd need a sealer, color, and then a clear coat, assuming it's a solid color. Everywhere I read, it tells me something slightly different. I don't have very much experience with paints, so I'm not really sure what the difference is between a sealer and a primer, and other stuff like that. Sorry for the noob question, every tutorial I read seems to go specifically in one direction, and doesn't really give an overview of the process. I have a book on guitar repairs, have looked through several different forums, and have checked the home site here for tutorials and stuff. I keep getting hung up on all the different terms used, I think that's my major problem. If anyone could give me a brief overview of the process, I think it might be helpful. Thanks in advance and sorry again for the noob question.

[Batfink]

"so I'm not really sure what the difference is between a sealer and a primer"

Don't fully quote me on this but to my mind:

sanding sealer is (perhaps not always but the stuff from Behlen's is) clear so you can see the grain through it for transparent finishes and also to seal in any dye's or stains that have been applied to the bare'ish wood.

primer is coloured (light for light colours / dark for dark colours) for a solid finish.

Both, to all intents and purposes, do the same thing.....well that's my hang on it.

Jem

[mdw3332]

Get a hold of a book called "Understanding Wood Finishes", it is a great piece that describes just about every kind / method of finish, their benefits and how to use them.

Search through PG, go to MIMF, and look at the site below for guitar specific information. However, it is unlikely you will find a step by step guide to do exactly what you want to do - there are too many variables and often times there are many ways to get the results you want.

For me, finishing is the most difficult and rewarding part of building. Experiment, practice on scrap and keep looking through PG to see how some of the experts are doing it

Good Luck and welcome.

Marty (Not one of the experts )

Re-Ranch

[TenderSurrender]

Hi and welcome to PG IronFlippy

MDW is right, read up.... when you think you have got it... read it again because i can almost guarantee there will be something you have missed

Check out the helpful search feature at the top left of this forum, it will throw up all kinds of helpful infomation on finishing!

Good luck

~~ Slain Angel ~~

[guitarmonky55]

im not going to be the best bearer of advice since this week im (so far) succesfully applying my first spray finish. Im doing it on a cheap guitar body that i picked up for 50 bucks so im not worried about messing it up. and if all goes well, and i must say it is right now, then ill have a damn nice looking axe to jam on too

as far as how to get it together, that rule "measure three times cut once" applies here in the reading/learning area too. ive spend the last few months reading many many many finishing tutorials/websites/books/forums and then once i thought i had it i put together a list of what i had gathered that i needed to do and had some experienced finishers look it over for me.

[Drak]

PM me and I will answer your question with a very easy to understand answer.