Question About A Evh Finish

[Daniel Sorbera]

I wan't to do a EVH finish on my next guitar but I have a question.

I want to do the whole thing with a white base-coat and just do the top with black and red stripes. I want to do a thin black pinstripe between where the top and the back and sides are. What do you think the easiest way to do the pinstripe is? Is there some mabye stick on product I can use or do I need to just tape it off and spray it?

[rhoads56]

you need to paint black first.

[marksound]

The EVH Art Series website has in-progress pics of him striping some bodies. That might help.

[Maiden69]

Perry painting black first will be a nightmare to cover with the white! I suggest pinting white base coat, tape the red stripes and paitn them, then cover for the black stripes and paint them. The pinstripe can be done rather easy by just masking it. Just like BeAR did on his EVH 5150. Just do a search.

[rhoads56]

are you saying the "red on white on black" paintjob i just did is going to come out wrong??

GOD DAMN, it was looking soooo good too....

Trust me, its ok. White covers black. Ive got two guitars in the workshop, both with over a hundred polka dots on each, thats says white covers black.

Edited August 5, 2005 by rhoads56

[Maiden69]

I know it cover, I have done it too, but I find is a lot easier to cover white with black or any other color.

Especialy when using spray cans, or my cheapo airbrush. I have to use the lighter colors firts

[Daniel Sorbera]

Perry painting black first will be a nightmare to cover with the white! I suggest  pinting white base coat, tape the red stripes and paitn them, then cover for the black stripes and paint them.  The pinstripe can be done rather easy by just masking it. Just like BeAR did on his EVH 5150. Just do a search.

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BeAR's thred is exatly what I need. I know how to do it now. Thanks alot guys!

[GEdwardJones]

I know it cover, I have done it too, but I find is a lot easier to cover white with black or any other color. 

Especialy when using spray cans, or my cheapo airbrush.  I have to use the lighter colors firts

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Actually, a bigger problem is red. I've always had a horrible time with red covering white. Even if the white was a primer...

[erikbojerik]

If you paint white first, any overspray or leak under the tape will be really obvious. Much less so with black.

But more than that, it really depends on the % white area versus the % black area...if it is mostly white, start with white. If its about equal, start with black.

[criss]

If you want to make a eddie frankenstrat copy the place to go is here

http://www.eddievanhalen.com/cgi-bin/index...oard=evhguitars

There are people there that will show you how they do it . I think frankenstraat who is a builder knows more about eddies guitars than eddie knows . Have a look there as they can give to advice on everything from pickupz to painting etc . A very good place with friendly and skilled builders .

The first thread you should go to ( if building a frankenstart copy ) is INSIDE FRANKENSTRAATS DUNGEON! Youll see it half way down the first page .

You ll see how bleed under your tape is a good thing and what colours to do first ect .

I hope you have a couple of spare days , because there is a huge amount of info there

Have fun

[rhoads56]

if you want black stripes, you paint it black, then mask the lines, and paint it white. JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL

OR

you can paint it white, mask up all the NON stripe areas, which is about four times the work, then spray black, and get the same results, through much more work.

or, you can spray red, which is supposed to go last, then tape up some wierd shapes, spray white, tape up even more wierd shapes, to make it look like the red overlaps white and black, and after a full day of going insane because you've gone cross eyed, you can spray.

or

you can go back to the first, most common method, thats worked well for the mulitple guitars eddy did in his lounge, the thousands of kramers, or the current charvels.

AND

Erik.... you said white will bleed more than black.... dude, you are WRONG. White is just the same as black, and bleed throughs ARE DEFINATELY THE LEAST of your problems if you use good quality masking film/tape. $2 makes a huge difference here fellas.

I just happened to do a "stripey" paintjob today. Ran out of the good masking tape, and had to use the "name brand, but cheaper quality" stuff. Every line was perfect with the expensive tape, every line masked with the "name brand, but cheaper quality" stuff had bleed throughs. And yes, it was red over black.... and it covered nicely.

[Daniel Sorbera]

I think I'll trust rhoads on this one considering hees like the finish "guru" around here

So it's black, than mask off the lines, than white, rhan red somehow. How do you do the red? Do you just mask off everywhere but the lines? That seems like alot of needless work. I'm sure thers easier way...

But the problem is I wan't the red below the black. So I guess it's red, mask off lines, white, somehow black.

Here is what I came up with,

What do you guys think about this stripe layout? (the body will be heavily carved, By "heavily carved" I mean the edges of the top will come down almost an inch and a quarter.)

Edited August 5, 2005 by Godin SD

[rhoads56]

that design has the white under everything, and really isnt at all like the EVH design (i mean the technique, not layout)

[marksound]

Godin, what I see in your pic is a red base, lay out stripes, spray black, lay out more stripes, spray white. It's late and I'm probably wrong, but that's what I see.

Edited August 6, 2005 by marksound

[rhoads56]

you will have to mask up everything BUT the stripes to achieve this finish, unlike the EVH technique

[GuitarMaestro]

The design looks nice, but as others have already said, you want to be able to put the stripes on by simply masking them. Not possible with your design. You will have to:

1. Spray Red

2. Put tape where the red lines are supposed to go

3. Spray White

4. Mask everything except the locations for black stripes

5. Spray black

Step 4 will be very hard to do cleanly I think. Especially in busy areas like above the bridge pu.

Aside from that why don't you come up with your own design? I always found EVH's paintjob way to original and personal to rip of and I would definately consider a player with such a guitar kinda copy cat, except if his playing blows EVH away....

[rhoads56]

I would definately consider a player with such a guitar kinda copy cat, except if his playing blows EVH away....

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Nothing wrong with looking up to your idols dude.

[marksound]

Here's what I'm talking about:

1. Spray the body red and mask the stripes you want to stay red.

2. Spray black. DO NOT REMOVE THE TAPE FROM THE RED STRIPES. Mask the stripes you want to stay black.

3. Spray white, remove top layer of tape to reveal black stripes.

4. Remove bottom layer of tape to reveal red stripes.

The finished product looks like the base is white with stripes on top. If I'm very much mistaken, that's the same way Ed does his, just changing the order of the colors.

[Maiden69]

Wow, on this one I would definately go with Perry's suggestion of black first, tape your black lines, then paint red, tape your red lines without removing the black ones, and paint everything white. I would use a good paint, no cheapo ones here, if possible good automotive paints with a spray gun set up. once you remove the tape you will have the red lines with the black ones over everything.

If it was a red guitar I would go with BeAR tutorial, some how red over white appears to be more brilliant than over black, but it might be me...

Good luck with whatever you choose

[Daniel Sorbera]

Here's what I'm talking about:

1. Spray the body red and mask the stripes you want to stay red.

2. Spray black. DO NOT REMOVE THE TAPE FROM THE RED STRIPES. Mask the stripes you want to stay black.

3. Spray white, remove top layer of tape to reveal black stripes.

4. Remove bottom layer of tape to reveal red stripes.

The finished product looks like the base is white with stripes on top. If I'm very much mistaken, that's the same way Ed does his, just changing the order of the colors.

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Bralliant!

I think that will work. The only forseeable problem is I might get some bleed through near where the tape crosses over the other tape...

Edited August 6, 2005 by Godin SD

[guitar2005]

are you saying the "red on white on black" paintjob i just did is going to come out wrong??

GOD DAMN, it was looking soooo good too....

Trust me, its ok. White covers black. Ive got two guitars in the workshop, both with over a hundred polka dots on each, thats says white covers black.

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Yes, I've done this too - White covers black very well in two coats.

However, the EVH frankenstein has a white base with red over it and then, black stripes.

[marksound]

However, the EVH frankenstein has a white base with red over it and then, black stripes.

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The Frankenstein is 3 layers of paint: black first, masked, sprayed white (VH1), masked again, then sprayed red.

Brilliant! I think that will work. The only forseeable problem is I might get some bleed through near where the tape crosses over the other tape...

Second guessing myself now ... be sure to do a test. I'm thinking that with my example the red stripes will come out "on top" of the black ones ... Edited August 6, 2005 by marksound

[Daniel Sorbera]

I'm thinking that with my example the red stripes will come out "on top" of the black ones ...

Your right. The black must go first. Which is good for me so I can do a pinstripe all the way around the edge like I wanted to do in the first place...

I just did some testing and it goes black, than red, than white.

Edited August 6, 2005 by Godin SD

[rhoads56]

Here's what I'm talking about:

1. Spray the body red and mask the stripes you want to stay red.

2. Spray black. DO NOT REMOVE THE TAPE FROM THE RED STRIPES. Mask the stripes you want to stay black.

3. Spray white, remove top layer of tape to reveal black stripes.

4. Remove bottom layer of tape to reveal red stripes.

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How do you stop the black paint lifting off the red base coat, when you remove the tape AFTER the paint has already dried? 'Cause the tape should be removed while the paint is still wet so this doesnt happen.... you cant.

How do you avoid a very fine line of black showing up where the white over red lines are?? You cant...

How do you fine sand the edges to remove furriness before laying the clear coat down, without rubbing through and edge of the white and revealing black under.... you cant.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

[marksound]

I'm just trying to show that you don't have to mask abstract shapes to get stripes.

And as for lifting, I don't know. Ask Ed.