Change The Color Of A Guitar

[jlarremore]

It seems every guitar I own is black for some reason. After I'm finished with my two in-progress guitars, I want to paint one of my black guitars red.

Should I just go over it with lacquer thinner until the lacquer is gone then pain and apply lacquer? Or should I strip it down to the color, repaint and lacquer. Or should I sand off the lacquer and then paint and lacquer?

Jef

Edited July 2, 2008 by jlarremore

[jlarremore]

Well, Jef, I've done different methods. I think sanding down to the original color is a good idea. It should act as a primer and won't leave you with pock marks or holes like a chemical stripper. A heat gun may go down too deep for a quick color change. So maybe sanding is the way to go?!?!?

( chirp ) ... I've resorted to talking to myself.

Jef

[another doug]

I'm no expert, but from what I've read here you can usually just scuff up the existing finish and shoot your new color and clears over that. Of course, that's assuming you're going for a solid color.

[anderekel]

I'd say just scuff* the exsisting finish and paint over it. I'd use 600 grit.

*scuff means sand so that there are no shiny spots anywhere in the finish, paint won't adhere to the shiny spots.

[jlarremore]

Yes, solid, and thanks for chiming in. I'm going from black to red. I've found I really like Krylon's colors. Say what you want about lacquers, a good old can of 3 dollar spray paint is great. I'll give the 600 grit a try and then go down to a simple red. Should be a quick weekend re-finish.

I tried aircraft stripper and it worked well, but it ate through the sealer under the pain. Yikes. But I liked how well it worked.

Jef

[Tim37]

if your just gonna use a rattle can you might want to go with something a little finer than 600 other wise you may get sanding scratches showing through,.

[anderekel]

I would really say 600 maybe 800, but I'd go 600, otherwise the paint won't have much of any tooth to hold on to and it could peel.