Glitter finish

[Hitone]

I am building a Mosrite and really want to finish it in a retro silver glitter. Here is a sample of a

Gretch Silver Jet that uses the glitter finish.

Does anyone know how to do this? Is there a paint I can buy? Any books on the subject matter?

[butnut]

Hot rodders use metalflake...school kids use glitter. j/k bro. If you can use a spray gun, you can shoot flakes. I did quite a few kustom bikes and guitars in metalflake and it's just another step. I use lacquer for it's fast dry and ease of building up all the coats fast. Primer, sand, sealer, sliver base (lacquer) let that flash dry, mix a pot of clear lacquer and dump in your flakes (real big flakes (glitter sized) need a big tip 2.0) and shoot. I use House of Kolor flakes and pearls...good quality stuff. Do as many coats as needed to fill in any gaps, again let each coat flash dry a few minutes...NO sanding. Since you're not shooting any kandy color, you're ready to clear. You can use lacquer, but it takes a LOT to cover up the metalflake texture. I prefer to use polyurethane...it's catalysed so it dries hard and fast. There is a lot of clear needed to bury the flakes, but it looks deep and thick. I go about 4-5 coats. After it's dried completely, sand with 1200, 1500, 2000 and buff.

Have a look at my album for some pics, the 2nd page shows 2 metalflaked Teles...good luck.

Metalflakes and more...

[Snork]

ewwww. glitter. good luck though. WHO INVITED ALL THESE TACKY PEOPLE!? jk

[Brian]

I like glitter oh and welcome to the forum Hitone

[bluespresence]

That looks like a "crackle" finish that is popular with furniture finishing. Use a base coat, cover with Tite-bond original and shoot silver metal flake (glitter! ). The metal flake will "peel back" as the glue dries and give you that effect. For more (and better) instructions go to a paint store or hardware store that sells a lot of paint. They'll have flyers explaining exactly how to do it and they'll have the tite-bond glue - 'course you should already have that if you do any gluing on guitars.

I've been thinking of a hammered finish for my next git' that looks similar to that. Time, all I need is more time........

PS: sold 5 guitars today!!! 3 repairs that were done by me and 2 I didn't have time to finish.

[DividedByJames]

butnut, what are the nails for in the pic with both Teles?

[butnut]

I stole that idea from Fender...they used to paint guitars like that originally. Finish nails act as 'legs' when you flip the guitar over to shoot the bottom. The nail holes are hidden with the hardware. Works good.

[Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars]

House of kolor has stuff called ghetto flake...huge flakes! I'd love to see it on a guitar.

[westhemann]

I stole that idea from Fender...they used to paint guitars like that originally. Finish nails act as 'legs' when you flip the guitar over to shoot the bottom. The nail holes are hidden with the hardware. Works good.

am i overlooking something or couldn't you put long screwsin the screw holes that you already predrill for the pickgaurd or other hardware?then you wouldn't have any holes to hide

[Guest AlexVDL]

I was thinking the same thing... or even just put the nails into the screw holes?

[JohnnyG]

Bluesprescence, by crackle finish i assume you mean like a couple of the finishes on here http://www.musicyo.com/callouts/kramer_finishes.asp cracked green and cracked yellow at the bottom?

if thats the way you do them then thats great since ive been wondering how the hell you get such a cool finish for ages. im thinking that i have the basis for another project forming

[butnut]

I found the nail idea while doing my relic research. Fender put their nails in odd places outside of the pickguard screws etc...They may have used some kind of 'jig' to stay inside of the guard. I just thought it added some kind of authentic touch and my finish nails would be sitting kinda too deep in the predrilled holes.

Now Ghetto Flake must be something new...I'll check it out, if it's any bigger than their regular flakes, I'll need a mambo sized tip, been getting some jams with the bigger flakes.

Fender nail holes

[bluespresence]

JohnnyG, that's exactly what I meant. It looks kickin' on furniture. i used to run a hardware store and these little old ladies would come in and get the stuff and I'd give them the flyers on how to do it but I never took a crack at it (pun intended). It seems easy enough. I'm getting 7 Yamaha 112's in today or tomorrow and I may try it on one just for kicks. I'll let you know how it works out.

[JohnnyG]

man thatd be sweet. the firsttime i sawthat finish was a green on white one on a les paul. i almost wet myself lol

[bluespresence]

Hmmmm, went to a company Xmas party last night and when I came home there was a shiny black LP sitting in my living room! Actually it's here for a hot rod job I have in mind so it won't be ready for finish for a couple weeks. My distributor did throw in a free eg112 with my order this week so I have a strat style body to test this out on.

Since green is my favorite color JohnnyG, I think we may have some fun with this Yamaha. I'll shoot photos and let you guys see what happens!

Give me a day or two though, I have a project to finish for B and I got those Lace pups in for my J bass yesterday and I've been dying to hear them.....