Fender's Gun Metal Blue Finish—what's the best way to achieve something similar?

[farwesterner1]

I'm about to start a Telecaster-type build out of basswood. I'd like to replicate this uncommon Fender color from the late 1980s, Gun Metal Blue.

I was considering painting the basswood with a dark blue-grey milk paint (3-4 coats), then finishing with Minwax Wipe-On poly (very fine sand in between coats, 800 grit or higher). Would that work?

I don't have access to a spray setup. In general, I like the idea of doing everything by hand, without aerosols—and I'm hoping for a great looking finish. Also, I love the appearance of these Millimetric Instruments guitars, which I think are milk paint.

Any tips?

[farwesterner1]

PS, this will be my first build, but I want to treat it like my third build. i.e. I want to try not to screw it up!

[mistermikev]

while I'm sure that would result in a fine looking guitar... I don't see how you'd get metallic in there.  If I was trying to get that finish w/o a spray gun I guess I'd try to use auto paint.  Just don't see that type of finish lending itself well to wipe on.  The prob is the last coat of metallic has to be dead smooth... if you wetsand it at all it always has visible lines - (not sure if whitness lines applies here).  No paint expert here... but that's my gut feeling on it anyway. 

looking fwd to build pics.

[farwesterner1]

Thanks. Yeah, I don't necessarily need the metallic. Just the base color with a glossy finish.

Unfortunately, my house doesn't have a garage or anywhere I can really spray even with a rattle can. I don't want to do it outdoors because in the past I've gotten pollen or airborne stuff in spray jobs I've done.

That's why I was hoping for wipe on gloss.

[Bizman62]

6 hours ago, farwesterner1 said:

I don't want to do it outdoors because in the past I've gotten pollen or airborne stuff in spray jobs I've done.

Thanks for telling that! There's a bunch of outdoors rattle can finish videos published by companies like StewMac who very hard try to give the impression they really know how to reach perfect results. Having polished a couple of clearcoats I know how a tiny smidgen of dust looks like the entire surface is ruined. Solid colour paint isn't that delicate, I painted my window frames in the yard and within a couple of hours there was a handful of birch seed partially stuck. They wiped off when the paint was completely dry. Then again, 70 years old roughly sanded weathered pine can't be compared to the properly leveled hardwood of a guitar body.