Guitarfrenzy

Very good idea.. I'll see if they'll let me borrow the magazine and retype it for you guys... or maybe even scan it... Also.. I'm thinking you can use Dupont ChromaFil 4140s Multi-Use Primer to start off with.. although they have many options.. I recommend you going to their main webpage.. http://www.performancecoatings.dupont.com and click on visitor then goto their ChromaPremier link and you'll see tons of paint options.. including the ones listed.. Hopefully I'll have that posted for you guys by tonight.. so be checking back...

He didn't mention it.. but I'm almost certain that you'd just use whatever primer is recommended for the ChromaPremier paint line... so basically some type of ChromaPremier primer... no sure though.. I'll do some research on that...

Thanks, and I hope your talking about someone like Brian, and LGM writing the tutorial.. and not me.. lol.. I'm gonna see if I can find a place on the web with that same article.. if not.. I'll scan the pages maybe.. who knows.. lol

This search for a new way to paint guitars had led to many roads.. some dead end, some very good one.. but I've learned alot from LGM and others about painting... Just today I went to my local automotive store that sells Dupont paint.. I was talking to the guy about 2 part poly painting.. and he said it was very good and that I could just use the clear coat over whatever base color I choose... so basically he's saying I can paint it with whatever I want.. and clear coat it with the Nason Clear Coat... but before I left they showed me a new magazine that they get from Dupont.. and said, "Man we thought of you when we saw the picture on it.. " .. I was like .. hum.. ok.. lol... As it turns out, the cover of the newest Dupont magazine had a PRS guitar on the front.. I was like, Wow!!!... So I start reading it.. and there is a pretty good article with Paul Reed Smith.. and he was talking about the problems they had with different paint types and basically had the same gripes as the rest of us... Then one day they tried some Dupont and complete started using it from then on out... They use the following products from Dupont to get that great finish: 2 coats of ChromaPremier Basecoat Color, followed by 2 to 4 coats of ChromaPremier G2-4500s clear.... So I'm really considering buying these exact paints... just wanted to pass on the information to you guys since you might want to try them out also.. Paul Reed Smith said it was the easiest, most durable, and finest looking finish he has ever gotten.. Hopefully I can afford it when I decide to buy some.. lol.. But that's another story... Thanks LGM for pointing me in the right direction... If it wasn't for you I'd still be trying aerosol cans of lacquer.. lol Matt

Ok.. so I get the base paint mixed to my liking.. I spray how many coats? two or three? Do I sand between coats or only if i get runs and dust? Then I can spray regular lacquer over it? or polyurethane clear? If I use polyurethane clear then how many coats is recommended.. or am I still missing the boat?.. lol

Ok .. say that I pick out a color I like and get them to mix it for me.. I just paint it with that.. and no need for a clear coat.. or am I missing some steps.. I know how the painting method of lacquer is.. just don't know anything about this type of paint... also do you polish just the same as you would the lacquer finish.. or is that different.. Thanks Matt

Yeah and test on your mailbox or something first.. lol

ok.. so let me get this straight.. I can mix my own colors with component Polyurethane? Or do you have special mixing devices and colors that are out of reach of the part time guitar builder... I guess what I'm saying is, since you've really got me wanting to get into using component Polyurethane, I was just wondering about the details on where i should buy it.. how I can mix my own colors(if possible) and the proper procedure to getting a great finish with it.. I hope this isn't too many questions... but I'm ready to buy whatever I need and learn whatever I need to learn in order to get the kind of finishes that your getting... Also what's the cure time without uv or heat?

Thanks for the links LGM... they helped out alot.. but from what I gather.. I should be using Component Poly Urethane for a great looking finish.. which I had no idea you could even use Poly Urethane type paints on a guitar... I thought you only had 2 choices for a good finish.. nitrocellulose lacquer and waterborne lacquer... since that's all they sell at Stew-Mac... So basically, If I'm understanding you right.. I can go to the local automotive store that mixes paint.. and get a Dupont Poly paint mixture that will cost me quite a bit of money.. but will give me a great finish... Wow... the only thing I think I like about the Stew-Mac stuff is that you get to mix it together with colors to make the clear lacquer a color of your own choice.. can you do the same for the Poly Urethane or can you not buy the clear and use the same kinda colors that Stew-Mac sells... just wondering.... I'm gonna go by my local automotive place that mixes paint.. luckily I've been buying so much stuff I get a discount now.. lol... and see if they sell that type of paint so I can actually get a good finish... also is it true that Poly Urethane will cure quicker?... anyway... thanks for the tips... Matt

The first time I painted a guitar with acrylic lacquer it did decent had some hints of orange peel.. although it sanded out nicely. But I started painting a bass guitar for a friend and am not please with the results.. basically the colors look streaky no matter which way I paint.. and I noticed it on the first guitar but this one is even worse because it's not mine and I want to do a very good job on this one... So I'm basically now discouraged with aerosol cans which I knew wasn't really the way to go in the first place. Tell me if I'm missing something here.. I just can't get the finish I'm looking for using aerosol cans. The things I see as a disadvantage are as follows: the painting fan(width of coverage) isn't very big thus you end up making more swipes at it and an HVLP paint rig will cover around 6" fan area.. so you have less streaks, unregulated paint volume(not a steady spray), and cost more... What do you think I should start using since I have access to a CapSpray 8100 paint rig that's real good.. Look.. I'm ready to ditch this aerosol cans.. and quick... Nitrocell? is that what everyone uses to get a great finish... help me out on how you mix this stuff... I'm looking at the StewMac book right now.. and wondering exactly what I need to order.. If anyone can tell me what to buy and how much I would appreciate it a bunch.. I will be staining and regular color finishing... and on Ash wood... Thanks Matt

The first guitar I painted I didn't wear a mask.. and man I got sick, and light headed.. Yeah I was stupid.. but.. didn't take me long to decide I needed a good respirator.. now when I paint I don't have any side effects.. Maybe there should be an acticle or tutorial on paint safety... maybe will help people not suffer any side effects from painting... LGM made some very good recommendations... Matt

I was just wondering if paint would stick to the chrome.. I'd think it wouldn't.. but was worth asking since I have a guitar with a good bridge.. It just needs to be gold to look right with the rest of the guitar.. Guess I'll just buy another one and use that one on another..

I was watching a woodworking show the other day on tv and the guy was building a bed... and on the headboard of the bed he used quilted walnut veneer... It was beautiful.. and was wondering if anyone else had seen a guitar that had been done with a quilted walnut top.. because I'm thinking about trying it out on a guitar I build later on.. Thanks Matt

I was wondering if there is a way to paint a regular chrome with some kind of gold paint.. say on the bridge or screws... has anyone tried this.. If so did it stick?... not that I can't buy gold colored bridges .. they are just harder to find.. Matt

Now that's an awesome guitar.. Simply one thing I can say about it.. WOW!!!! p.s. Now I know I got to learn how to make an acoustic next.. lol

So if I use this and live in a very humid area it might not be as good as nitro for me then. Also from the way I'm understanding you.. it takes longer to cure out... than nitro.. So If those are true.. I'm gonna order Nitro... any more information?

I just got in a new copy of Stew-Mac and was looking into buying Nitrocellulose Lacquer and Colors that mix with it so I can start using a spray gun to get a more professional look. But I noticed that they also sold another product line that claims to do just as good but less harmful.. I was just wondering, from someone whose used both... what's the pro's and con's of both these paint systems..? Nitro vs. Waterbase... Thanks Matt

You did read the book, "Make Your Own Electric Guitar" didn't you? If not I'd recommend you buying it.. it answered tons of my questions.. and made me think about alot of stuff I would have overlooked.. such as Scale Length, Number of Frets, neck dimension, body shape, what kind of neck join:bolt on, set, or straight through?, bridge height, neck angle, headstock angle, head shape, body thickness, wood you'll use, pickup and control selection, nut width, truss rod(what kind?), control mounting(pickguard etc. etc.), binding, inlays, countouring, fretwire size, and finishing you will use... all must be decided before you build... Hope you have already done all the planning.. Good Luck on your project Matt

I've seen those yellow plastic clamps at Wal-Mart.. I'll have to try that... thanks for the suggestion.. also looks like you used sash clamps across the body? Matt

Yeah sorry I misread the problem.. he's wanting to cut the whole body out with one.. lol.. not route out a cavity...

So a Dremel won't work either?... I thought you just took a little bit of wood at a time .. not try to cut it the right depth on the first go around.. I got access to a router.. but was thinking of buying a Dremel... maybe now I won't.. lol

ohh ok.. wax paper.. good tip... but I don't think we have access to that big a planer.. not sure though...

OMG.. tell me he's not serious.. lol... And I have never seen anyone have to plunge a guitar out before.. but oh we'll.. lol... seriously though.. my brother-in-law has all the stuff we need.. and also I talked to my uncle today and he has even more than him... lol.. he has a way to sand it after it's planed... don't know what the device is called.. but he said we could use it.. he makes cabinets, computer desks.. tables, chairs.. you name it.. he does it.. just not guitars.. lol... But I have no idea what a plunge router is.. gonna have to look that one up..

Ok... I just got done with my first kit and I did a decent job.. but I'll likely refinish it later when I learn more and get better painting technique down. I guess I did a good enough job because I've got a Bass and another guitar kit to put together for two other people who wanted one after they looked at mine. I'm not gonna charge since I'm doing it for the practice, and believe you me, I need practice. lol.... Anyway, I got the book "Make Your Own Electric Guitar" and have already read to the First Guitar part, and I'm gonna attempt making that guitar. But I'm still in doubt about making the whole thing and was gonna just start by making a couple of guitars with building the body and buying the necks. Maybe after a couple like this, I can start making necks, which I really don't have enough tools yet to build anyway. So, since I'm concentrating on guitar bodies... I was reading about how you will take two pieces of wood and glue them together at the edges and clamp them down. But one thing is that he suggested using sash clamps to hold them together and also using G clamps or C clamps to make sure that the middle part is level.. my question is.. how in the world are you gonna clamp down the middle part with G or C clamps with small pieces of wood and not have it end up gluing to the guitar body block.. Also, If anyone has any other tips for making a guitar body block I'd love to hear them... Matt

I think you can find them at Sherwin Williams.. they look just the same as he used... Like I've said before I used them to paint the metal doors and they do leave a small streak where the roller goes on each side.. but with the right technique.. you can paint without many at all.. and he's right.. you just sand it down and go over it again... I'm gonna try to find a link from Sherwin Williams site Matt