Guitarfrenzy

Like they told me.. yeah you can use enamel.. but It will more than likely give you problems later on.. cracking etc. and also when you sand it.. it balls up on you.. kinda making it harder to work with.. also... I asked this same question one time.. and I was told that enamel is super hard to remove from guitars... so If it was ever to be redone.. stripped and repainted.. then you'd have more problems than if you'd have used different kind of paint.. so far, from what I read.. acrylic lacquer seems to be the best choice.. but then again.. you probably didn't even read my post.. soo.. lol

Thanks cbm for the tip on decals.. I emailed them and looks like the only place local is 6 hours away.. lol.. so I'm gonna have to order them direct... but thanks for the information.. Again Brian comes through for me... I'll just order the one from ReRanch or the stain from Stew Mac.. they both call it vintage amber... but one is in a bottle another in a spray can... both should work good.. If anyone else has any suggestions that they used and worked.. as far as decals and neck stain.. please let me know.. thanks

Yeah if not for Brian I'd have done my first paint job on my first guitar... thank god I didn't.. my first one was terrible... Yeah test your paint out on a scrap piece of wood .. also any band saw cutting etc. should be attempted on scrap.. or you could regret it later.. when you've ruined a 150 dollar piece of wood...

As you all know I'm working on my first finish job ever.. I've got a real good grasp of what to do as far as the body goes.. the only thing I'm worried about are two things about the neck.... 1. Is there a way to get the Vintage Amber finish on a neck without buying from Guitar ReRanch or StewMac.. I'm pretty sure it has to be oil based stain... but open for suggestions.. anyone know for sure... 2. I remember reading on the subject about decals on neck... I have a good design but was wondering if there was a way to buy something to print off on a laser printer that will work... any suggestions on the best way to get a high quality decal that looks good... Thanks Matt

Looks good to me... very good for first guitar.. I just hope the first one I build from scratch looks anywhere near that good... very nice wood.. and I agree.. just some nitrocellulose lacquer from Plasti-Kote(Super Lacquer) or better yet from www.stewmac.com or Guitar Reranch.... just promise to show more photos after your done...

I was having a similar problem... but with help from people on this site and reading alot.. I just put on the best coat ever.. and looks just like a factory guitar finish... here is what I used.. but you can use whatever you like... 1. http://www.plastikote.com/plastikote/auto/...=SandablePrimer 2. I used a Plastikote Car Color Paint.. it's only one I found with the right kind of paint to do a guitar... acrylic lacquer.. it will say on the back of the product that it contains acrylic lacquer.. I used FM 8085 which is blue on the guitar I'm currently finishing... here is a link for that product... http://www.plastikote.com/plastikote/auto/...roduct=carcolor It comes in a small 6oz. can that's easy to paint with.. so buy 2 cans just in case you need that much.. and spray 2-4 coats... 3. Then applied the top coat with a hard clear lacquer... about 10 coats will do... sanding with various grits and then wet sanding with finer grit(1500) for example... until your done... this is the product I used... I doubt you will find a better lacquer product... it's nitrocellulose lacquer.. and cheap.. lol.. but don't spread the word... till I buy enough to do all my guitar work http://www.plastikote.com/plastikote/auto/...ct=superlacquer I tried alot of lacquers out before this one and they don't even compete... Good Luck and remember there are plenty of other companies out there... just have to find one that will suit your needs...

If you listened to my first post I said that they do have the exact paint your looking for.. but goes on in 3 different coats.. thus it's even labeled on the cans 1of3.. etc.. I just thought you meant the Metal Flake because it's just in one can... and you said you wanted just one can... As far as I know there is no way to do that with just one can.. .. but I'll keep looking for it.. I know Plasti-Kote makes it in the 3 part can series.... I just looked at it the other day in the autoparts place... I'll be going back this afternoon and try to find the exact name and numbers off of it.. and will post it on here later...

Try this link first.. maybe something your interested in... http://www.plastikote.com/plastikote/auto/...duct=MetalFlake If you click on the Colors link below the picture to the left... you can get it in Black Metal Flake.. which is way cool... This one appears to be only one can and has lacquer in it.. which is a plus.. you got me wanting to buy some now.. but I didn't see that kind in the store.. but I bet they had it.. they had tons... lol.. I'm still trying to find the 3 coat one I seen at the auto store.. Good Luck though Matt

I just saw the exact paint your looking for at the automotive place this weekend.. when I was buying my blue paint... It's a three part paint though.. not sure how it works.. but you have to buy 3 cans of that stuff.. the last one is clear coat lacquer... not sure what the other 2 exactly did... lol... It was made by Plasti-Kote and looked neat but I figured I'd leave it alone since this would be my first paint job... anyway, I'll research this and try to find out exactly what it's called and hopefully find a link for you soon...

just do like I'm gonna do... paint every scrap piece you can find.. lol... something will have to work eventually... but I can tell you.. Pine wood has to be sealed.. lol.... not that I'd use it for a guitar.. The roller your wanting or the one TSL uses can be bought at any paint store.. I've used them before painting metal doors and they do good but you don't want to press down too hard or it will leave streaks.. but then again.. sand, sand, sand.. lol

Thanks for the quick response Brian.. .. I just got back from a good Automotive place that sells the kinda paint I've been hearing alot about.. acrylic lacquer... and found the color I wanted in it.. so I'm gonna go with a sure thing... Simply because I hadn't read your post yet.. so I was sure that enamel wouldn't work.. lol.. but now that gives me more options... I picked up 3 things today that I needed... a feeler guage set.. from .004" up to .025" so now I can use that to measure neck relief, nut slot, string height at the 12th fret, etc. I talked to a guy at Sherwin-Williams who only had like three cans I could actually use... he had acrylic lacquer in glossy white, black, and clear.. it's made by Krylon.. I bought the clear one simply to try it out because it said on the back that it was actually great to use on musical instruments.. lol.. I was like wow... that kinda helps me out alot.. it's suppose to be some heavy heavy duty lacquer.. and comes in a spray can... I also saw the Preval spay bottle.. which was only like 4 dollars... I'm just not sure I can use that yet.. because I don't know what kind of paint to buy to mix my own etc. etc. but I'm searching and learning everyday.. thanks to great people on this web-site who help out.. I feel like I'm gaining alot of ground... although on the test piece of wood I set it near a cloth and it stuck to it.. even after 5 hours of drying time.. lol. I thought it would be dry.. but I can see that letting each coat have proper drying time will only help you get a better finish.. so I learned that even if you have time to put on 10 coats a day.. your best not to do so... and if not mistaken I think Dan Erlewine said he recommends no more than like 2 to 3 coats a day.. wow.... So yeah, I've got to learn to be more patient with this stuff... I bought a variety pack of sandpaper for the job... 220, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000... maybe someone can tell me the benifit of using each one and at what stage... So basically the way I'm thinking is.... after I'm done sanding .. and since I'm not working with a wood that has big pores in it... i won't need to use wood filler or such... i will do the following 1. seal the wood.. (this one has me kinda worried, since I don't know what to really use.. I mean what kinda product does the best job) I probably will use lacquer to do this step.. since I think I read somewhere that you can do that.. not sure though.. someone correct me on this one.. let dry for 2 hrs 2. Paint the body with an acrylic lacquer... just 2 to 3 coats should do... let each coat dry for 45 minutes before applying more... might have to sand between each coat.. but If it doesn't run is there really a need to? 3. Use the Krylon hard lacquer in about 3 coats a day and use different grades from 600, 800, 1000, 1500 between each coat to get a great clear finish... 4. After I have sprayed about 12 coats.. which is what people have suggested since I'm using a spray can to apply... and in thin coats... I wet sand it with 2000 grit lightly.. then a week to a month later use swirl remover glaze on it and buff it out good.. Hopefully I've got a decent idea on how this is done.. Only other questions that still remain for me are these.... 1. What is best to use to seal the body before painting? and where can i get it? 2. Still don't know if i can stain the neck and apply lacquer over it.. without any problems.. or should i order the vintage amber paint that you can get from ReRanch... then lacquer it 3. How to sand each phase of the process for best results.. Again thanks for your help!!! p.s. Sorry about writing so much.. but I'm trying to figure this whole mess out.. lol

Ok.. I got out a scrap piece of wood .. sanded it down.. and went to buy some acrylic lacquer in a spray can... but all I can find from local parts place is black, white, red.. just basic colors... so I notice that they have the color I'm looking for in enamel paint.. so I sealed the wood.. painted it with the enamel about 3 coats.. didn't have to sand.. had no runs in the paint.. then later on I used a can of clear lacquer that I also bought.. I put 2 coats on it.. then the next day sprayed a few more on and sanded with 2000 grit for the last coat... the finish looked good.. but it was just an experiment.. and I was wondering if the enamel paint is a bad idea... you know down the road will it hold up.. I guess what I'm asking is... I want to get a nice finish that will last... so I'm willing to buy from other places like Stew-Mac.. and I don't think they sell straight paint... or at least I couldn't find color paints.. only dyes and stains... so I might have to go with ReRanch.. but I wouldn't if this paint job will hold up.. also.. on the neck.. can i use regular amber stain before I paint it with lacquer or am I gonna be messing up... Please help a newbie finisher.. lol.. If nothing else just write down a list of stuff I need and where i can get it for an awesome finish... money is no object and I got access to a thousand dollar paint rig.. thanks for the help!!!

You could also buy one that you can sand down to size... just a thought

I'm looking forward to that Coen... because I almost freaked out when I first saw your guitar and found out what kind of roller you used... Yeah... and now I can see why they call you the sanding king also.. lol... Hopefully you can finish another guitar and have step by step instructions.. maybe even on a scrap piece of lumber...

The roller that he used is the same that I have used before... to paint metal doors at work... but I'm just not brave enough to try on a guitar... I think If you don't know what your doing it's best to stick with spraying the paint on in some form.. but I might be totally wrong... yeah TSL is the king of the roller... so I'd look for his advice also... just make sure you get the right type of roller.. you wouldn't want one that applies it and leaves bumps and dips in the paint job... Maybe someone can point him to the right link that shows the pictures of the roller we are talking about... anyway Good luck Matt

Thanks Brian.. I've been wondering how good a job i can do with a spray can.. someone told me I'd do a much better job with an air gun.. and I have to agree.. but I'd have to borrow a air gun and buy the right kind of paint... just wondering how u guys get a good paint job... air-gun or spray paint cans...? Also with acrylic lacquer.. and from my understanding I don't have to spray on any clear coating... is that right or am i totally off base... Yeah I was thinking I'd have to order my stuff from ReRanch or StewMac simply because they cater to guitar builders... Thanks for the information on painting the neck... I want to go with a amber color.. with a clear coat over it.. not quite sure what kind of clear coat I'll use.. any advice? Matt

I'm about ready to jump into the guitar finishing part... and have some very important questions to ask, simply because I don't want to reinvent the wheel.. lol.. I have read that you can buy acrylic lacquer from a automotive store... two things I'm concerned about are... 1. how good is the acrylic paint... is it as good as using other paints and applying the lacquer clear coats later? 2. How easy is it to find and how much variety can i find.. I mean is there a surf green at a local autoparts store.. lol... The next thing I was wondering about is the neck.. do i have to buy something like amber paint from ReRanch and then apply a clear coat later.. or can I pick something up locally that is just as good... also is nitrocellulose lacquer easy to find or do i have to special order it from stewmac or reranch.. I know that's alot of questions.. but I'm trying to get an idea of just what I'm gonna need to buy to complete my guitar.. thx Matt

My friend has a Joe Satriani "Chrome Boy"... the exact same finish your talking about.. they used some kind of aircraft paint if i'm not mistaken.. but they only made so many of those guitars.. not quite sure.. but I think there are alot of problems with doing a chrome finish.. since it doesn't like to stick to wood very well.. lol.. anyway... good luck...

very good suggestion.. and Brian can I use crayons to paint my guitar? just wondering.. lol

Yeah.. lol.. that's what i meant Elmers Wood Glue... sry I didn't state that better...

If the whole strap button was pulled out of the guitar wood.. you can do either of 2 things... 1. Get bigger strap button screws.. or 2. Take a toothpick or two and dab them in elmers glue.. then insert them into the hole.. let it dry for a day.. then put the screw back in... It worked for me.. hope this helps

Also you might could cut the bridge somewhere so it will rust faster.. rust does spread good...

lol.. same here.. I think what your doing is neat.. but I don't ever think I'd want to build one.. lol... or destroy one should I say.,.. but then again.. Fender puts these relic guitars out all the time so I guess someone is buying them... But as far as I can tell you did a great job making it look worn out.. Good Job.. I think you could also put the bridge outside and let it rain on it a couple of times .. that should do it.. just an idea though..

I sent off for the cheaper Saga kit... it's cheap and I can afford to mess up.. lol.. anyway.. I'll post pictures of the guitar when I'm done...

Again thanks for all the engouragement... I'm just amazed I found a message board that is this good for guitar building... quick replies..etc. Man, RAI6, you plan sounds something similiar to what I was thinking... thanks for the input... I'll buy a quality kit from Carvin or the Saga kit... I've been practicing painting and have already learned that you don't start the spray directly on the wood.. lol.. you start off the wood and then go across in an even manner.. so I'm thankful for trying on scrap lumber first.. lol... Tsl... I've used those type rollers to paint metal doors at work.. but have never even considered it on a guitar.. i'm gonna try that out also.. simply because your guitar looked awesome.. Also I'm wondering how good the quality is on the stewmac necks or any of the others for that matter. The neck is the most important aspect in my opinion.. I can't stand playing a guitar that buzzes.. because of terrible fret work... Brian, I'm reading your article on fret jobs.. and trying to figure out if I'm smart enough to make the tool you designed.. lol.. hopefully I will have a chance to make one soon... The book should be in next week.. and i'll order a kit for next week also.. so I guess I'll be able to display my first guitar within about a month.. lol.. maybe sooner though.. I've already designed the headstock that I want.. can't wait to see it all worked out... Next step is trying to learn about quilted maple top guitars.. because I love the look of them... anyway i appreciate everyone's help and knowledge... maybe I won't ask too many questions and make everyone mad... lol.. oh we'll back to my drawings Matt Vinson