Painting a guitar with duplicolor

[Oceano]

Can anyone give me the rundown on how to do this, and approx. how long it takes to fully cure with like spray on poly or something similar? I want to repaint my classic vibe bass. I've heard the finish on those is thick enough to use as a base.

[FuseG4]

Re: Painting a guitar with duplicolor

If you sand the paint enough to get all the shine off of it, you can use it as a base. you can rough it up with 60 or 80 grit paper but try to get it smoothed out to about 220 grit by the time you start spraying.

I used nitro and did it like this, but I'm pretty sure it's close to the same spraying procedure for poly.

Hang the guitar on a coat hanger to do the front and back, and place the guitar on two blocks of wood on a table or a cardboard box to do the sides.

Spray 2 rather light passes to get something for the next layers to really grab onto, and wait maybe 2 hours. Spray 3 passes each on the front and the back, give it an hour to dry to the touch before moving it to the wood stilts from the hanger and spray 3 passes around the edges, and then give it 3 hours to dry. Wipe it off with a tack cloth to get dust off of it. Spray 3 more passes and then call it a night. if you get a run or dust or pock marks in the paint STOP. Let it dry overnight and then gently sand it down and begin to respray that general area.

You wanna spray around a foot away from the surface, and start beyond the guitar to either side, and in a smooth motion, spray across the guitar and follow through past the guitar. This will ensure the pass is even.

3 passes equals a coat. 3 hours between coats. 3 coats a day, for at least 3 days always wiping it down gently with a tack cloth in between coats. Then wait a few days before final sanding up to 2000. If when you start the final sanding, the paint gums up the paper, stop there and let it cure longer. I waited a week, I think. The final sanding should be done in steps to at least 2000 grit. Then you can use a polishing compound on it and buff it with a cloth.

You might be able to reduce the time in between coats to something like an hour, because poly dries quicker. Again, I used nitro, and so someone like Dominus can tell us if there's a big difference between this and the poly way. But that's the gist of it.

[FuseG4]

Re: Painting a guitar with duplicolor

oh and tape off the neck pocket. I forgot to do that on mine.

[eviltobz]

Re: Painting a guitar with duplicolor

if in doubt, err on the side of leaving longer between coats to let it dry, especially if you don't live in a really warm dry place where it will dry quickly. i painted up a replica of eddie van halen's 5150 (red with white and black stripes) a few years back. there are a lot of coats of colour to get that, and then even more clear coat if you are aiming for the factory finish look. because it soon started looking so very very cool, i was desperate to finish it quickly so didn't wait as long as i should have between coats. the paint pretty much never dried completely, it picked up marks from the guitar stand it sat in, and was always a little soft to the touch.

[woemoejack]

Re: Painting a guitar with duplicolor

cue Dominus


Edit: actually Fuse has it pretty good

[TeleLubber]

Re: Painting a guitar with duplicolor

If when you start the final sanding, the paint gums up the paper, stop there and let it cure longer. I waited a week, I think. The final sanding should be done in steps to at least 2000 grit. Then you can use a polishing compound on it and buff it with a cloth.

You might be able to reduce the time in between coats to something like an hour, because poly dries quicker. Again, I used nitro, and so someone like Dominus can tell us if there's a big difference between this and the poly way. But that's the gist of it.

Very well put sir!

The only thing I would add.. since I've used both poly and nitro, is be just as patient with poly, even tho it dries quicker.. it can actually take up to 30 days to completely cure.. I have had good results allowing 2 weeks to cure and got a really nice & durable gloss finish..

[FuseG4]

Re: Painting a guitar with duplicolor

I got hasty and didn't throw enough clear coat on, so my final polishing took the clear coat off and left me with a sort of Highway 1 looking matte finish. 1 can of clear nitro is enough for a neck... but next time I'd do two for the body. You end up sanding sooo much of it off.

nitro is great because you can lay it on thick and it just thins as it dries anyways. I can't imagine what it would take to spray "too much".

To the OP. Check out Ohio Valley Nitro if you feel like using nitro. Reranch is also great!

[bigdaddy]

Re: Painting a guitar with duplicolor

The key is to get the primer coat absolutely perefect .
You can even achieve great results with the Dupli-color
spray cans if you can't afford spray equipment. I refinished this 60's Teisco VN-4 with a broken headstock with
off the shelf Dupli-color spray cans bought at the auto store,and a little elbow grease.

[Dr.K]

Re: Painting a guitar with duplicolor

+1 to what FuseG4 said.

If you are going to use DupliColor they have a great filler primer, it goes on thick and dries quick. I highly recomend it. Keep your primer, paint, and clear the same brand and type.

I would like to add, if it's colder that 65 degrees wait until it's warmer. This is about the temp limit, 70-75 degrees is ideal. Also try to do it on a dry day without to much humidity. It's very dry where I live so this isn't a worry. This is all assuming you don't have a booth to spray in. I know the 65 may seem to cold but I have applied perfect coats in 40 degree wheather but the radiant heat of the sun made up the difference.

Let it dry in an open space with good air movement, don't put it in a confined space to dry it needs to degass, you can get blistering if you don't. I've left mine in my garage and had it do this, so I got a small fan to move the air.

When you've finished with your coat turn the can upside down and spray it untill it just sprays air. This will keep the tip cleaned out. You may need to clean the outside of the tip also if it starts to build up. Wipe the tip before the upside down cleanout, to keep it from getting clogged.

When you start to apply a coat prime the tip by just spraying it on another object, never on your project. You can get a bad spray a first. This has happened to me a lot.

I hope this helps by adding to the advice you've already recieved.