Dazzle Camo

C

Chistopher

malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Hey fellas, I'm experimenting with dazzle camo on one of my guitars and I was wondering if any of y'all had ideas for how would be best to apply it. Currently the plan is to paint it white, tape over it, then paint it black, but one of the issues I have is about how to do the part circled in red:

PicsArt_05-08-01.29.23.jpg

How exactly would I do that? I was thinking of cutting the tape along a straight edge, but I don’t want to damage the paint underneath.

Also, any advice for enhancing the forced perspective effect of the dazzle camo?
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

the new paint will fill in the tiny cuts if you go too deep
sharp new blade leaves smallest cut
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

personally I would print a complete stencil of the pattern for each facet of the guitar so that the white area connect to the larger stencil just off the guitar -adhere with a low tack temp adhesive to paint it black
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

I was considering a stencil, but I don’t know how I'd make the edges line up given that the guitar has some awkward contouring around the edges.

Tape should work, but I'll take some time and effort to get it right.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

Dave Locher said:
This sounds like I'm teasing but I'm not: have you considered getting the body wrapped instead?
Click to expand...

I think this idea is going to take off. You could do so much more with body wraps than you can do with paint.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

I thought about a wrap just to save the time, but it ends up costing $120 bucks to do it all as opposed to $0 for the paint that I already have.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

In that case, start masking!
If low-buck is the goal, maybe consider black pinstripe tape over white paint? Just don't use electrical tape, it can get gummy after a while but the pinstripe tape you buy at an Autozone lasts for years no problem.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

It's not that I'm being cheap, it's just I don't want to spend 5 times as much on an aesthetic if I can do as good, if not better, using stuff I already have on hand.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

I didn't say cheap, I said "low-buck." I am always in favor of doing things DIY and/or low buck when possible!

Seriously, a roll of lack pinstripe tape placed over a white finish might be just the ticket. The decent quality stuff doesn't move or get gummy once it is on. Would 1/4" do it? That's pretty easy to find.

It will be difficult, though, to get all those lines parallel no matter how you do it. Random is a lot easier to pull off!
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

I forgot about this thread. A few days ago I finished the test run on a cheap plywood body I had laying around:

20200518_005930.jpg

The "proof of concept" definitely shows that it works, but now is the question of what guitar to put it on. I've mostly been keeping my paint work to cheaper sub-$100 guitars, but I might try to do it next on a mid-tier guitar. I think a Firebird with dazzle camo and a trans pickguard would be cool.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

Well, you did it right.
Next time maybe work in some iridescent.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

This sounds like I'm teasing but I'm not: have you considered getting the body wrapped instead?
Click to expand...


Anyone remember Gitards guitar covers from back in the 80's? They were guitar wraps made of spandex that attached via strips of Velcro. They were available to fit many shapes of guitars, and of course - in a variety of prints. The company was started by a dancer who made her own leotards, and her guitar playing boyfriend (as a joke) asked her to make some covers for his guitar so he could change them every set. Spandex was big in the 80's, so it was perfect for the MTV metal bands.

They were a big hit in the marketplace for awhile, advertising in Guitar Player mags, and even exhibiting at NAMM shows. I don't remember any famous player endorsements, but I sold a bunch of them out of my shop to local guys. I had a leopard print Les Paul, a blue and black zebra P-bass, and a gray and black snakeskin Strat in the shop for clients to check out. They were even available in single colors if you wanted. Most guys bought them for new stuff to protect the finishes....

You could weird a lot of people out from onstage by moving the cover around during a song - making it stretch and so on. They were fun. I have pictures somewhere in a box....
 
Last edited:
Re: Dazzle Camo

Demanic said:
Well, you did it right.
Next time maybe work in some iridescent.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was considering that. Maybe also including some circles or fake painted on knob silhouettes.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

That image hurts my head.

The answer is keep the strips the same size and really carefully tape the intersection.

NOW DON'T DO IT.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

Chistopher said:
I forgot about this thread. A few days ago I finished the test run on a cheap plywood body I had laying around:

View attachment 104917

The "proof of concept" definitely shows that it works, but now is the question of what guitar to put it on. I've mostly been keeping my paint work to cheaper sub-$100 guitars, but I might try to do it next on a mid-tier guitar. I think a Firebird with dazzle camo and a trans pickguard would be cool.
Click to expand...

I think the concept is cool, but if it were me I'd go with even more busier stripes by making them slightly smaller -you want to Dazzle right?
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

I thought I had pix of a Vee I painted back in the 80's.... Black and white chevron stripes, white base - black stripes. It was a ***** to keep the lacquer from bleeding under the edges. I finally got it right, and buried it in clear.
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

ICTGoober said:
I thought I had pix of a Vee I painted back in the 80's.... Black and white chevron stripes, white base - black stripes. It was a ***** to keep the lacquer from bleeding under the edges. I finally got it right, and buried it in clear.
Click to expand...

Do you remember the trick or technique that ultimately helped you pull it off? I'm trying my best to envision keeping something porous like this from bleeding -painting an illustration on grainless bristol board it's hard enough to do, but on wood it seems daunting to do cleanly. It's it very aggressive pre sealing of the wood surface that is the key?
 
Re: Dazzle Camo

I believe the technique is
base color
mask
clear
then top color

I believe this is the trick

the clear acts as a sealer
 
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