Painting a design on an electric

[Pastor of Muppets]

So, I want to get a design painted on an all-black solid-body - what sort of paint would you use? Do you need to do anything to the existing surface or just paint right on?

I am totally cluesless when it comes to art/design/anything techy - fortunately my wife is a good artist, but she has only worked on scratchplates before when it comes to guitar art, not actual guitar bodies...any advice much appreciated.

 

[Pastor of Muppets]

Re: Painting a design on an electric

No one ever tried it?

 

[Sanford]

Re: Painting a design on an electric

If I were to do something like that I'd probably let the artist choose the paints and do the artwork directly to the body without removing the old finish and then apply a protection type clear coat over it. But the only time I ever messed around with guitar re-finishing was to change the color completely...and I sort of messed that job up.

Acrylic paint would probably be ok.

 

[Pastor of Muppets]

Re: Painting a design on an electric

If I were to do something like that I'd probably let the artist choose the paints and do the artwork directly to the body without removing the old finish and then apply a protection type clear coat over it. But the only time I ever messed around with guitar re-finishing was to change the color completely...and I sort of messed that job up.

Acrylic paint would probably be ok.

Maybe nail polish, then spray on a clearcoat? I seem to remember that Hendrix did his V with nail polish, or is that an old wive's tale?

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Painting a design on an electric

an enamel paint like nail polish would be best. it won't always have to have a clear coat either. look up hendrix's V and also a few of his strats. he had a few that were painted or had words on the back or the guitar. it will give you a better idea. also Keith Richards had a painted lp custom.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Painting a design on an electric

It depends on what kind of paint is on the guitar now. More than likely if its a new guitar its Poly. A good idea is to scuff the clearcoat a bit so whatever you put on will bond to the base coat and then a few coats of clear over it should be all you need. You kind of need to know you can't mix poly with nitro, so investigate the base coat and then go from there.

 

[Pastor of Muppets]

Re: Painting a design on an electric

It depends on what kind of paint is on the guitar now. More than likely if its a new guitar its Poly. A good idea is to scuff the clearcoat a bit so whatever you put on will bond to the base coat and then a few coats of clear over it should be all you need. You kind of need to know you can't mix poly with nitro, so investigate the base coat and then go from there.

It's a '98 Gibson The Paul II...