Painting a guitar

[HetfieldRules]

well i wanna do a simple paintjob on my old Ibanez i got off ebay last year. the thing sound really bad with my old rig, but my new amp brought it back to life. i jsut wnna do a simple flat color. i have this metalic chrome spray paint that i wanna use. i have a brush on primer that i was going to use because the gutiar is black. i was going to tape up the pickups, and the bridge and the lower part of the neck so i dont get ne paint on it. then i was jsut gonna spray paint it. i figured about 2 coats. Do you have any tips about painting and such?

 

[Curly]

Re: Painting a guitar

http://home.flash.net/~guitars/ReRanch101.html

 

[HetfieldRules]

Re: Painting a guitar

thanx, ne1 else?

 

[MikeS]

Re: Painting a guitar

Your Ibanez likely has a polyester based finish, which dries very plastic-like. In that case, do just as JohnJohn suggested... disassemble, lightly scuff, primer. Personally, though, I'd much rather use a primer matched for the paint that I'm using.

That link curly gave you is a great step-by-step tutorial. I used it when I refinished my Ibanez.

 

[butnut]

Re: Painting a guitar

Don't use a brush on primer...unless you're painting your house with it. They are cheap for 1 can of spray primer...since you are going with a silver (all those spray chromes look like silver) I'd use a contrasting primer. I learned form all my kandy repaints that using a light grey primer makes it hard to see where you missed as it's to close to silver. Schwinn used a red primer sealer under their silver base for the kandies...makes good sense. I'd go with a dark grey which may even pop the silver nicely. Take off all your parts too, it's not too hard and will look better. A clear coat will help keep the silver looking and lasting longer too.

 

[HetfieldRules]

Re: Painting a guitar

heres my problem, i tried to tpaint an old guitar and after i took it apart....it never went back the same, granted i know a little more now, i dont wanna take the risk, i can get some spray on primer, thats not a big deal, but if taping it up isn't gonna work, then i dont think im gonna bother, it's not worth riskin my only other guitar

 

[butnut]

Re: Painting a guitar

If you can do a good job taping it, it will work. A bad tape job just looks bogus, but if you take your time and do it well, it should be fine. I like to take things apart when painting, but you don't HAVE to. Good luck.