Easy but nice looking guitar finishes

thecolourbox

So after my first ever diy build from a kit was a complete disaster from start to finish, my natural reaction is to consider doing another. Admittedly that's because I can't find an actual guitar I want for the price I can justify, but still.

Anyway, what paint jobs would you guys recommend as being the easiest to do a decent job? Say a nice yellow colour jazz master type thing. I'd hoped I could try using chalk paint and lacquer but having used it on a chest of drawers I've now reversed that opinion as it doesn't look that good and it's not very smooth.

I tried spray painting the diy SG I did but that didn't go well for various reasons, but that was literally just the first copper coloured spray can I could find in homebase do not the best indication

Thanks

paulnb57

Wipe on Poly over wood stain, piece of piss, very difficult to get wrong......

thecolourbox

paulnb57 said:

Wipe on Poly over wood stain, piece of piss, very difficult to get wrong......

Bear in mind I got Wudtone wrong... Does that come in yellow then?

EricTheWeary

Yellow Sharpie. 

thecolourbox

EricTheWeary said:

Yellow Sharpie. 

WezV

thecolourbox said:

paulnb57 said:

Wipe on Poly over wood stain, piece of piss, very difficult to get wrong......

Bear in mind I got Wudtone wrong... Does that come in yellow then?

i got wudtone wrong, twice... and I have successfully used every other finish you can think of.  

for simplicity I would go direct stain and wipe on oil.  No messing with the wetsanded oil finishes I normally suggest

thecolourbox

I think in fairness it was the prep I did wrong rather than the application of the Wudtone but still, you know from my previous cockups with the SG that if it can be done wrongly, I'd probably do it wrongly.

Don't wood stains still show the wood grain though?

WezV

Yeah, they will.  But if you want solid then you are into more complex options.

the simplest solid finish will be spray cans.

thecolourbox

Ah right OK, I see. It's best I leave it then I think lol thanks as always mate.

I want something in the style of the Airline you made me that I can play without caring as much if that makes sense, that style doesn't work with wood looking finishes

Cheers

underdog

Someone in the modding a Harley Benton thread a while back had their guitar vinyl wrapped, that could be an option?

thecolourbox

underdog said:

Someone in the modding a Harley Benton thread a while back had their guitar vinyl wrapped, that could be an option?

I think I've only ever seen that in that black carbon fibre type pattern but I'll certainly have a look, cheers

underdog

Or get creative and think outside the box. Black out the back and sides with a rattle can and use a sticky plastic for the top in colour of your choice just find a quick way to achieve a solid finish.

usedtobe

Heat resistant, not that it needs to be, brake caliper paint can be good. I did one, but can't find the same stuff, now, having searched for it...

thecolourbox

Again I'll have a look but I can't imagine that looking good if I did that specifically, I'm seeing rough edges of plastic and all kinds of messy edges.

I think the trouble is you still have to be good in order to be creative with something effectively, which I'm not.

I think the message is resoundingly "stop being a tart Matt and just buy one even if it's not quite right you'll get over it"

thecolourbox

usedtobe said:

Heat resistant, not that it needs to be, brake caliper paint can be good. I did one, but can't find the same stuff, now, having searched for it...

Having just had to google what Brake Calipers are (clearly I'm too thick for all this), I can't imagine that brushing the paint on would get a smooth enough finish? Even when I used to paint arty stuff I was never able to get a true smooth surface. Or is there a trick I'm missing for that? Rollers or a sponge or somtehing?

paulnb57

Spraying from rattle cans is really a matter of good prep and very light coats, the biggest mistake is to lather it on then it runs, patience is your friend......warm day, warm the paint can in warm water, dry it gefore spraying, several light coats, done in a day, leave a week to harden. Halfords Satin Black is particularly forgiving and on the right guitar can look quite good

thecolourbox

Ah yeah, I think really I know spray painting is the only way to do this, but also that I'm onto a hiding to nothing really as I will not be able to do it. So really I should just give up the idea and stick to piano haha.

A few reasons why really

1) I'm never free for a full day to do it, so finding a warm dry period of time where I actually am free to do it is quite rare

2) I've nowhere to hang it to spray it, the last time I did that it snapped the washing line then i put it back up again just in time for it to start raining, at which point i had to ruin the paint job completely by taking it inside, having nowhere to put it except on some bubble wrap on the floor. I further damaged the paint job upon discovering the wreckage the bubble wrap had caused by throwing it down the concrete drive and kicking it ib a fit of rage.

3) further to number 2 i have very litttle patience when it comes to doing new things I have no ability with but feel (wrongly) I should be able to do

Sorry, little rant at myself there, I continue to be a frustration to myself

usedtobe

thecolourbox said:

usedtobe said:

Heat resistant, not that it needs to be, brake caliper paint can be good. I did one, but can't find the same stuff, now, having searched for it...

Having just had to google what Brake Calipers are (clearly I'm too thick for all this), I can't imagine that brushing the paint on would get a smooth enough finish? Even when I used to paint arty stuff I was never able to get a true smooth surface. Or is there a trick I'm missing for that? Rollers or a sponge or somtehing?

Yeah, I used a smooth-ish mini roller, and got a pretty decent finish. Paragon enamel paints, if you can find them.. You can thin the paint, but I didn't need to. The paint didn't go off so quickly that I couldn't do the whole body in one go, which is why I don't hesitate to recommend it.

underdog

Rattle cans is straight forward and as long as the body was smooth when you put on the primer then everything else can be fixed with cut and then polish to a mirror finish. I can even tell you a fool proof way to spray sunburst with them.