Respraying a Strat to Olympic White - who's good? Recommendations, Prices?

Kebabkid

Hi,

I recently acquired a really nice MIM Fender Robert Cray Strat (Hard Tail) in Inca Silver. In fact, it's one of the best Strats I've ever heard and played and it sings and is particularly resonant and quacky. Cleans are great and the superb pickups can handle overdrive really well. It also has a particularly nice mint green scratchplate and the rosewood neck is full but extremely comfortable allowing me to use 11s on it and bend easily (my go to gauge is a hybrid set starting at 9.5s).

I don't mind the colour although it's not without a few scratches and it's been touched up by the heel joint where it's not a good colour match.

Given I paid a good price for it, yet it's such a gem, I'm not averse to the idea of spending some money on it and wouldn't mind turning this into my "Ultimate Strat", which is an Olympic White, Rosewood board, Mint Green Scratchplate one - I'm almost there with a couple of things.

Any recommendations for people who could repray this and any idea what the cost would be? Ballpark?
Also, would the sound alter once done and with the neck and bridge coming off it, would it require a set up once reassembled?

Jonathan @FelineGuitars - do you do your own resprays or send out? Martin Simms?

Many thanks

 

PVO_Dave

@lamf68 would be my first choice

Drop Rich a PM for a price. 

victorludorum

Do you want Nitro or Poly?

Kebabkid

Thanks guys.

@victorludorum - I'd probably want to keep a similar coat on it, which would be Poly. However, I do wonder whether Nitro would enhance the already good tone and resonance it has, just purely because it's a lighter coat.

Also, and excuse my naivety, but I don't know what happens in this process i.e. is the new coat applied over the old one or is the old coat stripped first? If it is applied directly onto the old one and it's nitro, given it can age, come off etc if worn or dinged, I think it could look quite fetching with the silver eventually coming through.So, really at this stage, i dont know but I'm definitely not up for doing this myself

PVO_Dave

It's probably a good idea for it to get stripped back first, it'll end up with quite a lot of paint on it otherwise!

Kebabkid

Err.. good point PVO.
note to self:upstairs for thinking,  downstairs for dancing!!

victorludorum

Do you like the relic look, as the nitro will craze? In my case the crazing began after a couple of months and it wasn't something I was expecting to happen so quickly, so i shifted the body on to someone who was after that look. @lamf68 does beautiful work, but you'll have to bear in mind the crazing thing if you want nitro.

SteveRobinson

Not all nitrocellulose lacquer crazes so readily. I've got a guitar I painted four years ago and although it's got a few chips from being knocked in use, it hasn't got a single crack.

Kebabkid

Mmm..,  I don't mind relics but I wouldn't want it to age that quickly

victorludorum

In my case it was a cold snap that did it, so out of my control really.

PVO_Dave

Out of the 3 guitars Rich has done for me, only one of them has any crazing / cracking on it, all where I've either screwed in the bridge or pick guard. 

As as much as they will all show some of it eventually, my hamfisted approach to putting that guitar together is likely the blame for it (learnt a lot that day!) - Still, the Monterey Pop Strat will lend itself well to that look  

victorludorum

Mine was the same as the crazing began from where the bridge post studs were fitted. I was gutted as it was a real beauty, but it taught me that nitro isn't for me, so live and learn.

Kebabkid

It's looking more like poly is the way to go for me i.e. like for like and I have the names of a couple of recommended forumites that can undertake the job.

One of my original questions was should I perceive any difference in the sound as I don't want to lose anything?

victorludorum

I presume you want a hardtail specifically, hence the Cray model, but if it's not the case and you're ok with a tremolo, I'd sell the body and buy a white one. You'll probably make money in fact as the hardtail ones are fairly rare I would say.

Gassage

Cos, if you can wait, JayDee in Brum are superb. One of the best.

Neil

Personally, I'd leave it as it is.

A good respray is not going to be cheap ...and will it sound the same afterwards?

Kebabkid

victorludorum said:

I presume you want a hardtail specifically, hence the Cray model, but if it's not the case and you're ok with a tremolo, I'd sell the body and buy a white one. You'll probably make money in fact as the hardtail ones are fairly rare I would say.

Thanks. The hardtail has actually been a little bit of a revelation as I do like trems but I want to stick with the RC body as at the moment, it's a known quantity and works so well. Hence, you may note my slight apprehension as to whether the sound will change once resprayed. I'm also not a fan of builds etc for fear of not knowing if it will "be right" despite the quality of the work or reputation of the luthier.  That's just me.

Cheers James and another repairer to check out.

Thanks everyone and I've got enough here to consider

OrsomeWells

Retro 169 down here in Cornwall are highly recommended for nitro re-finishing:
http://www.retro169.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/Retro169/