I think it's time for a parts caster...

Jetfire

So I'm looking at finally putting a bitsa/partscaster together because. .. well.. why not.. but I have a few questions.

I love the look of the old Fender Billy Corgan strat (which is matt white on black with a maple neck) so that type of look is what I'm after.

I've been looking at a few bodies on line and I've seen a fair few unpainted bodies by hosco (who ive not heard of before but a quick glance seem to suggest they are ok). A good friend of mine is a car sprayer so I'm tempTed to ask him to spray it up for me. Now, a friend of mine had a car sprayer do one of his guitar bodies and used traditional car paints for it and it felt really wierd. So, my list my questions are as follows:

If I got a unsprayed  body, what would it need to have done to it before it could be sprayed?

I'd be looking to buy the paint lt etc for my friend to spray it so what would I need in total? 

Is there anything else I'd need to tell him before spraying it? 

I know it a different kettle of fish of spraying a car to a guitar but I'd imagine the basics are pretty much the same?  

Corvus

You need to ask your friend what he wants/needs, he may have some primers & clears for instance. You're right the basics are the same, except a shitload less sanding...! Proper spraying paint is expensive so check with him first.

TL:DR - if it was me doing it I'd use epoxy primer (or 2k primer); 1k base for colours; 2k clearcoat.

More blah -

What people call 'car paint' , they usually mean the 1k acrylic/polyester you get in off-the-shelf-cans. In cars that type of paint's only used in the colour stage of primer-colour-clear systems. Types:

Water base - colour coat (can prob ignore that)

1k aka base aka acrylic - the colour layer. You can also get primers and clears in 1k but they aren't very good. Praps this is what felt strange to you that time. This is solvent-based, dries purely by solvent evaporation. Shop car rattle-cans.

Cellulose aka celly aka nitro in the guitar world - an Americanism - solvent based, as above.

2k aka two-pack. Primers, colours, clearcoats. You mix paint and a catalyst, which sets it. This is the clear lacquer on your car.

Cars are primer-basecoat-clear; that scheme's called 'base & clear', clear over base, or just COB.
Nowadays in production the basecoat is waterbase instead of solvent-based 1k.
Similarly guitars can be a 1k colour basecoat with a 2k clearcoat to seal & protect. They can also be purely 2k colour if they're one colour.

The body, it depends on the wood and prep. Maybe it can be grain filled just using primer. Out of habit I use a two-pack epoxy primer. Over-thin the first coat so it penetrates around the grain.
An ordinary 2k primer would do the same job.

The only thing that's a bit different is either grain-filling first, or slightly changing how you prime, to get a good grip on the wood. A slight-over thinning lets it creep more before it starts setting up. It doesn't have to do that on metal. Hosing a thick wet paint straight on wood can result in it sitting on top, no grip, chipping/peeling very easily.
Otherwise paint is paint.

It wants to be nicely sanded and your mate will degrease it hopefully. One trick for sanding, if you know it's being painted in a colour. Sand it well. Then spray a very thin dusty coat (just a rattle can will do). Just want a light cloudy appearance, not solid layer of paint. Now sand again. That's a 'guide coat' that will reveal all low & high spots.
The better the sanding, the less primer/colour needs laying on to cover imperfections etc.

paulnb57

While the above sounds good, I have had very good results using Automotive rattle cans, best bought from a specialist auto paints shop, rather than Halfords......Cheaper rattlecans have more thinners less paint......I do use Halfords, but I have lots of experience with rattlecans.....

Auto rattlecans are Cellulose, as in Nitro, same shit, different name this side of the pond....

You can prime or not depending if you wish to see the grain in the paint or not. You can Lacquer or not, its relatively cheap and relatively easy, like anything there is an element of skill, but patience and practice gets good results.....

For example, this GSPBasses LP jr was painted with a couple of coats of primer and Halfords Satin black, no lacquer, I hope it will relic, this finish was inspired by a Gibson Melody Maker LPJr that also had a thin unlacquered finish

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii21/paulnb57/imagejpg3_zps6eb1d061.jpg

The Strat has no primer, white followed with lacquer

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii21/paulnb57/DSC_0039_zpsyuqq3pt6.jpg

paulnb57

@TTony had good results with Crimson Guitars Stain and oil.....

Corvus

Halfords have a split personality, the racked cans are 1k/acrylic but the premix colours are celly - according to a guy who works there mixing, though I've not used the custom mix cans. If right it's pretty unusual, auto body supply shops mix 1k.

Spray cans from a car paint supplier is a good shout for DIY, good quality paint, enough colour choice to drive you dizzy (you usually get to surf masses of chip books). And you can get better nozzles that spray a flatter fan instead of round dot from racked tins, better control/less like to run, good for coverage etc.

That's a foxy Strat there! ^

TTony

paulnb57 said:

@TTony had good results with Crimson Guitars Stain and oil.....

Indeed.

I was really impressed with the ease of applying the Crimson products and building up a good colour.  Then using EZE-Oil as a "protective" layer over the top,