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Post subject: Painting stuff on guitar bodies
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:20 am
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'Have this stupid deisre to paint Tiki-motif stuff on an off-brand solidbody Dillion Mosrite sort-of-look-alike), a la Doug Horne on art-Fenders and in the tradition of Cream, The Beatles and Hendrix (and the Custom Shop).

'Anyone done it? What type of paints did you use? Were you happy with the end result? Did you plan and pre-sketch or just have at it and live with the results?


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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:43 am
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Hello JSJH,

Back in the late 70's I painted up a few guitars,
spray cans and brushing enamel mostly.
Frankly I'm not an artist so looking back on it
my attempts were sophmoric to pathetic,
but yet some actually liked them and I did sell them.
I would doubt the artwork withstood the sands of time
but the guitars probably survive. Two that come to
mind were a Strat, in a Piccassoesqe style and a Framus
done ala Dali{what a stretch}. Anyhow it was fun,
so give it a go and treat us to some great photos.

Cheers.


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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:25 am
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Although it is not something I would attempt.Let us know if you do it and post picks when done, thanks.


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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:43 pm
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Hey folks, esp. Jeff, thank you for your thoughts. 'Bought it because it was practice for, "This looks-ish and feels-ish and has big single coils like a Mosrite, will it cure the Mosrite itch?" That's another story tho.

'Have long flirted with the idea of having a 'decorated' guitar body (vs. one colour or sunburst) . This one was inexpensive and is actually kind of pretty; metallic electric blue and sounds / plays well enough. But especially after seeing some of the Custom Shop wild paint schemes....

...to be continued.


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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:54 pm
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I'm not an arts and crafts person, but I would like to know (and see) how it goes. Good luck.

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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 5:03 pm
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The limits are really only your own.

Ideally you would want to match the paint you are going to use with what is already on the guitar.However, this is a bit tricky with urethanes, as they are really unsafe.You are most likely safe with acrylics, on any finish. but I would always try a small test area, in a spot that wont be seen. Once you find a safe paint, then you need to assess your skills.

Do you want to paint the old fashioned way, with a brush? This is probably the best option for a beginner. You will be working fairly slowly, and be able to easily touch up, or erase as you go.

Do you have access to an airbrush kit? if so, do you have experience with one? Or even the patience to sit and teach yourself, if you don't? Spraying is a whole different world than painting by brush.

Either way, really, your biggest limitation is your patience. Moreso than anything like talent. Most people could make a good go of it, if they didn't get frustrated and give up. The beauty of paint, is you can fix , or cover stuff up.

Back to picking paint, you will want to pick something that is either durable on its own, or that can safely be covered by a protective durable clear coat,
Acrylics are ideal for these reasons. Anyway, I would suggest having fun, and trying. As long as you are using an axe you won't lose hair worrying about the finish, it is a fun way to experiment.

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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:25 pm
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gratz wrote:
Although it is not something I would attempt.Let us know if you do it and post picks when done, thanks.


+1


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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:54 pm
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I've done some amateur guitar painting and building so I know a little. In so far as painting goes, do not use anything else but wood paint and make sure the clear coat doesn't interact with the paint. This is stuff you can find out about at a hardware store. When applying the paint it must be even to get the desired effect and finish. This will involve multiple coats and very fine sanding with each coat. You will also need a well ventilated, dry, and dust-free environment for the paint to properly dry. This is not a simple process if you are hoping for a professionally smooth finish and I doubt you have the tools to achieve really this. You will also need to buff the crap out of it.

I don't want to destroy your dreams, I just want to severely lower your expectations. Trust me, it is for the best. Practice masking out your design on cardboard so you get the hang of it. And just practice creating it in general.

Good luck. If you regret it, you could always sand it or relic the design off. There are always options.


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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:02 am
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I recommend car paint. You can get it in little touch-up tubes in the automotive section at walmart. It stays very well and is applied with a pen point so it's quite accurate for detailed stuff. My girlfriend has painted 2 of my guitars with it and they both look fantastic. :D


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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:16 am
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The only thing I've done similiar to that is sanding, staining and finishing a project guitar I have.

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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:17 am
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Has anyone tried these things? http://www.axewraps.com/

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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:46 am
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Hello Russianracehorse,

Thanks for that link,
neat stuff going on there.
Reminds me of shelf paper,
A little extra armour for guitars,
I like that Monterey Strat for $30.

Cheers.


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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:45 pm
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In response to Jeffo46, I am not happy with the dark tobacco sunburst of my Montara, too dark whatever. But the comfort, sound and playability far out-balance the looks. Beauty on the inside kind of thing.

My Musicmaster Bass was found in a barn and the paint was literally peeling in huge chunks so refinishing was not a question but a necessity. I just took it all apart, sanded down to the wood, contacted a local auto shop and had them spray it. Since I waited until he was painting a vehicle in the color I wanted (ours) it only cost me about $40 at the time. After the color was on he put on a few coats of clear which is the same on every vehicle.

Professional people will give you professinal results so keep that in mind and keep your expectations in check when you start something like this.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:50 pm
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russianracehorse wrote:
Has anyone tried these things? http://www.axewraps.com/


That stuff totally transforms yer axe, some very cool designs 8)


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