I am refinishing a guitar and wanted to coat it with Nitro paint. Does anyone have a recommendation of where to buy Nitro Paint from? Locally or online.

I think Stewart McDonald can help:


http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supplies/Finishes_and_solvents.html

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I remember when we were free!

Another good resource (both for nitro and information on applying it) is ReRanch.
http://www.reranch.com/

Even if you have an airbrush and air compressor, you might not want to fuss with mixing your own colors. ReRanch has a huge variety of original Fender colors in spray cans (Gibson colors and others too). You can do a pro-quality finish with their spray cans -- it may take a little more time and labor than with a really good airbrush but it's do-able.

The ReRanch tutorials and forum are a huge asset if you've never worked with nitro.

It's pretty much a one-man operation and the guy who runs it has a day job and a band that does regional tours. He usually fills orders quickly but there have been a few times when he seemed to disappear for a couple of weeks.

And here's a site that has a lot of info on how Fender used to apply nitro:
http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fenderc.html

It has a good list of the color codes in case you want to use an airbrush and mix your own.

stew mac

I just completed my refinish project in a nitro lacquer finish. Luckily my best friend also owns a custom kitchen cabinet business so, I had him order it for me. I would hunt down a cabinet maker in your area (or anyone who does wood refinishing) and see if they can order it for you. They should also have a chip book with hundreds of color options for you to choose from. My only gripe was that any of the tinted lacquers are considered "custom colors" and the company I got mine from would not mix a quart. I had to purchase an entire gallon. I have enough left to paint a small house...hahaha. If you like blue...let me know. Also, the custom mix nitro lacquer only has a shelf life of about four months. Do you NEED a nitro finish ? Could you consider using automotive finishes as well ? Hope this helps.

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"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


2008 Fender MIM Stratocaster
2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD

Actually nitro is not paint at all.It is lacquer and you can tint it any color.You cannot brush or roll it or at least not with any kind of good results.You must either use some sort of spray system ( HVLP) or airbrush or buy an aerosol can already pretinted.oneal lane or strayedstrater probably has the best answer for your needs but BigTufGuy has the right idea also by contacting a local cabinet guy.I am a painting contractor and have sprayed thousands of gallons of the toxic garbage .Which is why my health is most likely deteriorating quicker than it should be.My paint store will mix quarts or I mix my own.My mom does the books at the paint store I use and I have been tinting forever.A gallon is over kill for one guitar.If I were you I would buy an aerosol can unless you have access to professional equipment and either know how to use it or know someone that does.Good luck bro

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1986 Fender Sidekick Reverb 35
1990 Fender Red Knob - "The Twin"
1992 Fender Newporter - Acoustic
2000 Fender American Series Strat - Natural ash
2010 Fender Mustang 1
2011 Fender Blacktop Jazzmaster -Sunburst
2012 Fender Champion

I really wouldn't use nitro lacquer. It just doesn't hold up. People like it because it says vintage to them. I have bought several used guitars finished in poly that have had moderate scratches that I was able to buff out with a little patience to make them like new again. I have even repaired damage with the correct color stain and Minwax clear, wipe on poly, and it came out close to perfect with several coats and rubbing. I know some people don't like the thick finish, but over time poly can still be brought back to new, where as a nitro finish would leave you with a permanently damaged guitar. Nitro is cool only if your guitar is a case queen or you are impatient for a relic look.

Nitro vs. poly is a big difference. Nitro lacquer with a thin application will eventually cure hard and brittle; acrylic lacquer is almost the same. Nitro and acrylic refer to the binder in the paint formula, and not the actual color; nitro is organic and acrylic is "plastic", for lack of a better term. Nitro acquires a different patina as it ages, where acrylic will be more stable and stay the same. Nitro checks easier than acrylic. Both lacquers will be preferable to poly if you are trying to do a thin finish and preserve the resonance of the wood. Poly goes on thick, never dries to a brittle substance, and will dampen the resonance of the wood. (This is not conjecture. Musical instrument builders prefer hide glue to alaphatic resin glues ["Titebond"-style white glues] because hide glue cures to a crystal-like material that does not dampen resonance the way white glues do). Fender moved to poly in '69 because it doesn't take as long to apply and cure as lacquer does, which speeds up manufacturing. The fact that it wears better was an added benefit.
If you get spray cans, you can do a beautiful job if you take your time and practice on something to get your technique down. The most important thing to remember is that surface preparation is the most important factor in getting a great finish. Every imperfection on the wood will show on the surface of a cured thin lacquer finish. You can pile on the poly and sand it down to get a smooth surface, since it doesn't "sink" as much as lacquer does after curing. Another manufacturing time-saver.
If you are using an ash body, it will need pore-filler before any paint goes on.

So my process for spraying lacquer goes like this:
1) careful surface preparation, sanding (use sanding blocks for all sanding) down from 120 through 320 grit paper.
2) a light coat of sanding sealer (a lacquer product you can get at Lowes or Home Depot, as well as ReRanch) which stops the color coats from soaking into the wood.
3) light sanding with 400 grit, and be careful not to sand through to the wood. If you do, just spray a little more there and sand lightly again.
4) for solid colors, a white basecoat will help with the color build so you don't have to use so much color, but is not essential. More sanding with 400.
5) clear coat after color coat is another step that is optional. It adds depth and durability to the finish, but again is not essential unless you are doing a sunburst or metallic color.
6) depending on how smooth your finish is, wet sand with 600 or 1000 grit paper and mineral spirits, not water. Mineral spirits won't swell the wood like water will. 1000 grit may seem excessive, but the polishing step is all about removing sanding scratches. If you are buffing by hand, it will be easier.
7) buff the finish with a white auto paste polish and a cloth if you don't have access to a buffer. A buffer is faster and will remove more material than hand polishing, but it is easy for even an experienced operator to burn through a thin lacquer finish, especially on edges. This is true for a big machine or a buffing pad on a drill.
let it hang for a week or so before you re-assemble it so it can harden enough not to imprint from your bench or the case. Spray cans may take a little longer to cure than mixing your own paint and using a spray gun, because the solvents take longer to evaporate. Use your fingernail on an inconspicuous spot to determine if it scratches too easily.

Two more points: previous posters mentioned using an airbrush. An airbrush is for models and artwork, and sprays a small area at a time. You will get too much overspray and have more sanding to do, not to mention the airbrush can't lay down as much material as a spray gun or can will. If you are doing a metallic finish, an airbrush will leave streaks and visible lines. I suggest you use the ReRanch products. Their cans have a spray nozzle specifically designed to lay down a nice pattern. There is a product called a "Preval Sprayer", which is a can of propellant on top of a jar, so you can mix and spray your own material without a compressor.
The other thing about poly vs. lacquer is that if you ever want to do touch-up work, lacquer blends into itself. The touch-up melts into the old finish and bonds to it. Poly cannot do this, and it takes lots of work to make a touch-up look right.

Have fun, my friend! I started with cans, and you definitely can do a job you'll be proud of if you take your time and practice your technique so you don't get runs or sag (too close) or too much orange peel (too far away).

_________________
"There's an arse for every chair"

5 guitars
7 amps
4 dogs

+1 If I had it to do again, I'd go with a poly finish.
Just my $.02

_________________
"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


2008 Fender MIM Stratocaster
2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD