Strat Refurb

Raz

I was wondering if anybody here has done something like this before?
I've sanded down the top coat of laquer and I'm going to spray it again to give it that brand new feel. Could anybody recommend a particular brand/type of lacquer to use for the new top coat? I've looked in a few DIY shops but tbh the selection is just too big.

Beecher

One ive used in the past with great success is the 'Simoniz Clear Laquer Acrylic'. Its a high gloss super smooth fast drying laquer that doesnt yellow and is suitable for Acrylic or Cellulose paint, wood and glass. You can pick it up in most car repair shops and it can really give a nice pro finish.

Raz

Thanks Beecher. I'll pick up some and test it out.
How many coats did you use roughly?

Beecher

I would use 8 thin coats if the body is a single colour. If the body has a decal or extra paint on top of the base colour (like the Zakk Wydle Bullseye guitar with the black stripes on top of the cream finish) you would use upto 20 thin coats to remove the height difference of the layers.

legologic

If you really want it to look good you gotta give it plenty of coats. before you start use 0000 grade wire wool to take all the dust off the surface and then use some sanding sealer on it. It's really up to you how many coats you put on. It's not unusual for a guitar to have say 25 coats of laquer on it (or even considderably more). Tho' when I was gona spray my guitar I was gona just do 16 coats if I remember (I ended up oiling and waxing mine). I don't know if that many is nessiscary really but I was given that advice by a Luthier.

You gotta leave it for at least 24 hours between coats to let the previous coat "gas-off". After every few coats wet sand it with either high grade sandpaper (1000 grit or above) or the 0000 grade wire wool. Do not ever use any wire wool under 0000 grade. This grade will polish it well above a standard cabinet-maker finish.

Best of luck, post yer results!

david

Hell yeah, are you going for a clear natural finish? I agree with this advice, use VERY thin coats and get a decent spraygun & compressor if you don't already have one.

Ancient1

freakonaleashx wrote:

spraygun & compressor

What?

Dammit, freak, and here I was getting ready to shake a can and spray...

david

Yes, you need a decent spray gun, can you even get lacquer in a can?

68 lost souls

Yeah you can use a good ole spray can but your gonna need alot of them and you only wanna use about half each can so you can be better off buying a compressor and gun if you are gonna do more than one guitar and the finish tends to be better from a gun.

Ancient1

Oh man, more expenses.....

Beecher

I heartily recommend the ebook from http://www.paintyourownguitar.com/ for first timers. A lot of the product brands mentioned in the book cant be bought here but its easy enough to find their equivalent. Really helped me out.

sean_0

When I did this a couple of years ago, I got the real stuff - nitrocellulose lacquer from this crowd: http://www.usautomotive.co.uk

Using that and a lot of very fine sandpaper (like you can get in any auto shop), I managed to get a mirror like shine.

Out Of Order

Someone else can confirm if this would do the job but Aldi have an electric spray gun for €20 next Sunday. See here.

Beecher

Ideally id use something like this. There are better ones out there but I dont have the links handy but you get the idea.

david

Get yourself a little compressor (like the 9v ones you can power off of a cigarette lighter for pumping car tyres) and a decent spraygun. The aldi ones look useless, I have a similar Wagner gun at home and it splatters a lot, uneven finish. A normal can would do a better job than an electric gun.

Raz

Sraygun & compressor! Awww crap, how much is that likely to set me back if I go for it?
I saw the can-gun one in halfords but I thought it looked a bit dodgey.

david

Hmm about €200 for a very very basic setup

Beecher

Honestly with a can-gun, some spray on primer/paint/laquer you can achieve some very professional results, the trick is very thin coats and taking your time.
Bear in mind when the guitar is finished painting it will need roughly 6 months to cure so you dont damage the finish. There are some stand modifications you can do so you can make your guitar sit on the strap button instead of the body on a standard stand so the stand wont damage the finish while curing.

If you dont want to wait so long why not try a natural finish, im building a 7 string at the moment, just won the neck off ebay 10 mins ago so im gonna start work on the body which I got a few weeks back, all im doing is stripping the paint off, dying the wood a nice dark mahogany colour and applying some tung-oil. Total cost of the refinish will be around €20 and that finish wont require curing. Also the lack of finish layers may help the body resonate that 1% more

david

Here ya go

http://www.diy-compressors.com/shop/starter-kits.htm#v-spraying

Nice little compressor an gun kit for £89, Looks like good value but it looks a bit Fisher Price or something. I'd say it'd be excellent for your application though. MILES better than the Aldi gun or a spray can. It'd be worthwhile getting if you're going to spray a few guitars but i guess it might be of use for an air nail/staple gun or tyre pump if you only bought it for one guitar.

david

I say get the compressor, £89 well spent, sure cans cost way more than a tin of lacquer/paint, you'd save money if you made a hobby out of it.