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Being in auto body/painting shops for years I always thought its a must to use high quality automotive paint for a good guitar finish....I was wrong.

Has anyone seen the quot;How to Paint Your Guitar with Spray Cansquot; ad on ebay? Well I bought it last week, the 5150 version...hoping to get some real good pics of VH guitars for reference(NO DICE, BTW..) So, I get reading this and although I was familiar with spray can laquer, I never had much luck with it. He recomends KRYLON its just the regular stuff you buy at WalMart. So I had a bass I wanted to paint. I go get a white primer, an off white satin for a base and a can of gloss clear, cost me 7 dollars. I scuffed the original finish with a green kitchen scratchy pad (lightly) then sprayed the primer on, wait 15 minutes spray the base...3 coats waiting 15 minutes each, then 3 caots of clear, 15 minutes was too long asd it would dry to much and wouldnt quot;clingquot; on to the next coat, so maybe 8 minutes would be better, the few sags or runs I got I just layed on the next coat heavy and watched them flow out as I held the guitar flat. Anyway I let that dry for 24 hrs and wet sanded it with 2000 grit paper till all the orange peel was gone...very quick, then hand rubbed it with cleaner wax and a tshirt....took about a half hour for sanding and buffing...this thing looks better than factory! Very smooth, shiny and durable...

Is that book any good?

Yes, actually it is, its well written, easy to understand and he knows what he is doing. He recomends quality products and really tells you how to do it right. If your considering painting one, Its worth the 10 bucks.

Some pics of the outcome would be cool !!!

yea, pics please?

yeah I'd like to see pictures of this as well

me 2.. every self-painted finsih I've seen before looked kinda crappy...


I tried to get some good reflections so you can see how well it looks, that one spot on the back is known as a quot;fisheyequot;....thats the only imperfection, looks kinda like a small chip. I guess ya cant win em all! Really, looking at it you cannot tell its not factory. And it was sooooo easy, as for durability??? Time will tell on that, but most laquer is fairly tough when fully cured. Thanks for your interest. Peace

holy crap that looks a lot better than I expected it to

Good job

A long long long time ago, I thought it would be cool to go to the art store and buy that fleck type paint, which is supposed to simulate textured concrete.
That thing really turned into a sh!thouse! LOL

Good job on the bass! I saw that spray painting ad on Ebay, and kinda chuckled when I saw it. I guess it was well worth the $10 for you, tho.

Thanks. Really the only info I got from that was about the Krylon paint. I never knew it was laquer. Enamel takes forever to dry, thats the big problem with spray cans, besides not knowing how to spray properly. Because it takes so long to dry, as you build up the coats it just never gets a chance to harden, after a week when you touch it, you get fingerprints and ****. Ive painted a million things in my life so that knowledge helped out alot. But the last few years I have not been near a garage/spray gun etc. I live the apartment life away from all that. And I love the fact that I can get a good finish on a guitar now without being near a body shop.

The key to spraying is catching the light on the spot your spraying and watching the paint quot;lie downquot; if you do that and dont get a run, youll have a nice start to sand and rub out. Most people haphazardly spray and shake the can and you end up with dry spots and a uneven finish. No runs is something that takes practice....I had a few but I just loaded the paint on and rolled the guitar around and watched it flow out.


Originally Posted by GearjoneserA long long long time ago, I thought it would be cool to go to the art store and buy that fleck type paint, which is supposed to simulate textured concrete.
That thing really turned into a sh!thouse! LOL

Good job on the bass! I saw that spray painting ad on Ebay, and kinda chuckled when I saw it. I guess it was well worth the $10 for you, tho.

I laughed too man...all I wanted was some good reference shots for a EVH guitar Im building....When I saw the 5150 book, I thought it would have some...but it really didnt. But learning about Krylon was well worth it, I went out and got some the next day.

I always knew that Krylon was good paint . . . I didn't realize it was that good.

Nice job Docrock. That bass looks killer.

Pictures always tell a lot more than long speeches.
You are damn good paint master... Well done.
Nice choice for the color as well!

Killer job for a spray can! How about some killer graphics next time? BTW- any difference in tone? You kept the original paint underneath it, right? Everyone I ask about painting a guitar says to strip it down to bare wood before trying anything.


Originally Posted by 7th HellKiller job for a spray can! How about some killer graphics next time? BTW- any difference in tone? You kept the original paint underneath it, right? Everyone I ask about painting a guitar says to strip it down to bare wood before trying anything.

Its a Peavey Fury dude...Im guessing tone was never its strong suit
Actually, I never eeven plugged it in before spraying it. So I dont know, Ive heard that too, but have yet to confirm or deny it.


Originally Posted by DocrockI laughed too man...all I wanted was some good reference shots for a EVH guitar Im building....When I saw the 5150 book, I thought it would have some...but it really didnt.

for reference shots go to the forums on the fansite the section for building your own EVH guitar - scout around the threads, there's loads of reference pics there


Originally Posted by DocrockThanks. Really the only info I got from that was about the Krylon paint. I never knew it was laquer.
The key to spraying is catching the light on the spot your spraying and watching the paint quot;lie downquot; if you do that and dont get a run, youll have a nice start to sand and rub out. Most people haphazardly spray and shake the can and you end up with dry spots and a uneven finish. No runs is something that takes practice....I had a few but I just loaded the paint on and rolled the guitar around and watched it flow out.

Krylon Lacquer or any other you can get at your local store in a spray can
is Acrylic lacquer. Not Nitrocellulose. I'm not sure how they call it
lacquer being that Acrylic is the primary binding agent? I guess it's something
like the word Beef, Dosen't mean it has to come from a cow.
But you can get good results with Acrylic. And it is easier to work with.
( I can't see your pics?) But i'm sure it came out nice. But IMHO there's
just something special about a Nitro finish. Sounds Better? Looks better?
Shine's better? I DUNNO? Let The debate rage on


Originally Posted by GearjoneserI thought it would be cool to go to the art store and buy that fleck type paint, which is supposed to simulate textured concrete.
That thing really turned into a sh!thouse! LOL

I was gonna do that to my old squeir, maybe not.
Doc, I couldn't see your pics...