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Would automotive lacquer (prime/base/clear) make for an acceptable guitar finish? I happen to have some lying around. (the old-school, ozone destroying stuff )

it might get bad tone...dont know. Would probably look cool though. You should pinstripe something on it.

It seems like you would want the thinest finish possible to get the full acoustic tone out of the instrument. You could get some cool colors though. Might be worth the sacrifice.

When I was in auto body a guy brought in a guitar and refinished it using automotive paint like your talking about primer/base/clear. It was no cheap paint either, it was high quality dupont and he was one of the more advanced students in the autobody class. After he got it all done and dryed(or so he thought) he brought it back in a few days later because the base wounldn't harden under the clear. He striped it down and tried it again. He let it bake longer under the lights to make sure it was dry. Once again the clear hardened but the base coat didn't and he just gave up on the job. I have no idea why it did that but might be something to watch out for.

Test on scrap first.

I was doing a search and found a very interesting page. I never knew the vintage Fender colors were actually automotive colors.

from : localhost/www.provide.net/~cfh/fenderc.html


Originally Posted by PandemoniumI was doing a search and found a very interesting page. I never knew the vintage Fender colors were actually automotive colors.

from : localhost/before someone decided to paint my 55 Chevy red at some point in the 70s, the peeling areas show seafoam green kind of wish it was still that color... but red is nice.

slade

Nice ride.

If it's Nitrocellouse Lacquer ? Should be no problem.Depending how old it
is? ( I don't know if it has a self life?) I would test it 1st. Get your mixture
right. Strain it, Cuz' there may be some dried lacquer clumps.

I had my Vivian Campbell done with an automotive white base coat, and then the graphic was done with Createx or some similair paint, then cleared with nitrocellulose ( SP?)
Anyway, the graphic did as described above and melted a bit under the clear so much that he had to repaint the black squares on it over the Nitro and then clear over that agin.
Luckily for me it turned out ok, but he finish on it is soft as crap nd it has a tone of Dents in it now.


Originally Posted by CazmarzakI had my Vivian Campbell done with an automotive white base coat, and then the graphic was done with Createx or some similair paint, then cleared with nitrocellulose ( SP?)
Anyway, the graphic did as described above and melted a bit under the clear so much that he had to repaint the black squares on it over the Nitro and then clear over that agin.
Luckily for me it turned out ok, but he finish on it is soft as crap nd it has a tone of Dents in it now.

I should have mentioned this. You can't spray Nitro on top of Enamels or
some Acrylic's. It has to be thinned at atleast a 1 to 1 ratio w/t Lacquer
thinner. It is nasty stuff. I was devolped by Dupont in the 1800's not as
a paint binding agent,But as a Explosive!! It's a good idea to stick to same
type of paint start to finish. I learned the hard way that Nitro and acrylic
lacquer don't go together all the time. I clear coated a nitro guitar w/t
acrylic lacquer and got a reaction. As far as Automotive lacquers being soft?
I have a guitar I painted 20 years ago with Auto Nitro. It has a few chips and
dings and is just starting to check now, But I'd say it's a pretty tough finish.
That said, Some woodworking Nitros are to soft for guitars( Like Park's Brand)
If your worried about that? Use MacFadden's or Belen's Nitro to clear coat.
Should work fine with auto Lacquer.