Official Luthiers Forum!

I will help one of my wife's students build a solid-body guitar this spring
and summer (she teaches graphic design at the local high-school) and he
wants to finish the guitar in a solid colour.
I am reluctant to use nitro, or any highly toxic product for that matter, as I
do not have spray equipment or booth and would rather not send those
fumes in the air around the house (I know it's only 1 guitar…).
What would you guys recommend for a solid colour that can be clear coated
with either shellac, varnish or a waterbase product? I would use Zinsser BINs
as a sealer.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

For soild bodies metallic spray paint works well(or any type spray paint). You have a rainbow of colors available. Then you can topcoat with whatever clear coat you like.

I've dyed shellac black to retore an ebonized banjo. It worked well. Use alcohol Soluble aniline dye. I'm not sure how colorfast these dyes are. I've heard that they fade..but should be okay for a cased instrument.

[QUOTE=Robbie O'Brien] For soild bodies metallic spray paint works well(or
any type spray paint). You have a rainbow of colors available. Then you can
topcoat with whatever clear coat you like.[/QUOTE]

You mean any Krylon type acrylic spray bought at the hardware store?

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Remember, Fender used automotive enamel paint for its guitars, many of which have become highly-sought for their "custom" colors.

That's right! Krylon type spray paint. Then you can top coat it with a few coats of a clear coat to give it depth.

When I was at Charles Fox's class I asked him how he got that nice black finish on the top of his new Ergo guitars. I expected him to tell me he had some secret mix of tinting colors for his lacquer.

What he said though was, I just sprayed the top with a good even coat of krylon and then lacquered as usual.

Looks very nice too!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars