Reprinting a guitar question

[Musician78]

I have a 1990 Ibanez RG 270 in a hideous red. I would like to reprint it but have almost no skills. What would happen if I just spray painted it as it is with whatever color I want, sand it smooth with 1000 grit and sprayed some polyurethane on it? Would the paint stick? Would the poly make it nice and smooth?If this is a stupid question please forgive me. I tried to search but search function seems to do nothing right now except make me wait.

[leftykingv2]

First you have to get the clear coat off before you do anything. This link has all the info you need but don't do what you said. It'll turn out horribly. http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial5.htm EDIT; I would also kindly ask Sully or Ujidavid (forum members) what was the best way to go about it before I did it. There are a lot of other guys here who know how to do it as well.

[tomanyjacksons]

For best paint adhesion, strip it down to the wood, if you're gonna poof can it.

[sully]

First you have to get the clear coat off before you do anything. This link has all the info you need but don't do what you said. It'll turn out horribly. http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial5.htm EDIT; I would also kindly ask Sully or Ujidavid (forum members) what was the best way to go about it before I did it. There are a lot of other guys here who know how to do it as well.

Read me

I'd also say (and I'm not intending it to sound dickly), that if you have next to no skills with this sort of thing, the end result will most likely look worse than what you started with. Paint is a bitch that comes with a steep learning curve.

Sully

[Matt_B]

I'd also say (and I'm not intending it to sound dickly), that if you have next to no skills with this sort of thing, the end result will most likely look worse than what you started with. Paint is a bitch that comes with a steep learning curve.

Sully's right. Unless you are prepared to screw it up and have it look less-than-optimal, don't do it. As a matter of fact I'd recommend starting out small and simple with a piece of scrap wood and practicing the process. Once you can get that looking good enough for your needs then move onto to the real deal.

While I've never refinished a guitar myself I've had quite a few done for me professionally and I've learned from chatting with the people that did the work how labor intensive it is to get it to look great.

[walshula]

Read me

I'd also say (and I'm not intending it to sound dickly), that if you have next to no skills with this sort of thing, the end result will most likely look worse than what you started with. Paint is a bitch that comes with a steep learning curve.

Sully

This is one thing I can and will totally agree with. It is not impossible to turn out a nice finish being an amature without the proper equipment but there are so many little secrets, tricks and steps to painting that it is truly something to reckon with. Paint will show everything, and I will say it again, everything!!! Something as simple as sanding incorrectly or a dirty environment can lead to such an awful finish. Do your homework, learn the steps and practice on something other than the actual project you intend to do. That is my advice to you being a profession painter myself. Good luck if you take on the project.

[straycat]

Easier to let a pro do it.
You can scuff the paint on it and it might stick but be sure you use the same kind of paint.

[Matt_B]

This is one thing I can and will totally agree with. It is not impossible to turn out a nice finish being an amateur without the proper equipment but there are so many little secrets, tricks and steps to painting that it is truly something to reckon with.

+1. Painting is as much an art as it is a science. The people that can do it well have done it a lot.

[leftykingv2]

Read me

I'd also say (and I'm not intending it to sound dickly), that if you have next to no skills with this sort of thing, the end result will most likely look worse than what you started with. Paint is a bitch that comes with a steep learning curve.

Sully

That's a really good article Sully. I have never done a whole guitar. I did however have an old Kramer Baretta that I was thinking about refinishing so I went at it with some stripper and sand paper! I was about 19 when I tried this and oh my god what a nightmare. Apparently Kramer used to use something called a 'Gel coat" which unbeknownst to me was the thickest Polyester resin based stuff in the world! I let the stripper sit on the body of the guitar for the recommended amount of time and then went at it with the sandpaper. I barely made a dent or a scuff in the clear coat. It is a very, very labor intensive job and after I put maybe 5 hours into it I had had enough! I took it to a friend who is a professional painter and artist and had him do the job. I got in so deep over my head with that one experience that I promised myself I'd never try to refinish a guitar again. Serious pain in the ass bro! Big time!!

[leftykingv2]

+1. Painting is as much an art as it is a science. The people that can do it well have done it a lot.

I agree 100% Matt. It's not something you're going to try once and have perfect results. These people or "Artists" who do it well have a myriad of experience and that's why they can get great results

[Musician78]

Even though it is a cheap ass guitar that I don't like I'm glad I asked. Thanks much! I honestly didn'tit would be such a hassle. It would be worth it if I ever wanted to do more guitars but I just wanted to try to make an uncool guitar slightly less uncool.