Painting A Guitar?

[randyrhoadsguitar]

Alright, I've decide to start my first project guitar. Like most other people, I'm going to replicate Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat (White and Black Early Version).

My question is simple. How do I get a nice paint job without any fuzzy edges on the stripes once they're painted? I'd like the stripes to be painted on perfectly with no rough edges, so how to I accomplish this?

I know the procedure of sanding the body, paint it black, apply tape, then paint white, but are there any secrets to a nice, clean, proffesional finish (without going to a proffesional )?

[metalchurch79]

I built and painted a Frankenstrat replica myself.

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84556

I used spray can laquer.
Basically, use Blue painter's masking tape for the clean lines.
And wet sand lighty between coats of paint.
When you remove the masking tape to reveal the stripes, wet sand it again w/ 1000 grit. Be sure to have a light touch.
Spray light coats of laquer clearcoat. I wet sanded mine after 4 light coats, then sprayed 4 more, wet sanded with 2,000 grit, sprayed 4 more.
Try to allow suffient dry time between coats to allow the paint to cure fully.
Patience is the key to a good paint job.
Good luck, can't wait to see it!!

[randyrhoadsguitar]

Let's say i don't want to laquer it, just paint like Eddie had his, would I get a better tone form the guitar?

[DonP]

Let's say i don't want to laquer it, just paint like Eddie had his, would I get a better tone form the guitar?

?

Laquer is paint.

There is an e-book you can get called How to Paint Your guitar and get a Factory Finish.

Eddie might have used cheap rattle cans. Be true to the original and do a half ass job

[SiriusAbbott]

Let's say i don't want to laquer it, just paint like Eddie had his, would I get a better tone form the guitar?

.....errr, a conditional "NO"
tone is generally enhanced by an even and thin application of a proper "gloss" finish,like lacquer
using spraybomb enamels with little control as to the paints depth,drying time between coats,etc. can and will degrade your instruments tone...much like applying vinyl adhesive "stickers" to your axe.
suggest lacquer,suggest reading the aforementioned book as well !

[randyrhoadsguitar]

(remember i said i was a newbie ) Does anyone know the process Eddie went through to paint his guitars?

I know he didn't lacquer the body, so was it just straight paint and no sanding?

[Racerx2k]

You DO know lacquer IS paint, right? Just like enamel, urethane, etc. All different types of paint.

[JACKSONFREAK]

It was bare wood first, then sprayed black, taped and sprayed white. The thin pin stripes are stickers. (ie auto pin striping or craft tape). The it was taped off again and sprayed red. Neck after neck was put on. Especailly during the Kramer years. He kept breaking them. So the story goes anyway. The quarter was due to a preshow disassemble that went wrong. When he put it back together the trem didnt sit flush anymore so he grabbed a quarter from the Guitar world interviewer and screwed it to the guitar so the trem base plate would sit on the quarter and not go sharp when he rested his hand on the trem.
The pup was from a 63 es335. That he partially melted when he stuck it in surfboard wax. Which helped it create the Brown Sound. Its a shorted pup at this point and by the laws of physics it shouldnt be working but it is. Thats pretty much the basics of it.
Hope it helps
Gil

[CharvelRocker]

Eddie might have used cheap rattle cans. Be true to the original and do a half ass job

Been there, done that Doesn't Stew Mac sell really high quality paints? I think they are intended more for touch up work though, as it would be pricey to refinish a guitar with them. Spray cans will work for an EVH project, just don't expect factory results as it won't happen.

[JACKSONFREAK]

Eddie used Scwinn bike paint when he did frankie. So yeah it was a few rattle cans.
Gil

[DonP]

Doesn't Stew Mac sell really high quality paints?

No, they sell lacquer

[straycat]

Holy shit this needs to be in the dept of redundancy dept.
Eddies paint job looked like shit up close.Easy way is let a pro paint it.Its a slow process so don't be in a rush.

[MartinBarre]

DO it yourself with car paint. I did a cheapo strat it pink and it's turned out fine. Strip it to wood (or don't if you can't be arsed), few coats of primer, then give the body a few coats with whatever colour you're doing and after it's dried, spray a few coats of lacquer.
Then get various grades of wet/dry paper and use them on it until you have a nice smooth finish.

[Model1VH2]

Just buy mine.

[metalchurch79]

randyrhoadsguitar,
unless you're looking for the quality of paint job like the recent Charvel EVH guitars, then plain old laquer spray cans will do you fine.

Eddie used spray cans for his guitars, and if you ever saw a close up shot, it is very obvious that the quality was just that.

If you deicde to use spray cans, and take your time you will probably end up with a paint job better than EVH's originals, but not as agood as a porfessional job.

Alot of the paint work is in the preparation. If you spray multiple light coats and wet sand between them, when it is time for the clearcoat you will have a nice base finish to work with with. The same steps apply with the clear coat: multiple light coats and wetsanding between.
Once done with the final clear coat, you can lightly wet sand it, then buff it out by hand with automotive scratch remover by 3M.

you can do it man!!