Paint Question

[eakinj]

Ok I asked this in another thread a while back and I guess I didn't ask it correctly.

This has nothing to do with cost of custom paint - I want to make this a little more clear this time.

I'm going to use Mr. Learn as part of the example (and in fact I hope he answers) and as a graphic example I'll use pile of skulls.

Is there a difference in how a custom paint job is done by Jackson handing the guitar to the painter or if someone send a guitar to the painter?

I would assume (and this is part of my question) is that Jackson (And others, I'm just focusing on Jackson because well, it's a Jackson Forum) sends the body unfinished to the painter? Or do they send it with a base color?

Also does it make a difference at all if the guitar is already finished in a solid color? Do you have to strip them, or just paint over the clear coat? Is there a different approach to painting an already finished guitar?

This isn't just for Mr. Learn, this is for anyone who paints guitars. I have no talent when it comes to drawing much less painting so for me it might as well be magic you're performing. (And in some cases it is)

oh yeah and disclaimer, obviously if there's anything you shouldn't say about it, it's not a problem.

[AlexL]

From my experience talking with Mike, he would get guitars from Jackson that have been prepped and primed, likely with the base color applied. Mike then paints the graphic, and I believe he then sends them back to Jackson where they apply the clear and perform final buffing.

If you send a finished guitar to Mike, he doesn't need to sand the whole thing down and start fresh. He is working on my RR1T right now, which was white with white pinstripes. For mine, he needed to sand the clear down, fix a couple of dings, change the base coat color to yellow, and then apply the graphic. Then, he has to add and buff the clear coat.

Not sure if he can paint directly on the existing clear without sanding if the base coat isn't changing. Maybe he'll pop in and say.


- E.

[ulijdavid]

I hope Mr. Learn does chime in. Here is my two cents...I believe the guitars will be primed and have a base coat. The guitars may also have a single coat of clear. On a white paint job, you would definitely want to put a clear on to protect the white. White bases are horrible for hiding finger prints, smudges, etc...until you shoot a coat of clear on. The clear is a good protection coat. Also, most automotive urethanes are two part and chemically react to each other. The base coat and clear coats are supposed to be applied within a given amount of time to ensure a chemical bond. If you don't apply them in this manner, it is like laying one coat on the other with very little adhesion.
Now, once a guitar with a base and clear is sent to a painter, the clear coat will only need to be scuffed with 800 grit or hgher sand paper or scotch brite pads. This breaks up the top surface of the clear coat and will allow the next base and clear coats to properly chemically bond.
But, I believe Jackson uses either nitro or urethane color coats and uses polyester for the final clear coat. Polyester is very strong, but also less flexible. I believe this is why many bolt on neck Jacksons develop clear cracks at the neck joint. Urethane is a little more flexible. Urethanes will dent and peel, but most of the time poylester cracks.
These are my experiences with these paints, but someone like Mr. Learn has a hell of a lot more experience then myself.