Painting a guitar with spray cans?

[Zaulkin]

Is it possible to achieve a decent quality finish from spray cans?

At some stage, I may consider painting my Jap strat - The project guitar I got from my mentor. This is now a guitar I don't think I could ever sell, but rather than spend money on it I want to keep in the spirit of the guitar and do everything to it myself. I'm going to start with some different pickups and some new frets, maybe some clay dots and some minor tidy ups. None of those modifications will really change the look of the guitar, but eventually I may change the colour. Dunno how he'd react if he saw me using the guitar, but I imagine he's happy it's getting used and being looked after.

Something I'm curious about is whether or not it's possible to get a good shell pink finish from spray cans. I have experience working on guitars with natural finishes, but I've never actually painted one. Is it possible to get this look with a bit less relicing, or am I setting myself up for disappointment if I don't have a spray gun and a proper booth etc? How much would I expect to pay for paint? I'm guessing 1 can of the correct colour code pink and 1 can of clear for a thin finish?

If that's the case then I'll just keep it as it is. It's not that I dislike the colour, - it does have a unique charm to it, but it's just similar to what I've already got. Something in my head says strats should be a solid or metallic colour.

The guitar I have:





Shell pink strat with mint green pickguard:

[Tiglitar]

I have done 3 guitars with spray cans, each one looks a bit better than the last. I have seen some great results while researching it so I reckon you can get a good finish. One thing a mate told me while I was busy with the last one was warm up the can in warm water before spraying and you will get a more even coat. Especially in the colder months.

You will probably need more than one clear coat to get a good finish though, because you will need to spray and then sand, then spray and sand again and again each time with a finer sand paper, I think I went up to 1200 grit last time.

I personally have not yet be able to do a professional finish, but I am improving. I think rushing it is also my problem sometimes

[AiRdAd]

you can buy nitro in spray cans too

[kwhelan]

yeah just don't skimp on the paint,you really want 2 pot mix cans to achieve the hardness, alot of the cheaper paints don't harden off properly

[Single coil]

Yes, possible.
Requires patience. Not my forte.

[Slowy]

Wairau paint centre. They will mix the colour you want in nitro then insert it in a rattle can for you.

Nik, that's er, very pink.

[calling card]

Getting custom cans mixed often requires a paint code number to make it easy. Look up Resene for colour swatches, they have near anything you can imagine apart from candy type finish I guess. If you find the colour and it's name it'll have a colour code.
Who knows, maybe shell pink is easy, probably an american auto one.
I'd shy away from nitro, I can make a mess with easier spraying products, still I've never sprayed with nitro...

The base or primer would be the thing to get right, got to start out right. Most my failures have been this.
It's definitely an acquired art, correct kind of distance off the job, even runs, not too light and you really really don't want to go on heavy and cry as it sags into a glacier like thing. If it does, STOP, have a beer & cry, let it harden and sand it back....keep going

[AiRdAd]

Molly has achieved fantastic results with nitro out of a can

[GrantB]

Yes, you can do a pretty good job from cans. All my old refin work was Duplo car paint in the small cans. I did a whole SG in Pelham Blue once.

[calling card]

O.K nitro jockeys, what's the base coat procedure? Or is it happy to go on direct to wood, sealer perhaps?

[willow13]

the key to a good finish is the prep. The body needs to be mint before you hit it with anything and then really it is the sanding you do between coats that make the final finish the best it can be

I am shit at all of this so now tend to just stain

[Zaulkin]

Yes, you can do a pretty good job from cans. All my old refin work was Duplo car paint in the small cans. I did a whole SG in Pelham Blue once.

I remember that one. If I ever wanted an SG I would want it in that colour!

[GrantB]

O.K nitro jockeys, what's the base coat procedure? Or is it happy to go on direct to wood, sealer perhaps?

It does depend on the wood. And it depends what crap is on the wood. Fresh wood you can just spray a couple of nice wet, thin sealer coats onto it, Sand lightly and then just go for it.

Refin wood (lets say Alder) I use a Shellac sealer first. Often there’s crap in the wood and shellac is good at closing that stuff down....and nitro sticks great to it.

[GrantB]

I do miss Adrian for these convos. He really was/is the master of all things nitro and guitar finishing.

[Molly]

Molly has achieved fantastic results with nitro out of a can

That's what I was going to say! LOL

You need to spend seven years in a Tibetan monastery to achieve the right mental state but, yes, it can be done.