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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Custom Paintjob?
Posted by: Spreedmaster Feb 11 2008, 05:12 PM
I am really thinking of giving my first guitar, a strat copy, a custom paintjob, and by that I mean something cool like flames, a dragon, Kenpachi etc, etc. Has anyone tried this and did it turn out well? I would like to see some pictures if thats possible! 
Any advice would be handy too, like what type of paint and laquer to use. It would be cool to make a project out of this!
Posted by: Kyle Logue Feb 11 2008, 06:19 PM
Any advice would be handy too, like what type of paint and laquer to use. It would be cool to make a project out of this!I've actually done this!
I had a Epiphone les paul and I was tired of the fading red paint.
The first thing to actually consider is how much time you are willing to spend on it. It took me seriously 2 weeks just to get it to the point of painting. I wanted to change it from the red color to just a stained wood look.
You have to use a powersander...it would seriously take a year to sand off all the paint and clear coat by hand. This took the majority of the time. You also have to almost completely disassemble your guitar. Which I hated because I thought I was going to break it.
Once I got it completely sanded....i was a little disappointed because the wood wasn't very pretty. I stained it anyways and used a tribal stencil with black spraypaint to cover up 1 area that was extremely ugly. Then I got some brush on clear coat and put about 3 coats on it. It looks ok, but I'm probably going to do it all again and actually paint it a color. I'll upload a picture of it when i get the chance. I took the picture with my phone...so it's not that great, but here you go.
Posted by: Bogdan Feb 11 2008, 07:11 PM
Are you planing to do it yourself or take it to a professional ?? I would recommend the second option 
Posted by: Kyle Logue Feb 11 2008, 07:17 PM
hahaha...I'll probably do it myself...the first time was a trial. Now I know what to expect. It was a cheap guitar anyways!
Posted by: kaznie_NL Feb 11 2008, 07:31 PM
A cheap guitar.. You are talking about what? 300$? I don't exactly call that cheap, you can buy... I think 3 times my guitar with that!! And mine plays very well with a nice spray.. I like it when it's only a top coat, so you can still see the wood. Mine has red coating and still see the wood, so that's cool with me!
Posted by: Kyle Logue Feb 11 2008, 07:37 PM
I bought it at a guitar shop for $150
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Feb 11 2008, 08:06 PM
I had a Epiphone les paul and I was tired of the fading red paint.
That's pretty badass in a messed up fugly guitar kind of way.
Hm. That didn't come out right.
I'll put it a different way. It's different. And I like different.
Posted by: Davidian Feb 11 2008, 08:28 PM
I did this a couple of weeks ago 
I just painted a picture on my guitar, 'cause I like the finish, but one colour is boring... (Well, I let a friend of mine paint it... I myself can't paint)
He used Enamel paint to do it. I think you could use some other type of paint too, but I'm not sure.
Here's a pic:
Posted by: Kyle Logue Feb 11 2008, 09:00 PM
Hm. That didn't come out right.
I'll put it a different way. It's different. And I like different.
haha...that made me laugh pretty good
Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Feb 11 2008, 09:17 PM
Hey Kyle did you wanted to give your guitar that old vintage look. I've noticed that you didn't sand it equally everywhere?
Posted by: Kyle Logue Feb 11 2008, 09:18 PM
Yea I did...it actually looked best before the wood stain. The stain is what made the sanding look uneven. The wood used in epiphones isn't crafted as well as say gibson.
Posted by: Bogdan Feb 11 2008, 09:29 PM
I just painted a picture on my guitar, 'cause I like the finish, but one colour is boring... (Well, I let a friend of mine paint it... I myself can't paint)
He used Enamel paint to do it. I think you could use some other type of paint too, but I'm not sure.
Here's a pic:
This looks awesome !!
Posted by: at lights end Feb 11 2008, 09:51 PM
i painted my guitar, but it's far from a professional finish, i was very naive when i did it. but changing it now is more effort than it's worth. it looks ok, has character!
i spray painted the neck, but the paint went all funny on the body and soaked into the grain, so i sanded it down as well as i could, and then painted it with a brush.
for some reason i used metal paint? but it worked.
sorry for the bad quality, i took the photos on my phone.
the thing on the neck is a home made dampener 
, which i slid down so you could see all the flames.
Posted by: Muris Feb 11 2008, 09:59 PM
Nice paint but....what's that thing on the neck??
Posted by: Kyle Logue Feb 11 2008, 10:02 PM
I've discovered that I did the worst job yet!....sweet!
Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Feb 11 2008, 10:16 PM
Hey man, nice work at lights end! with what did you paint you neck. Does it stays there. Lot of paints just pilles off due to playing.
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Feb 11 2008, 10:19 PM
Just to add some value after my previous comment (I still like the guitar)...
There's a musician in Canada that did a bunch of blog posts on what he went through to repaint his Epi SG.
http://www.bradsucks.net/archives/2006/05/29/guitar-painting-part-1/
Posted by: at lights end Feb 11 2008, 10:29 PM
i tried to say in the post. it's a home made dampener thing for when i attempt to do any complex tapping.
i used normal spray paint and then varnished over the whole thing to give it a protective layer.
Posted by: Spreedmaster Feb 11 2008, 11:03 PM
That looks really cool on the neck! Must try something similar!
Now wheres the fun in that!
I'm looking forward to the fun, I dont expect the end product to be very good with my skills!Hm. That didn't come out right.
I'll put it a different way. It's different. And I like different.
I have to agree, I think it looks sweet!
Posted by: Juan M. Valero Feb 12 2008, 01:42 AM
i spray painted the neck, but the paint went all funny on the body and soaked into the grain, so i sanded it down as well as i could, and then painted it with a brush.
for some reason i used metal paint? but it worked.
sorry for the bad quality, i took the photos on my phone.
the thing on the neck is a home made dampener
, which i slid down so you could see all the flames.Yeah, you did a great work !!! I love it... mmm I'm thinking in something similar for my JEM
Posted by: Muris Feb 12 2008, 01:47 AM
Ahh,have you seen http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=6829 I have made,it has same button thing to hold it tight?
This is fully OFF topic,I know,sorry
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Feb 12 2008, 03:34 AM
I thank you for giving me an excuse to post this again
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/jem777bbq/
Posted by: Juan M. Valero Feb 12 2008, 08:19 AM
I'm not sure that it will be the best improvement in my JEM
Posted by: Spreedmaster Feb 12 2008, 01:39 PM
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/jem777bbq/
Hey, that actually looked really cool in the end! But its more of an anti-paintjob!
Posted by: at lights end Feb 13 2008, 07:15 PM
This is fully OFF topic,I know,sorry
yours is much better. i will have a go at doing it that way when i get a chance. mines just a piece of foam tied around the neck!
Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Feb 14 2008, 12:05 AM
I wouldn't dare man
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