Painting guitars using acrylic paint

By the way, both acrylic and nitro lacquers can be applied with the help of a brush or just sprayed over the surface. They are sold in openable cans and also in spray cans. The latter ones are much thinner and will require more coats to form good protection against water and sun.

Guitar painting

Hi folks, if there is a thread that will answer my questions, please point me to it and delete this one. I haven’t been able to find one, but I am not always the most successful in my searches.

I have a 2018 Mexican Strat in buttercream and I have a local artist that is going to paint some artwork with brushes (not airbrushed). I am assuming the finish is polyurethane and I should lightly sand the area where the painting will go with, say 600 wet/dry paper, to remove the gloss. Then paint with acrylic paints, then spray clear coat with an automotive grade polyurethane clear coat, sanding between applications and final sanding/buffing? Am I missing something? Something I should know? Any flaws in that plan?

Thanks in advance!
Ike

sahhas

Silver Supporting Member
Messages 21,746

the local artist is just painting a section of the guitar and not the whole guitar?

yea, in theory , you would want to rough up the area the artist is going to paint for the paint to take hold. i paint my own guitars-usually using a combo of spray paint and acrylic. i’ve never painted on poly though. i’m not sure if guitar co’s or fender use oil based poly or water based poly? (if they use oil based poly, you don’t want to paint water-based acrylics over the top, w/ the old saying: oil and water don’t mix-idea being if it is oil-based poly, the acrylic won’t really hold very well to it. eventually it may flake off.

i suppose in theory if they use water based poly , you could paint acrylic right over the top. the only problem you may have is how much water is the artist going to use to thin the paint (if any). the point being: if you’re thinking washes of color over an area, a watered down acrylic paint will probably not adhere to a poly top very well.

when i’ve painted guitars in the past, i’ve usually taken all the finish off, and started a new. but that’s just me.

i just don’t know what is industry standard in what type of poly that guitar co’s use. someone else may know better than I.

good luck.
post a pic of your guitar when done, would love to see it.

Reactions: stanshall

80tiger

Platinum Supporting Member
Messages 1,731

Thanks for the thoughts. I reckon I can contact fender and ask about what type paint they use on their mex strats. Yes, the artist is painting a caricature scene – will be too cool as long as paint doesn’t run. Probably the paint will be a bit thick so may take more coats to smooth it out but hopefully it will be ok if completely dry. I will post the pics on this thread when done.

I like the buttercream as a background and don’t want to paint the whole guitar. It is almost new and paint is in excellent condition.

Guitar Acrylic vs Nitro – [All You Need to Know]

There are a few options when choosing a finish for an instrument, but acrylic and nitrocellulose-based paints are among the most popular. Many guitar manufacturers now use polyester and polyurethane paints as well, in fact, there are many online debates about polyurethane vs nitro.

If you talk to a luthier, they may recommend nitrocellulose which purportedly allows the wood to breathe, or polyurethane, which will stay intact and won’t change color ever. On the other hand, they may say nitrocellulose is a pain to use and not worth the effort. There’s similar talk about acrylic and nitro as well, so let’s dive into this a bit.

The biggest difference between nitro and acrylic paint is that acrylic is water-based and nitrocellulose is oil-based. You can apply more layers of nitro paint than acrylic, and it dries faster and looks more vintage as well. However, most manufacturers now use polyurethane and polyester instead.

Acrylic paint has been around for a long time and many have used it to paint guitars, however, it’s not typically used by manufacturers. As I just said, nitrocellulose isn’t as common anymore either although there is certainly still a market for it and a dedicated fan-base who like the vintage look. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons below.

Table of Contents

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What Are The Main Differences Between Nitro and Acrylic

Properties	Nitrocellulose	Acrylic
Main base/ingredient	Oil-based	Water-based
Durability	Not as tough	Tougher
Sustainability	Not as sustainable	Lasts longer
Value over Time	Cracks, fades, and yellows in a cool way	Doesn’t fade or age as good as nitro
Versatility and Flexibility	Better for a full-body paint job	Good for intricate designs
Thick or Thin	Thicker	Thinner
Appearance	Thicker and more oily	Clear or milky-looking
Ease of Application	Not as easy to apply	Easier to apply
Price to produce	More expensive	Less expensive
Time to dry and cure	Fast to dry	Even faster to dry

1) Nitro is Purportedly More “Breathable”

According to its proponents, nitro is a thin, and more breathable paint for wood. Some people describe it as being kind of like glass. Acrylic, on the other hand, is not as breathable.

For a Nitro finish, you have to spray many coats of paint to get the shiny and opaque look of most instruments. With Nitro, you don’t want to spread too heavy per coat; a thin layer will do.

Some say Nitro allows the wood to expand and retract naturally and the layers are only protective and not restrictive in any way.

2) Acrylic is Easier to Use And Doesn’t Take As Long to Cure

With nitro, the coats melt into one another over a few days of spraying; it eliminates the use for sanding between coats. Apparently, this makes it a more straightforward process but also a longer one.

Acrylic – which apparently is easier to apply – will start to crack over time, leaving it vintage-looking but not in a way that’s as beloved as nitro. Nitrocellulose finish is famous and beloved for cracking and looking “vintage” and “worn-down” as well.

From what I understand, acrylic dries faster than nitrocellulose, but according to PTK Guitars, nitro is still known as the paint that dries extremely fast.

3) Acrylic Paint Supposedly Makes the Guitar Heavier Whereas Nitro Allows It to Resonate More

According to some guitar fans out there, if the acrylic paint is painted on correctly, it will have an impact on the weight of the guitar. The idea behind this is that it leads to a heavier sound.

I’m not 100% sure if you could really hear a difference, but guitarists argue that it keeps the sound of your guitar stable over a long period of time. Additionally, it’s supposed to protect the wood as well.

For instance, “Schizotronic” on the TDPRI website says he once stripped down an old Les Paul and gave it a nitrocellulose finish. He expected to hear somewhat of a difference in the sound but states that it’s likely so negligible and small that no one would ever hear it.

He does go on to state that there is a noticeable difference between polyurethane and nitrocellulose finishes, however.

He says that after painting many different guitars in his lifetime, he noticed there was a significant difference after putting on a polyester or polyurethane finish, opting for instead, a nitro finish over polyurethane.

4) Nitro Is Known For Showing The Natural Look of the Wood

PKT Guitars says that on account of the glass-like quality of nitrocellulose finish, it tends to shine a light on the grains and “natural beauty” of the wood. According to Fender’s article on this very subject, they still use nitro and acrylic paints at times for some of their vintage models.

One example, they write, is the “Road Worn” series and the American Vintage series. Apparently, a lot of the artist models have nitro finishes too. It’s clear that even some of the most famous and successful players also like the nitro finishes.

Either way, there is certainly a spirited debate about the different paint styles. Although, like most things in the guitar community, some of it is just pure myth and speculation.

For instance, there was a time when almost everyone chose thicker strings due to “tone” but now it’s cool to use light gauge strings instead. Rick Beato and Rhett Shull played a big role in dispelling this is in their respective videos.

What Are Some Other Differences Between Acrylic & Nitro?

While there’s certainly a market for some of these older styles of guitar finishes, manufacturers will typically choose methods and materials that lower the cost of production.

This video from Steve Guitar is particularly helpful at illustrating some of the differences between polyurethane and nitrocellulose finishes. He says that most manufacturers moved away from nitro because of the time and money it took to use it.

Where Can I Buy Nitro and Acrylic Paint?

You can buy both paints at a typical hardware store or an online store, but I wouldn’t just paint a guitar without really understanding the process initially.

Additionally, I would caution against using no-name paints found on Amazon because a lot of them appear to have questionable reviews. You’d probably be better off going to an actual store or a separate retailer that specializes in that kind of thing.

I actually reached out to an industry expert to advise me on what the best paints are for guitars, however, I’m still waiting on a response. For that reason, I’ve delegated the response to Audio Assemble instead who had the following list for their readers.

As I just mentioned, make sure you know what you’re doing and what you need before you get started. Painting with either type of finish – acrylic or nitro – takes more than one coat, lots of drying time, and a good polish.

Moreover, you don’t want to cut corners or rush through because then you won’t wind up with a solid final product.

You may be better off using one of your older guitars first, or perhaps a cheap one found at a garage sale. I would give the same advice if I were telling you how to make serious changes to any of your guitars, ie, replacing the nut, swapping out pick-ups, etc.

What kind of acrylic lacquer should I choose?

When it comes to choosing lacquer for repainting your guitar, it’s recommended to go for a water-based material. It won’t yellow, it’s easier to apply, and it’s safer to use in all DIY projects.

If you don’t know whether you want to choose an openable can or a spray can, go for a spray one. But we recommend buying one more cheap spray paint and testing it on some test surface. This way, you will learn how to apply thin coats without any excessive drops or uneven coating. Only after that start applying your acrylic paint to your guitar.

In terms of brands, we shouldn’t give you any recommendations because the readers will think we are advertising some companies. But we’ll tell you that the old good principle “the more expensive, the better” works quite well for choosing appropriate paint for guitars.

Make sure you buy all you need, not just the lacquer. You will need some sandpaper with different grit levels, a primer, some cloth, a brush, some spirits for cleaning, and some other products depending on the technique you decide to use.

Acrylic lacquer lifespan – what to expect?

Usually, acrylic lacquers live between 5 and 10 years. But this period may change depending on the way you use your guitar. For example, a home instrument that you only take out of its cover on holidays and big days will stay beautiful for dozens of years. But the guitar that is taken to daily concerts is transported in your truck bed, and occasionally gets under the rain may live up to one or two years.

The duration of acrylic lacquer depends much on whether you applied it correctly. If you have made a lot of mistakes because it’s your first painting project, just bear in mind that the paint may chip off or get scratched quite soon. But you will have to consider that mechanical damages will destroy even the most professional paint coating in the world. If you throw your newly painted guitar over asphalt road or try to kick someone with it, the lacquer may look bad after that.

Popular mistakes people make when they deal with acrylic lacquer

1. Buying cheaper paint. It will be dangerous for your health and very poor in terms of the final design.
2. Not ventilating the room where you paint. This may lead to problems with health such as fainting, feeling dizzy, feeling sick, and even vomiting. Don’t poison yourself!
3. Not using primers. If you apply acrylic paint right over wood, it won’t last long. Those guys who invented primers did a good job and why not just use their inventions?
4. Making thick coats. When you make thicker coats, they won’t be smooth and even. In the end, you will just sand all the paint off the guitar and make it once again with thinner coats.
5. Using thick paint without thinning it. If you have bought lacquer in an openable can, buy something to thin it. Otherwise, you will have a lot of brush tracks on your surface.
6. Hurrying up. Don’t hurry up much because in this case you will just mess up all coats and will have to redo the job.

We believe that acrylic lacquer is actually better than nitro lacquer for your guitar. It’s durable, cheap, safe, and really good-looking if you do everything right. So we would go for acrylic paint if we needed to repaint our guitars. Want to experiment with other types? Go ahead, but remember that you will need a lot of experience or at least a good teacher around you to help with important stages.

We are a team of enthusiasts in crafts and painting. That’s why we know pretty much about painting, paint types and all those problems you might face when working. We give only practical advice that you can follow to avoid any troubles with paint.

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