While you can strip off the clear coat, rough up the surface, and paint on top of the old paint, it isn’t recommended. It’s much more effective to start with bare wood. If you paint on top of old paint, you may end up with color bleed, which will make the new finish look different to the way you imagined it. Plus, starting on bare wood, you’ll get a much more even finish with fewer coats, which can potentially help your tone.
How to Repaint A Guitar – A Killer Guitar Rigs Ultimate Guide
There are any number of reasons that somebody may want to repaint their guitar; maybe they bought used and the color wasn’t exactly what they wanted, or they’ve simply grown tired of the original color. There’s also the possibility that the original finish is damaged and they want to bring the guitar back to a like new condition. Whatever the reason, repainting a guitar is a possibility in many cases.
To help you get things done the right way, this KillerGuitarRigs Guide will walk you through the steps to repaint a guitar in great detail. We’ll list all the equipment you’ll need, and we’ll guide you through how to use it to refinish your guitar.
- What You’ll Need
- Tools and Supplies
- Orbital Sander
- Rotary Tool
- Paint Spray Gun (Optional)
- Spray Paint
- Clear Lacquer
- Grain Filler
- Shielding Tape
- Sandpaper (120-3000 Grit)
- Tack Cloths
- Paint Thinner
- Masking Tape
- Contractor’s Paper
- Screwdriver Set
- Rotary Buffer
- Polish
- Remove the Strings
- Remove the Neck
- Remove the Pickguard
- Remove Remaining Hardware
- Remove Electronics
- Apply Protective Coverings if Necessary
- Sand the Body Down
- Strip the Cavities
- Clean Your Workspace
- Fill the Grain
- Clean the Surface
- Apply Primer
- Apply Paint
- Apply Clearcoat
- Polyurethane Finish
- Nitrocellulose Finish
What You’ll Need
How To Spray Paint A Guitar – Start to Finish
Repainting a guitar is a much more in depth procedure than simply buying paint and putting it on top of the existing finish. In order to do this job right, you’ll need to strip the existing finish, prep the wood, prime, paint, paint again, then add your clear coat. By having everything you need available before you need to use it, you’ll reduce the chances of ruining the finish through lack of preparation.
ContentsTools and Supplies
Orbital Sander
This will save a lot of time when removing the old paint, and also when smoothing off the finish of each new coat.
Rotary Tool
Having a rotary tool will allow you to get into the corners of the cavities to remove the old finish where an orbital sander or sandpaper sheets simply can’t.
Paint Spray Gun (Optional)
Using a spray gun or spray paint will yield far better result than rollers or brushes.
Spray Paint
Spray paint works just as well as a spray gun – we recommend Colortone Brand.
Clear Lacquer
This will be the top coat on your newly finished guitar.
Grain Filler
Grain filler will fill the caps created by the wood’s natural grain before painting. This is vital for achieving a factory smooth finish.
Shielding Tape
Once you’ve painted the inside of the cavity, you can take the opportunity to line it with shielding tape to reduce electromagnetic interference.
Sandpaper (120-3000 Grit)
Having a range of sandpaper from coarse to extra fine will let you quickly remove the old paint, and then create a perfect surface to apply the new finish to.
Tack Cloths
Tack cloths are sticky sheets that are used to remove dust and debris from the areas you’re looking to paint
Paint Thinner
Paint thinner can be used to remove old paint, or to reduce the viscosity of paint that you plan to use in a spray gun
Masking Tape
This is used to protect areas that you don’t want to paint
Contractor’s Paper
Contractor’s paper is used together with masking tape to cover areas (like fretboards) that should not be painted
Screwdriver Set
This will be needed in order to remove the neck of your guitar (where appropriate)
Rotary Buffer
This is going to be necessary for finishing the guitar after the clear coat has cured. This will buff out any swirls, resulting in a smooth finish.
Polish
You’ll need polish to use with the buffer in order to get a professional finish. Liquid Ice is our recommendation as it can be used as a 1 step product to take you from rough to mirror finish.
Painting The Guitar Myself
The good news is that you can paint the guitar yourself and it’s not that hard. Even better news is that if you make a mistake or do a sloppy job then you can redo the process and start again. Wood is an amazing material which can be painted as many times as you need to get the finish that you desire.
The bad news is that it does take time, but if you’re patient and follow my advice then your guitar will turn out perfect the first time.
“Which Type Of The Guitar Can I Paint”?
We’ll discuss painting a typical solid body electric (something like a Strat or Les Paul). We will also discuss edge bindings for guitars like a Les Paul. You may want to include these if trying to get a Les Paul back to factory settings.
We will also discuss colours and styles.
After reading this article, you’ll be able to go ahead and be as creative and technical as you like.
First Time Finish VS. Refinish
Will your project be a fresh new build or a restoration job?
This is the difference between a finish and refinish. A finish will be applying paint on to wood that has never been painted before. Whilst, a refinish will include applying paint onto wood that already has a set of paint on it.
It is much easier to paint on wood that has never been touched before.
Difficulty in Refinish Restorations
Refinish restoration projects are much more timely and difficult to do.
Disclaimer: It’s advised by some people to think twice about restoring an old body. You may disassemble the guitar, sell the body, buy a body in the colour you desire, then reassemble it if you’re interested in a straightforward DIY guitar project. If you’re serious about completing a painting project, acquire a brand-new, unfinished body and follow the instructions below.
However, if you’re like me and want to be resourceful and reuse the old wood then we would need to sand down the whole body completely removing all the lacquer. Once we have removed the lacquer we can then paint over it.
Step 1 : Get Your Tools & Equipment
We’re going to use minimal tools and the most practical materials. Below we will discuss how we go ahead and use these
- 220 grit paper – for sanding down the wood and removing any paint
- 320 grit paper – for smoothing the wood ready for the first layer of primal paint
- Backing block – this is used with the grit paper to provide a more even finish
- Bucket of Water and washing up liquid – used to dip in the grit paper when sanding down the wood
- Sanding machine (recommend if repainting an old guitar) –
- Old credit card – this is used to apply the filler
- Primal paint – this is the first layer of paint and is always a grey in colour
- Filler – this is used to fill the holes of open grain wood types
- Finish – This is the color paint you are looking for, and will be applied on top of the primal coat
- Lacquer– this will give your guitar a solid extra coating making is glossy in texture
- Tack cloth – used to clean the surface to the surface of the wood before painting
Once you have all your tools we can then move more practical steps.
Polishing
Sand to the water with a gradual process with sandpaper 1200-1500-2000 until all the imperfections of the application disappear.
Try to sand in straight line without exerting too much pressure to avoid making deep marks that will be difficult to remove with the polish. It is advisable to apply a few drops of soap to the water to facilitate the sanding.
Apply a few drops of polish on the surface of the guitar and on the polishing sponge.
It is recommended to polish at 1500 to 2000 rpm without pressure to avoid overheating the finish. Check the heating regularly during polishing.
Perform a first polishing process with the white sponge and finish with the black sponge until a mirror shine is achieved.
Clean with a cloth the remains of polish and the guitar will be finished.
Tips and General Recommendations
A finish with “Nitorlack” lacquer for guitars, depending on factors such as whether the wood is stained or not, and how many coats of color are given, should have a total of 6 to 10 coats in total, counting background – color – finish, with a minimum of 3-4 coats of gloss finish. This will give a thickness of approximately 150 microns (0.15 mm) depending on how much sanding is done, how much lacquer is applied in each coat and what thickness of finish is desired. If you have not finished an instrument before, it is advisable to apply 9 to 12 coats, so you will be sure not to sand or polish the finish too much, leaving parts with “bare” wood. As more experience is acquired with the product and the finishing method, fewer coats will be necessary and finer finishes can be achieved.
If you accidentally get a “drop” or “drip” during application, allow the finish to dry for 24 hours and level by sanding with P400 sandpaper, preferably on a hard sanding block. The drip can also be “cut” with a razor blade, a faster method and one that avoids the accidents that can be caused by excessive sanding. To become familiar with the process, it is advisable to test on discarded wood, in order to evaluate for yourself the characteristics of the process of finishing a guitar with “Nitorlack” lacquer guitars.
It is also advisable to use a “witness” surface on which to apply the layers of lacquer at the same time as on the piece to be finished. A paper glued with masking tape to a rigid support (wood, thick cardboard) is a suggestion. Thus, measuring first the thickness of the paper with a caliper and then measuring the resulting thickness of the successive layers once dry, you will have a fairly accurate idea of the thickness of the layer to be applied and thus be able to have a better idea of its thickness. A thickness of 150 to 180 microns (0.15 to 0.18 mm) guarantees a fine finish that respects the vibrations of the instrument and protects it, avoiding excessive thicknesses.
Always apply thin coats. Let dry 24 hours and sand between coats. Apply in crossed coats to distribute the product well. Apply with an approximate distance of 15 to 20 cm.
Safety Recommendations
Apply in ventilated or extracted places. Wear protective gloves, clothing, goggles and mask. Wash thoroughly after handling. In case of contact with eyes: Rinse thoroughly with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses when present and easy to do so. Continue rinsing. Highly flammable liquid and vapors.
This process can be equally useful to paint your guitar in other colors and with other dyes.
With our experience we can say that the colors that our customers like the most are SEAFOAM GREEN and FIESTA RED.
If after reading this article you still have doubts about how to paint your guitar, do not hesitate to contact us on our website, and a professional will help you.
