BeAR Posted January 25, 2003 Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 I bought another Strat last week. I started life as a Red and Black 89-90 Japanese reissue. Looked absolutely discusting. It was in poor condition, rusted strings, crud all the way up the fretboard 1mm thick. I stripped it down to the last screw. Ive ordered an aged plastic kit from Fender, new Fender/Fender vintage nickel saddles to replace the rusted out originals. I got the trem plate stripped and re chromed (cost $5). New pots and switch and thats it for parts. I asked around a few friends of mine that have painted a car or two in their time and managed to get the use of one of their spray booths after work hours. (Cost a case of beer). The finish was the easiest I have ever done. I rubbed back the original paint with 600 grit wet/dry paper to take off the shine. Once every blemish was gone and there was no gloss left i made a hanger for the guitar from 20mm plastic electrical conduit. Wiped the body down with thinners to remove fingerprints. My friend supplied and mixed the paint and clear for me. 2 coats of colour, 2 hours apart. 3 coats of clear 1 hour apart. Straight over the old finish as a base coat, painted in one night!!!!!!!!! The pics dont do it justice. The finish looks great with only 2 blemishes in the surface and a small amount of orange peel. Its been hanging in the corner if the paint oven for the last 2 days. Its ROCK hard! Ill leave it another day or so and then block back the front and back with 2000 grit wet/dry. Polish and re assemble. My mate said that if someone else brought him this to paint prepped and ready to go the cost would be around $70 AU for him to supply materials and paint. If you weren't fussy the finish straight from the gun would still pass for a top job without rubbing it back. Beats the hell out of buying $30 worh of spray cans and material, only to have to wait weeks for acrylic paint to cure/rub back/polish. And nothing is as tough as polyurathane car paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted January 25, 2003 Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 seems to me I was saying how great poly's were in the spray gun post Poly has made my life so much easier, it can be tricky to work with, but it's amazing paint. I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeAR Posted January 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 Great stuff, although I dont have the patience to follow your application method. I only had one night to use the spray booth, so I couldnt wait and rub down between coats. Still should look nice when its finished. Im now convinced that Im addicted to tinkering with guitars...............................................my name is Gary and its been 38 minutes since I last used a screwdriver on a guitar. Im so ashamed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matia Posted January 26, 2003 Report Share Posted January 26, 2003 Great stuff, although I dont have the patience to follow your application method. I only had one night to use the spray booth, so I couldnt wait and rub down between coats. Still should look nice when its finished. Im now convinced that Im addicted to tinkering with guitars...............................................my name is Gary and its been 38 minutes since I last used a screwdriver on a guitar. Im so ashamed. hahaha gary....... your not alone...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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