Is there anything drastic needed to say take a typical squier p bass body and spray paint finish it?
Would the paint hold on the finish or does it need prepped.
Would the paint hold on the finish or does it need prepped.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
How hard to give a cheap paint job?
- Thread starter shawshank72
- Start date
I'm pretty sure it would be fairly easy to do so, you'd do well to test the paint in a discrete area like under the pickguard to see if it'll stick first. Joe strummer's telecaster had automotive paint and primer put onto it, right on top of the finish, and if it was good enough for him I'd say the bass won't explode or otherwise become unplayable.
For a cheap paint job, I'd say:
1) Scuff up the surface with fine sandpaper
2) Make sure surface is absolutely clean of oils and dust. I'd use paper towels and denatured alcohol, and give it a very thorough wipedown.
3) Shoot the color, preferably in several light coats, to minimize runs. Shoot enough light coats to cover, about 10 minutes apart.
4) Let dry several days. The longer the better.
5) Wet sand with very fine (1500-2000) grit.
6) Clearcoat and wet sand again, if desired.
1) Scuff up the surface with fine sandpaper
2) Make sure surface is absolutely clean of oils and dust. I'd use paper towels and denatured alcohol, and give it a very thorough wipedown.
3) Shoot the color, preferably in several light coats, to minimize runs. Shoot enough light coats to cover, about 10 minutes apart.
4) Let dry several days. The longer the better.
5) Wet sand with very fine (1500-2000) grit.
6) Clearcoat and wet sand again, if desired.
While I agree with the above with lacquer paint, I've not had good luck with sanding the aerosol hardware store enamel paint. It just won't get super glossy without a super wet coat and it always has some orange peel.
Reranch has some great (but expensive) lacquer aersol paint just for this job.
Reranch has some great (but expensive) lacquer aersol paint just for this job.
Do NOT use enamel!
You get what you pay for--when was the last time you kicked yourself, for buying a good tool?
OP: Follow Mickey Mao's advice.
You get what you pay for--when was the last time you kicked yourself, for buying a good tool?
OP: Follow Mickey Mao's advice.
After refinishing the headstock on my beloved PRS SE Singlecut, I can definitely say PATIENCE. Especially once you've shot the paint, let it dry! For days! It sucks but you will be much happier not having to do it over.
you mean a crappy, ugly, unpleasant-to-touch paint job that makes you wish you'd left it alone? not hard at all
I can get a nice finish with a rattle can of good satin paint. Why not? If it was good enough for Joe Strummer, it is good enough for me.
Complete contradiction
I haven't sen anything but enamel in a hardware store for 10 years (at least around here)
So unless the OP know where to buy automotive lacquer or 2-part urethane, and has access to a professional spray gun, it is unlikely he will find it locally
I don't disagree at all about the cost of good materials but as I recall the good stuff in aerosol is about $18 a can plus shipping so, spending $60+ on a cheap bass may not be the best advice, especially if he can buy that same bass new in the color he was going to spray
If a high gloss finish is not important than you could use anything including house paint
Feel free to use whatever you want, to, "refinish", your instrument. I hear you can tint Gorilla Glue.
Scott in Dallas
Commercial User
- Aug 16, 2005
- 2,084
- 27
- 55
- Disclosures
- Builder and Owner: DJ Ash Guitars
There's a rattle can paintjob club in the bass forum, if memory serves. A search would probably find it, and it's less likely to have people sniping at each other for no reason.
I did a rattle can re-fin on my Squier Jazz. Turned out beautiful.
Got all the stuff from these folks: http://www.reranch.com/
The 1 can of color & clear coat was more than enough for 4 coats.
The paint is a laquer, and the clear is nitro.
Got all the stuff from these folks: http://www.reranch.com/
The 1 can of color & clear coat was more than enough for 4 coats.
The paint is a laquer, and the clear is nitro.
Good call, forgot about that source.
Wet sanding with 800 and rubbing compound on the clear coat with lacquer is your friend.
No sniping; just a difference of opinions.
I've gun painted many cars, guitars, and commercial products.
It really comes down to reasonable expectations about quality vs. cost.
I do find that most people do want high gloss which just increases the amount of time spent and eliminates hardware store paint.
I've wanted to paint a guitar with 2-part urethane (what's used on cars these days) as it is incredibly hard and durable but am afraid the thickness and weight of the finish might kill tone.
Just go for it.
If you are doing it yourself on a bass that you just want to mess around with, then anything goes!
My ex-gf painted a bass of mine. an old Aria-Pro thing I ripped the frets out of.
I removed the neck and all the hardware, then she rubbed some vaseline in an interesting pattern on the body and sprayed over that. waited a couple days and wiped off the vaseline, and it looked really cool. The original finish was scratched and beat, and it shown through in the places where the vaseline was and made for quite the conversation piece.
Custom job is up to you, go for it!
If you are doing it yourself on a bass that you just want to mess around with, then anything goes!
My ex-gf painted a bass of mine. an old Aria-Pro thing I ripped the frets out of.
I removed the neck and all the hardware, then she rubbed some vaseline in an interesting pattern on the body and sprayed over that. waited a couple days and wiped off the vaseline, and it looked really cool. The original finish was scratched and beat, and it shown through in the places where the vaseline was and made for quite the conversation piece.
Custom job is up to you, go for it!
you mean a crappy, ugly, unpleasant-to-touch paint job that makes you wish you'd left it alone? not hard at all
Amen, brother.
It's really easy to make paint look cheap. If you want an instrument that looks crappy, that achievement is easily within your grasp.
Making paint look good takes time and attention to detail. Cheap in terms of paint cost is practically a given...paint doesn't cost much. What matters is how you use it - how you prep the body and the pains you take with the details of the process.
Cheap in terms of the labor you invest is where the difference comes in. More hours = not cheap = much better result. This forum has a great deal of information about how to do the job right...and it's easy to find.
From what I understand the Dupicolor takes a LONG LONG time to cure. I plan on trying it tho. My only experience with rattle can nitro so far has been with Minwax clear nitro in rattlecans over shellac. I sprayed 8-10 coats, about 3 cans, waiting a day between, then let the body cure for about a month at 70-80 deg temps. From what I understand the Dupicolor acrylic laquer takes a LOT longer, sometimes 2-3 months to fully cure.
If you want to try cheap enamel go with Krylon satin. It can turn out pretty nice IF your careful. THis is an old Musicians Friend Rogue tele copy. The body is plywood. Creme poly finish.I roughed it up with some 200 grit. A finer 300-400 grit is prob safer. CAREFUL, or you'll sand thru to the wood and then you'll be shooting primer. Clean it good with some naptha. I used 2 cans of Krylon pink satin, I think the color is called Ballet Slipper. Shoot it very thin with many coats, not too thick it will run on you. Let each coat dry 10-15 min minimum in normal 70-80 deg tempertures, longer if its colder. If it runs YOU CANT SAND IT OUT. You'll be sanding it all off back to the orig paint or primer and starting over. But if you are CAREFUL you can avoid runs. Once covered, I let it cure for about a week, applied some McGuires car wax and buffed it out with a wool pad on my hand drill. All in all Im very pleased with the result. Feels nice to the touch and looks good. Cost me about $10. Krylon comes in some pretty cool colors. I havnt tried the gloss, my theory was the satin would be more forgiving. Scuse the crappy Iphone pics, but its all I got.
slight lack of coverage here, I left it for the historical mojo
If you want to try cheap enamel go with Krylon satin. It can turn out pretty nice IF your careful. THis is an old Musicians Friend Rogue tele copy. The body is plywood. Creme poly finish.I roughed it up with some 200 grit. A finer 300-400 grit is prob safer. CAREFUL, or you'll sand thru to the wood and then you'll be shooting primer. Clean it good with some naptha. I used 2 cans of Krylon pink satin, I think the color is called Ballet Slipper. Shoot it very thin with many coats, not too thick it will run on you. Let each coat dry 10-15 min minimum in normal 70-80 deg tempertures, longer if its colder. If it runs YOU CANT SAND IT OUT. You'll be sanding it all off back to the orig paint or primer and starting over. But if you are CAREFUL you can avoid runs. Once covered, I let it cure for about a week, applied some McGuires car wax and buffed it out with a wool pad on my hand drill. All in all Im very pleased with the result. Feels nice to the touch and looks good. Cost me about $10. Krylon comes in some pretty cool colors. I havnt tried the gloss, my theory was the satin would be more forgiving. Scuse the crappy Iphone pics, but its all I got.
slight lack of coverage here, I left it for the historical mojo
