Lefty Fretless Jazz Bass

[Hopkins]

@Hopkins, @Dadagoboi — thank you both for your awesome input and insight for this project. It is really appreciated. It looks like in order to get something adequate for painting a guitar body, I'm looking at $400 pretty easily to get started. That sounds pretty reasonable, and I can probably make my money back on that fairly quickly when you factor in the time I'll be saving.

Would a lower-HP compressor work well? There are a few options on my local CL, but nothing in a 5HP flavor; most are 2HP/3HP. I found one that is a 2HP with a 4-gallon tank.

A 4 gallon tank is good for airing up a tire or using a nail gun. Its not nearly enough volume for spraying. The piston style compressors make more air and are more reliable than the reed valve oil free kind. I have a portable compressor that is a 2hp piston style compressor, 30 gal tank, and makes 5.5 cfm at 90 psi. It has enough power to spray guitars with an HVLP gun. I would say that would be bare minimum. Don't worry to much about horse power, the important number is the volume or cfm at 90 psi.

There are also LVLP guns that work well with smaller compressors, that may be something to look in to as well.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

A 4 gallon tank is good for airing up a tire or using a nail gun. Its not nearly enough volume for spraying. The piston style compressors make more air and are more reliable than the reed valve oil free kind. I have a portable compressor that is a 2hp piston style compressor, 30 gal tank, and makes 5.5 cfm at 90 psi. It has enough power to spray guitars with an HVLP gun. I would say that would be bare minimum. Don't worry to much about horse power, the important number is the volume or cfm at 90 psi.

There are also LVLP guns that work well with smaller compressors, that may be something to look in to as well.

What would happen when using a tank with lower capacity? Would it just run out of juice toward the end of a coating?

 

[Hopkins]

What would happen when using a tank with lower capacity? Would it just run out of juice toward the end of a coating?

Its just not enough volume, the compressor would constantly be running and you would have to keep pausing to let it build back enough air to squeeze off another few passes.

 

[Dadagoboi]

I agree with Hopkins, the important number is cfm at the pressure you are spraying. You need to get something that will supply the CFM you need at the correct pressure. The guns I'm using are low pressure and supposedly use 1.5 CFM at 30 PSI. But a cushion is needed to keep the air flowing while the compressor cycles, probably double that number. The tank has to be at least 10 gallons and you'd have to keep an eye on the regulator to make sure pressure is always high enough when you're making a pass. Not rocket science but it just adds another thing to think about when you're learning how to handle a spray gun.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

Its just not enough volume, the compressor would constantly be running and you would have to keep pausing to let it build back enough air to squeeze off another few passes.

I agree with Hopkins, the important number is cfm at the pressure you are spraying. You need to get something that will supply the CFM you need at the correct pressure. The guns I'm using are low pressure and supposedly use 1.5 CFM at 30 PSI. But a cushion is needed to keep the air flowing while the compressor cycles, probably double that number. The tank has to be at least 10 gallons and you'd have to keep an eye on the regulator to make sure pressure is always high enough when you're making a pass. Not rocket science but it just adds another thing to think about when you're learning how to handle a spray gun.

Thanks, guys. It sounds like I've got some homework and a little investing to do. It seems relatively straightforward, so I'll keep my eyes peeled for good deals on my local Craigslist. Hopefully I'll find something soon. It looks like I have all kinds of options for guns, and those are all pretty inexpensive, so getting the compressor for a good deal is the key here.

I did some research around the area looking for suppliers of custom color finishes. In talking to the guy at the auto store I found that mixes paints, he was saying that he thinks it would be OK to spray color they mix on a guitar, but that the clear coat I would need would be different from what they would sell at their store. I don't recall the name exactly, but I think he may've said nitrocellulose, which I believe is pretty common in guitar-finishing.

In the meantime, I did go ahead and purchase a couple more rattlecans of the Olympic White from Reranch. Hopefully it delivers before the weekend so I can spend some serious time laying down some color again. I was watching a video on YouTube of a girl spraying a Strat body with a rattlecan, and she was so close to the body it was freaking me out. I mean it was only a few inches or so. She complained about orange peel, so I don't trust that she was doing it right either.

 

[Hopkins]

Thanks, guys. It sounds like I've got some homework and a little investing to do. It seems relatively straightforward, so I'll keep my eyes peeled for good deals on my local Craigslist. Hopefully I'll find something soon. It looks like I have all kinds of options for guns, and those are all pretty inexpensive, so getting the compressor for a good deal is the key here.

I did some research around the area looking for suppliers of custom color finishes. In talking to the guy at the auto store I found that mixes paints, he was saying that he thinks it would be OK to spray color they mix on a guitar, but that the clear coat I would need would be different from what they would sell at their store. I don't recall the name exactly, but I think he may've said nitrocellulose, which I believe is pretty common in guitar-finishing.

In the meantime, I did go ahead and purchase a couple more rattlecans of the Olympic White from Reranch. Hopefully it delivers before the weekend so I can spend some serious time laying down some color again. I was watching a video on YouTube of a girl spraying a Strat body with a rattlecan, and she was so close to the body it was freaking me out. I mean it was only a few inches or so. She complained about orange peel, so I don't trust that she was doing it right either.

I use automotive urethane pretty much exclusively on my builds. He is wrong about needing to use a nitro clear. I use the urethane clear as a sealer coat, when I get it blocked out level, I spray a coat of color, (two coats on colors that dont cover well, reds are bad about this) then another two coats of clear. It is always best to use the same type of finish throughout the process.

 

[Dadagoboi]

It is always best to use the same type of finish throughout the process.

Most Definitely!

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

I use automotive urethane pretty much exclusively on my builds. He is wrong about needing to use a nitro clear. I use the urethane clear as a sealer coat, when I get it blocked out level, I spray a coat of color, (two coats on colors that dont cover well, reds are bad about this) then another two coats of clear. It is always best to use the same type of finish throughout the process.

Excellent info, once again! Thank you, kind sir.

Right now I'm kind of just doing nothing on this project since I am waiting for the new order of paint from Reranch to arrive, and I don't have anything to do for this build...so... now I can mess around with the design of my next bass project. Woot!

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

I'm going over some notes that I had written when I was visiting the local luthier who has been helping me with this project, and something struck me as a little odd just now so I thought I would run it by the congregation here. It's been many months since I wrote those notes, so I think I may have left something out. I am trying to recall how I should finish the neck, and I can't remember if I'm supposed to hit it with sanding sealer before the satin clear coat, or if I just go straight to the satin clear coat. I have already purchased the Link Removed, and it's what I'll be using on the neck to give it sort of a natural look and feel. I'll be using the gloss clear for the body (and headstock).

 

[Dadagoboi]

I don't use sanding sealer on maple necks, no need. No grain or pores to fill.

OTOH if I were doing a satin finish on maple sanding sealer is all I'd use.

Satin lacquer is simply gloss lacquer with flatting paste added.

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[Brett Zeppelin]

I don't use sanding sealer on maple necks, no need. No grain or pores to fill.

OTOH if I were doing a satin finish on maple sanding sealer is all I'd use.

Satin lacquer is simply gloss lacquer with flatting paste added.

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Argh. So many ways to do this stuff! Well, for me, I am planning on going with the satin clear coat via rattle can, so wish me luck! I will go straight to the wood (yes, it's maple) and see how it goes.

My Olympic White arrived today and when I get home (late-ish tonight) I'm going to start spraying color again. Hopefully I can get it right this time. What do you recommend I do to ensure a nice heavy coat that's not too heavy that I am making runs all over the place, but not too light that it comes out like my first can did? Should I just get closer while spraying? Also, which nozzle/tip should I use? I'm assuming the fanned tip, but I just want to be sure. One tip is white and the other is red. I think the red one is for more direct and smaller area coating.

 

[Dadagoboi]

There's probably some Youtube videos to watch. You're going to get some runs before you figure out how far to go.

Buy some cheap rattlecans of Walmart brand spray paint and practice on cardboard for a can or two. It's better than wasting expensive paint.

The one can of ReRanch I tried to use was terrible, I couldn't get it to stop spitting. That's when I started taking the paint out of the rattlecans and using it in a spray gun.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

There's probably some Youtube videos to watch. You're going to get some runs before you figure out how far to go.

Buy some cheap rattlecans of Walmart brand spray paint and practice on cardboard for a can or two. It's better than wasting expensive paint.

The one can of ReRanch I tried to use was terrible, I couldn't get it to stop spitting. That's when I started taking the paint out of the rattlecans and using it in a spray gun.

All right, so just to confirm: it's better to go at this heavy than too light and wimpy — correct? I just have this innate fear that too heavy = really bad. I probably just need to get over that.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

Hopefully I'm on the right track here. I just "went nuts" when spraying this coat, at least compared to the last attempt. Am I experiencing official "orange peel" here or is this just more of a "that's how this paint covers" sort of a thing? These pics were taken right after I sprayed, so the paint is wet in these pics. My cameras suck; sorry. I did the best I could with that.

 

[JIO]

I don't see any sags, so looks to be on the right track at least in that respect

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

I don't see any sags, so looks to be on the right track at least in that respect

All right, all right, all right (in my best Matthew McConaughey).

Since the time of those photos (approximately an hour or so ago), the paint has kind of settled down a bit and it's smoother than it looks up above. I think I'm on to something. I'm thinking a round of sanding tomorrow followed by another coat of paint and I'll be in serious business. It looks way better than it did earlier today before I started spraying.

I'll tell you what, though: I'm thoroughly humbled. This is not an easy thing to do. At the very least, it's much more challenging than I anticipated. I'm guessing that my perfectionism is having an effect; hopefully for the better.

 

[Hopkins]

Yes, that is pretty typical looking orange peel, it looks much better than before. It is possible that the mix in the can simply won't allow your finish enough time to flow out before it flashes off. When sprayed through a gun, I always use lacquer retarder to keep the finish from flashing off so quick, it also prevents it from blushing. But this isn't an option when using spray cans.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

Yes, that is pretty typical looking orange peel, it looks much better than before. It is possible that the mix in the can simply won't allow your finish enough time to flow out before it flashes off. When sprayed through a gun, I always use lacquer retarder to keep the finish from flashing off so quick, it also prevents it from blushing. But this isn't an option when using spray cans.

Cool. Would you say this is more along the lines of how it should look at this point? Shall I continue with a 400-grit sandpaper and then another coat of paint using the same technique as seen in these recent photos?

 

[Hopkins]

Cool. Would you say this is more along the lines of how it should look at this point? Shall I continue with a 400-grit sandpaper and then another coat of paint using the same technique as seen in these recent photos?

Its still a little more orange peel than I would like to see, but it is nothing that cant be sanded out. You can still achieve a mirror flat finish from where you are at, it will just take a bit more block sanding to get it level.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

Its still a little more orange peel than I would like to see, but it is nothing that cant be sanded out. You can still achieve a mirror flat finish from where you are at, it will just take a bit more block sanding to get it level.

Thanks. What is the cause of that orange peel? Am I going too heavy? Not heavy enough (again)? Spraying from too far away? Spraying too close? Can I do better with a rattlecan or is this just how it is?