Cost of guitar painting?

space_ryerson · Post by **space_ryerson** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:39 am

I don't know if this necessarily fits into DIY, buy I've been building this guitar for years, and I'm almost done. I want to get it painted (because I don't have the facilities to paint it myself), and I was wondering how much this usually costs. It's a vaguely strat-ish type shape, with a maple bolt-on neck, with rosewood fretboard.
I wanted to have the top of the headstock painted to match the body. I have an approximate quote from a luthier who is supposed to be pretty good for $450. This is in NYC. How much does this kind of thing usually cost?

curtiswyant · Post by **curtiswyant** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 12:25 pm

Check with a local auto body shop. Sometimes they will spray your guitar with the same color (leftover) from a car

Rodgre · Post by **Rodgre** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:17 pm

Yes, contact an auto body shop. I have a client/friend who does car restoration, and he's done this for me (and himself) as they often spray out the sprayer at the end of the job on an old hood or something, so why not your guitar?

It's best if you want to use a color that they are currently working with or else be patient until they have that color in the sprayer already.

I think you can get it done for closer to $2-300.

They'll also have the right buffers to polish it out for you too.

Roger

bannerj · Post by **bannerj** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:57 pm

but won't that thick of paint change the sound of the guitar dramatically?

gabewheel · Post by **gabewheel** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 3:23 pm

i wanna custom paint stupid shit on one of mine, but then put a clear coat over it. i wonder how hard that would be to do on my own

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 3:47 pm

I have painted a guitar with sonic blue nitrocellulose from a can, then sanded and buffed it myself with wet/dry and Stewart-Macdonald guitar polish. I think it looks really good.

All info and supplies came from here:

http://home.flash.net/~guitars/

rolandk · Post by **rolandk** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:35 pm

The last 6 or so Guitar World magazines have a column where a guy does a 'how to paint your guitar w/ a rattle can' step by step. He has a book but I'm too lazy to look it up.

space_ryerson · Post by **space_ryerson** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:46 pm

Thanks for the replies and info so far. $2-300 sounds a little more like what I expected to hear. $450 sounded high, but I'm not sure what caliber this guy is.

I have a lot of the equipment needed (paintgun, airbrush, access to a compressor, lots of fine sandpapers and compounds) to do this myself, but I live in an apt., which pretty much precludes me from spraying it myself. I suppose I could get access to facilities to do this, but I don't want my first serious attempt at painting a guitar be this one. I would gladly try on a squier or something, but I've put way too much effort into this to have a screwup occur.
I've asked two auto body shops in the area, and they weren't into it. The color I'm looking for is a very pale sonic blue. Winter is really the best time to spray, so I would like to try to find someone somewhat soon.

Inverseroom, do you think anyone from that site you linked would take on a job like mine?
Rodgre, do you think your friend would possibly paint it if I paid him a reasonable amount?

Cyan421 · Post by **Cyan421** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:16 am

I had a guitar painted with car paint. Looks awsome. Its one of those two color things that changes with the reflections of light, its goes green to purple, but at extreem angles it also lookes different colors. Did not adversly affect the tone of the guitar. The paint is super thick though, it filled huge dents and cracks in the previous finish. Its a cheap gibson les paul special, the paint dubbled that value of the guitar.

covert · Post by **covert** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:06 am

Most of the "custom colors" from Fender, Gretsch etc. were car paints. Caddilac green was just that, and Fender offered the entire Duco line.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:03 am

space_ryerson wrote:Inverseroom, do you think anyone from that site you linked would take on a job like mine?

Ask 'em! They mostly seem to do "vintaged" guitars...you know, making them look old. I dunno if people are still doing that. But their DIY info is really helpful and complete.

I wouldn't do it in an apartment. I did it in my basement with a fan and the door open, and it still stunk up the house for a day and a half. One thing about nitro though, it's very forgiving...every coat "melts" the coat below, so errors can be smoothed out in the painting, and fine patient sanding heals all wounds.

curtiswyant · Post by **curtiswyant** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:06 am

www.reranch.com has some good stuff, too

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:11 am

curtiswyant wrote:www.reranch.com has some good stuff, too

That's the same as the link I put above...WTF? It's not a redirect either, that's very odd. Anyway, I agree!

mrc · Post by **mrc** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:13 pm

Hi, I've had a few painted. Body shop. Do the sanding and shaping yourself, on the wood. Have it primed and shot. I've had one with a full sail clippership hand painted on the back. After the art work, you can have a clear with pearl and micro sequins shot over it. I've bought the pearl and micro sequins for the body shop (they go a long ways, and paid the artist for the hand paintings). I think $150 would stop the total cost on any of them. Be sure to give the body shop and artist really nice photos they can display, and offer to promote them onstage....everybody wins

mrc

Marik · Post by **Marik** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:50 pm

If you want to do it right, do it yourself, especially if you have an air spray gun and compressor.

Go to autopaint store--you might find an add there--"Spraying booth for rent". Usually, it is $100 for 24 hours.

As for paint, go with BC/CC (basecoat/clearcoat) urethane. I just painted my BMW, looks awesome, very easy to work with, and extremely durable. You can sand and buff it, if you wish.

Use HVLP gun, and adjust it carefully. If you want more info I can give you leads.

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Cost of guitar painting?

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