What you need:
-A guitar!
-Sand paper
-Painters tape/paper
-Acrylic paints
-Spray primer
-Crystal Clear enamel spray
How to Paint a Guitar?
As a guitarist, you probably know that while the sound your guitar makes is important, its appearance is equally significant. This is because it is an extension of your creative self. In fact, a lot of artists – from Prince to Woody Guthrie – have made cosmetic changes to their instrument. Of course, if this is something you’re considering, the question is: how do you paint a guitar?
Believe it or not, painting a guitar is actually much simpler than you may have imagined. At the same time, you need to be careful, since it is a musical instrument after all. So, if you want to undertake this project by yourself but also want to ensure that it is a success, this is the information you will need:
Tips to Remember
Before you get started, there are a few things that you will need to keep in mind. The following tips will help to prevent any unnecessary hassle or damage during the painting process:
- This is an extensive project: while the actual process isn’t too complicated, it is time-consuming. In total, you may spend anywhere from a few hours to a few days painting your guitar. This includes the drying time as well.
- Have a proper painting environment: you are going to be handling a few dangerous and toxic chemicals. This is why you should take care to paint your guitar in an area with plenty of airflow. Even then, you should make it a point to don the necessary safety wear.
- Keep it light: when it comes to the coat of paint, less is more. Not only will this help your guitar surface dry more quickly, but it also helps to preserve the tone. Although it is unlikely that paint will change the tone of your guitar, too many thick layers may distort the original sound a little.
- Follow all the steps: it can be tempting to simply add a layer of paint to your guitar. This technique, however, isn’t going to do you any good. Not only will the finish look sloppy, but there is also a good chance that the paint will begin to peel off within a short time as well.
Can You Paint Any Guitar?
The short answer to this question is: yes, you can paint most guitars. This, of course, doesn’t tell the full story. See, when painting your guitar, you should always check what type of wood it is composed of. The exact type used will often depend on the price tag attached to the guitar. More premium brands will spring for high-quality woods while the cheaper options will have lower-quality materials.
The reason why the wood is important is that it will determine the overall tone of the instrument. Solid wood guitars are made so that they can ‘age’ over time. Therefore, the older that they get, the better they sound. In such instances, too much of paint can obstruct or change this aging process. Therefore, you should keep the layers as thin as possible.
If you are dealing with a guitar with a laminate layer, though, there aren’t quite as many rules to follow. After all, these types of guitars are meant to sound a certain way. As such, you can afford to be less picky about the kind of paint you use or even how many layers you paint on.
How To : Paint the body of a guitar
- By rawhy
- 4/22/10 7:18 PM
- WonderHowTo
In this tutorial, we learn how to paint a guitar! Before you begin, you will want to take your guitar apart. Once you’ve done that, go outside and clean your guitar removing any dust on it. Your next step is to smooth the whole body of the guitar with 100 grit followed by 150 grit. After this, hang your guitar up somewhere and apply 4 layers of sanding sealer (which should equal one can). Make sure to sand down the 150 grit between each layer once it’s dry, so the next layer has a grip to stick to. Next, you will want to apply 4 layers of primer to the guitar. Make sure to carefully sand down with 320 grit between each layer after it’s dry to smooth out any drips that remain. After this you will apply 4 layers of the paint color you wish, sanding down with 320 grit between each layer after it’s dry to smooth any drips. After this, apply 8 layers of clear gloss to the guitar. Now that you are finished, it’s going to take 4 weeks for this to dry completely. After 4 weeks, wet sand the entire guitar for 10 minutes with a 320 grit then 10 minutes with a 600 grit in a circular motion. Once it’s clear of big scratches and gloss, rub on 3m rubbing compound in a circular motion. This will leave you with a gorgeous new shiny guitar color!
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26 Comments
Reply Upvote
I dot Wot the pat job tht ing otr
Question 5 years ago on Step 1
Answer Upvote
How can I use sand paper when my guitar already has a colour and is smooth enough for sandpaper to run on it?
Reply Upvote
Hi, did painting your guitar alter the sound of it?
Reply Upvote
Hi, I noticed a couple of questions about painting the back but I can’t see any answers. Is there one
1 reply
KikiCraft grandalf the grey
Reply 6 years ago
Reply Upvote
Never tried painting the back myself but I imagine you could follow the same instructions as the front! I would do a way better job sealing up your work though! so maybe use a 2-part epoxy to seal it real good! 😀
Reply Upvote
Can I use cheap Acrylic paints or do they have to be somewhat expensive?
1 reply
KikiCraft JuliaT35
Reply 6 years ago
Reply Upvote
heck yes! I mean.. the super cheap ones are annoying because they’re kind of watery and take extra coats but you can find some decent ones 🙂 Just make sure you seal the crap out of your artwork afterwards to protect it 😀
Cystal Clear spray enamel will work (a few coats) but if you want to get real fancy you can pick up some of that 2-part epoxy and pour it over your work and let it cure fully. just make sure you mix it right or it can mess up and be sticky forever 🙁
