How to Paint Your Own Guitar
If you have a guitar that you love but hate the color of, don't fret. Changing the color is a fairly simple process that can be done without much stress involved. There are many methods of painting a guitar that are far more in depth such as sanding to the bare wood or using chemical strippers etc., but you might experiment with this simple method that can be done with leisure.
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Things You'll Need
- Medium and Fine Grit sandpaper
- spray primer
- Phillips and flat head screwdrivers
- allen keys
- spray paint
- wire clothes hanger
Instructions
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1
Remove all of the hardware from the guitar using the screwdrivers and the allen keys. Every bit of plastic and metal should be removed before proceeding with any further steps. Remove the neck of the guitar as well as it can either be left alone or painted with the guitar. The hardware that holds the neck on, however, should be removed.
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2
Sand the body of the guitar using the medium grit sandpaper. This should remove the gloss finish and expose the original paint under the clearcoat. The guitar should have no gloss left on it. (Gloss will prevent the primer from sticking to the guitar.)
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3
Sand the guitar thoroughly once again, this time using the fine grit paper to create a smooth finish.
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4
Straighten the clothes hanger into a double sided hook that can be used to hang the guitar while painting.
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5
Hang the guitar in a safe place to paint and begin to spray with primer, using slow, even strokes. Let the primer dry and repeat this step until the guitar has a solid, even primer base. Let the guitar dry overnight.
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6
Remove the guitar from the hanger. Sand the guitar lightly again with the fine sandpaper to remove any imperfections in the primer coat.
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7
Hang the guitar and begin to paint the body using the same method that was used with the primer, using slow even strokes. This step should also be repeated as many times as necessary to develop a solid finish.
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8
Let the guitar dry as long as necessary to ensure that when handled, you do not mar the finish.
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9
Reassemble the guitar using the same tools that were used to disassemble it.
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Tips & Warnings
Keeping the can of paint or primer further away when spraying will help avoid runs and will provide an even finish. A new clearcoat can be applied after painting in the same manner as the priming and painting but, is not necessary.
Always paint in a well ventilated area.
