How to Marble a Guitar

Adding a marblized finish to a guitar requires no specialized artistic skill, but it does require special paint. Unlike other household items such as tables and desks, guitars need paint that dries incredibly hard. Finishing techniques involving latex enamels or household acrylics will not provide a finish that can stand up to the rigors of constant use. However, techniques using auto body acrylic lacquer provide results that are just as good.

Things You'll Need

• Masking tape
• Airbrush
• Acrylic lacquer auto paint (multiple colors)
• Tack cloth
• Clear plastic food wrap
• Pointed artists paint brush
• Very fine steel wool
• Sandpaper, 440 grit
• Clear acrylic lacquer topcoat
• Electric buffer or drill with buffer attachment

Instructions

1. Tape off the neck of the guitar with masking tape to prevent it from being painted if the neck can't be removed. For a guitar with a bolt-on neck, the neck can be unbolted and removed. Remove all electronics and hardware, and strip the original finish from the guitar.

2. Select the two or three colors to use for the marble effect. The colors should contrast. One should be white, off-white or light gray. The other colors should be darker.

3. Apply an opaque base coat of the darkest color to the entire guitar body, and allow it to dry for 24 hours.

4. Lightly sand the base coat with 440 grit sandpaper and remove the residue with a tack cloth.

5. Unroll a sheet of plastic wrap large enough to cover the top surface of the guitar body, and set aside on a nonstick surface.

6. Pour equal quantities of each of the colors you have selected for your marbling effect into the airbrush. Do not shake the gun or attempt to mix the colors.

7. Spray a very light coat of paint over the top surface of the guitar. The effect should appear almost like hazy clouds, with a little of the base coat showing through.

8. Immediately take the sheet of plastic and lay it on top of the painted surface. Use you fingertips to pat it down and crinkle it unevenly across the entire surface of the guitar. Imperfection is the key. Paying too much attention to where and how you crinkle the plastic will result in an effect that looks "too perfect" or forced. Marble is a natural formation that is prone to imperfections.

9. Use a pointed artists brush to create vein patterns by dragging the brush through different areas. The veins should not be too straight or obviously zigzagged. The effect should appear natural. Try applying various degrees of pressure.

10. Allow 24 hours of drying time and repeat the process for the sides and back of the guitar body, allowing 24 hours of drying time between each.

11. Rub all surfaces with very fine steel wool to dull the finish, and remove residue with a tack cloth.

12. Apply a clear top coat with the airbrush and allow to dry for two to three days, then buff out.

Tips & Warnings

• Before attempting to finish the guitar, practice on a piece of scrap wood to refine your technique and make sure it looks as you expect it to.

References

• Creating a Marble Paint Effect