How to Custom Paint Your Electric Guitar
Remove your guitar strings and the screws in the body of the guitar., Remove the electrical components connecting the bridge and pickups., Heat the old paint with a hairdryer or heat gun., Lift off the old paint with a putty knife., Sand the body of...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove your guitar strings and the screws in the body of the guitar.
Remove the guitar strings and then unscrew the neck of the guitar from the body.
Once the body is standing alone, unscrew the screws and knobs on the front of the guitar.
Remove the screws on the pickups and bridge of the guitar.If there is a faceplate over your volume knobs, you'll have to remove the plastic portions of the knobs before you can lift the faceplate off. -
Step 2: Remove the electrical components connecting the bridge and pickups.
Once all of the screws are out on the face of the guitar, you can lift up your bridge and pickups, which are connected by wires.
Snip these and solder them later when you put your guitar back together.
If you feel unsure about taking your guitar apart, take it to a guitar store so that they can safely do it for you.
Make sure all the electrical wiring is removed from the guitar before you start painting it. , Set your heat gun or hairdryer to the lowest setting and move it back and forth, across the body of your guitar.
The heat from your hairdryer or heat gun will soften the finish on your guitar and make it easier to lift up the paint.
Continue heating the paint for five minutes and then use a sharp tool to poke at the paint.
If the paint feels soft, you can go onto the next step.Do not hold the heat gun in one spot for too long or you may burn the wood that's under the paint. , Start by scoring a small location on the softened paint.
Use your putty knife to lift off the old finish and don't worry if it cracks off.
Continue to scrape the paint and remove the old finish without damaging the wood under it.
If the paint isn't coming off, use the heat gun again to soften it.
Once you're done removing the finish, you should see the wood grain under it., Use a 100 grit sandpaper at first and sand over the surface of the guitar's body in the direction of the grain.
Sand down irregularities so that the body of the guitar is as smooth as possible.
Follow the contours of the guitar and sand the sides and edges of the guitar as well.
Once you've sanded it with the 100 grit sandpaper, you can move to a 200 grit sandpaper to sand out smaller irregularities.Use a sanding block if the sandpaper is hurting your hands. , As you sand down your guitar, you're likely to find bumps or divots in the body.
Fill divots that you can't sand down with an automotive filler.
Once the divots are filled, let it dry for at least 20 minutes so that the automotive filler can cure.Bondo is a popular type of automotive filler., Once you've filled in all divots and the guitar is relatively smooth, you'll have to do one last sanding with the 100 grit sandpaper.
Continue to sand until the automotive filler lies flush with the body of the guitar., Don't saturate the wood grain on your guitar to prevent moisture from getting absorbed into to the guitar.
Take a microfiber cloth or a clean rag and wipe over the surface, making sure to remove any sawdust or debris that might be on the guitar.
Debris or dust left on the guitar will get sealed into the paint job. , Lay down drop cloths under the guitar so that the paint doesn't stain the surface that you're painting on.
Alternatively, you can hang the guitar from the ceiling and spray it as it's suspended in the air., You can purchase wood sealer online or at a hardware store.
Purchase a water based wood sealer that has a high gloss.
If you are painting your guitar a lighter color, use a white sealer and if you're painting it a dark color, apply a gray sealer., Saturate a dry rag in the sealer.
Once the rag is saturated, drag it along the grain on the surface of your guitar.
Make long movements and do not scrub in a single area with the sealer.
Once the back of the guitar is sealed, turn the guitar over and finish sealing the front and sides.Once your rag looks dirty, dispose of it and use another, clean rag. , Let the sealer dry for an hour or two and come back and apply another even coat of sealer.
The sealer will help the colored coats of paint adhere to the body of the guitar much easier.
Continue adding more coats of sealer until you've covered the guitar three to five times in total.Remember to let the sealer dry in between each new application. , Feel over the sealer to make sure that it's no longer wet or sticky.
Make sure that the guitar dries in a well-ventilated area so no one gets sick from the sealer's fumes., Using a 200 grit sandpaper, carefully sand over the shiny parts of the sealer.
Make sure not to sand too hard or you may expose the wood grain underneath.
If you do do this, simply reapply more coats of sealer to the guitar and allow it to dry before moving on.
When you're done, the guitar should have a dull white or gray color., Typical guitar paint includes polyester, polyurethane, and nitrocellulose.
Polyurethane and polyester will result in a harder, more plastic-feeling finish on your guitar while nitrocellulose is lighter and thinner.
If you're unsure of what kind of paint to get, look for spray paint that's made specifically for guitars., Position the nozzle on the spray can 12 to 18 inches (30.48 to
45.72 cm) away from the body of the guitar.
Remember to cover the edges of the guitar.
Press down on the button on the spray can and go in long, sweeping back and forth motions across the body of the guitar., Touch the surface of the guitar to make sure that none of the paint transfers to your hand.
The paint may still be sticky and you'll still be able to see the sealer under the basecoat that you just sprayed., Once the guitar is dry, flip it over and spray down the other side of the guitar.
You should now have one solid basecoat of paint over the front and back of your guitar., Allow each coat of paint to dry for five minutes before applying the next coat.
Continue flipping the guitar over so that the entire guitar gets even coverage.
Continue to cover your guitar in coats of paint until the paint gets darker and richer.
This could take anywhere from three to seven coats of paint., Once you're done laying down the base color for your guitar, you'll have to let the paint dry for another one or two days in a well-ventilated area.
Once it's completely dry, you can move onto the next step. , Once the color coat is dry, run your fingers over the surface, sides, and back of the guitar to see if the paint is smooth.
If the paint rises too high in some spots or has become bumpy, you should sand it down with a wet sandpaper.
Saturate the sandpaper in water overnight, then work it along the rough parts of your guitar while it's still wet.Wet sandpaper will not scratch the surface of your guitar. , Clear lacquer paint will give your guitar a shiny finish over the paint.
You can purchase clear lacquer paint at a home improvement store or online.
Spray the clear lacquer the same way you sprayed the base coat, putting four separate coats of lacquer on the guitar and letting the paint dry in between sprays., Don't touch your guitar for three weeks as the paint dries.
During this time the paint will cure and should be a rich solid color, but will be missing the polish that guitars typically have., Saturate a rag or cloth with car polish and work it on the surface of the guitar using small, circular motions.
This should refine the shine in the guitar and make it more reflective.
One you're done polishing the guitar, it should be shiny and reflective. -
Step 3: Heat the old paint with a hairdryer or heat gun.
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Step 4: Lift off the old paint with a putty knife.
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Step 5: Sand the body of the guitar.
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Step 6: Fill any holes with an automotive filler.
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Step 7: Sand the automotive filler so it lies flush with the guitar's surface.
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Step 8: Dust the guitar with a dry rag.
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Step 9: Lay the guitar down on a flat surface.
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Step 10: Choose a wood sealer.
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Step 11: Apply wood sealer to the guitar.
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Step 12: Allow the guitar to dry and apply three to five coats of sealer.
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Step 13: Let the sealer dry for three days.
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Step 14: Sand off the shiny portions of the sealer.
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Step 15: Choose a paint for your guitar.
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Step 16: Spray your base coat onto the guitar.
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Step 17: Let the paint dry for ten minutes.
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Step 18: Flip the guitar over and spray the other side.
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Step 19: Apply additional coats of base paint to the guitar.
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Step 20: Let the paint dry.
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Step 21: Sand the paint using 400-grit wet sandpaper.
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Step 22: Spray clear lacquer onto the guitar.
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Step 23: Let the guitar dry for three weeks.
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Step 24: Polish the guitar with car polish.
Detailed Guide
Remove the guitar strings and then unscrew the neck of the guitar from the body.
Once the body is standing alone, unscrew the screws and knobs on the front of the guitar.
Remove the screws on the pickups and bridge of the guitar.If there is a faceplate over your volume knobs, you'll have to remove the plastic portions of the knobs before you can lift the faceplate off.
Once all of the screws are out on the face of the guitar, you can lift up your bridge and pickups, which are connected by wires.
Snip these and solder them later when you put your guitar back together.
If you feel unsure about taking your guitar apart, take it to a guitar store so that they can safely do it for you.
Make sure all the electrical wiring is removed from the guitar before you start painting it. , Set your heat gun or hairdryer to the lowest setting and move it back and forth, across the body of your guitar.
The heat from your hairdryer or heat gun will soften the finish on your guitar and make it easier to lift up the paint.
Continue heating the paint for five minutes and then use a sharp tool to poke at the paint.
If the paint feels soft, you can go onto the next step.Do not hold the heat gun in one spot for too long or you may burn the wood that's under the paint. , Start by scoring a small location on the softened paint.
Use your putty knife to lift off the old finish and don't worry if it cracks off.
Continue to scrape the paint and remove the old finish without damaging the wood under it.
If the paint isn't coming off, use the heat gun again to soften it.
Once you're done removing the finish, you should see the wood grain under it., Use a 100 grit sandpaper at first and sand over the surface of the guitar's body in the direction of the grain.
Sand down irregularities so that the body of the guitar is as smooth as possible.
Follow the contours of the guitar and sand the sides and edges of the guitar as well.
Once you've sanded it with the 100 grit sandpaper, you can move to a 200 grit sandpaper to sand out smaller irregularities.Use a sanding block if the sandpaper is hurting your hands. , As you sand down your guitar, you're likely to find bumps or divots in the body.
Fill divots that you can't sand down with an automotive filler.
Once the divots are filled, let it dry for at least 20 minutes so that the automotive filler can cure.Bondo is a popular type of automotive filler., Once you've filled in all divots and the guitar is relatively smooth, you'll have to do one last sanding with the 100 grit sandpaper.
Continue to sand until the automotive filler lies flush with the body of the guitar., Don't saturate the wood grain on your guitar to prevent moisture from getting absorbed into to the guitar.
Take a microfiber cloth or a clean rag and wipe over the surface, making sure to remove any sawdust or debris that might be on the guitar.
Debris or dust left on the guitar will get sealed into the paint job. , Lay down drop cloths under the guitar so that the paint doesn't stain the surface that you're painting on.
Alternatively, you can hang the guitar from the ceiling and spray it as it's suspended in the air., You can purchase wood sealer online or at a hardware store.
Purchase a water based wood sealer that has a high gloss.
If you are painting your guitar a lighter color, use a white sealer and if you're painting it a dark color, apply a gray sealer., Saturate a dry rag in the sealer.
Once the rag is saturated, drag it along the grain on the surface of your guitar.
Make long movements and do not scrub in a single area with the sealer.
Once the back of the guitar is sealed, turn the guitar over and finish sealing the front and sides.Once your rag looks dirty, dispose of it and use another, clean rag. , Let the sealer dry for an hour or two and come back and apply another even coat of sealer.
The sealer will help the colored coats of paint adhere to the body of the guitar much easier.
Continue adding more coats of sealer until you've covered the guitar three to five times in total.Remember to let the sealer dry in between each new application. , Feel over the sealer to make sure that it's no longer wet or sticky.
Make sure that the guitar dries in a well-ventilated area so no one gets sick from the sealer's fumes., Using a 200 grit sandpaper, carefully sand over the shiny parts of the sealer.
Make sure not to sand too hard or you may expose the wood grain underneath.
If you do do this, simply reapply more coats of sealer to the guitar and allow it to dry before moving on.
When you're done, the guitar should have a dull white or gray color., Typical guitar paint includes polyester, polyurethane, and nitrocellulose.
Polyurethane and polyester will result in a harder, more plastic-feeling finish on your guitar while nitrocellulose is lighter and thinner.
If you're unsure of what kind of paint to get, look for spray paint that's made specifically for guitars., Position the nozzle on the spray can 12 to 18 inches (30.48 to
45.72 cm) away from the body of the guitar.
Remember to cover the edges of the guitar.
Press down on the button on the spray can and go in long, sweeping back and forth motions across the body of the guitar., Touch the surface of the guitar to make sure that none of the paint transfers to your hand.
The paint may still be sticky and you'll still be able to see the sealer under the basecoat that you just sprayed., Once the guitar is dry, flip it over and spray down the other side of the guitar.
You should now have one solid basecoat of paint over the front and back of your guitar., Allow each coat of paint to dry for five minutes before applying the next coat.
Continue flipping the guitar over so that the entire guitar gets even coverage.
Continue to cover your guitar in coats of paint until the paint gets darker and richer.
This could take anywhere from three to seven coats of paint., Once you're done laying down the base color for your guitar, you'll have to let the paint dry for another one or two days in a well-ventilated area.
Once it's completely dry, you can move onto the next step. , Once the color coat is dry, run your fingers over the surface, sides, and back of the guitar to see if the paint is smooth.
If the paint rises too high in some spots or has become bumpy, you should sand it down with a wet sandpaper.
Saturate the sandpaper in water overnight, then work it along the rough parts of your guitar while it's still wet.Wet sandpaper will not scratch the surface of your guitar. , Clear lacquer paint will give your guitar a shiny finish over the paint.
You can purchase clear lacquer paint at a home improvement store or online.
Spray the clear lacquer the same way you sprayed the base coat, putting four separate coats of lacquer on the guitar and letting the paint dry in between sprays., Don't touch your guitar for three weeks as the paint dries.
During this time the paint will cure and should be a rich solid color, but will be missing the polish that guitars typically have., Saturate a rag or cloth with car polish and work it on the surface of the guitar using small, circular motions.
This should refine the shine in the guitar and make it more reflective.
One you're done polishing the guitar, it should be shiny and reflective.
About the Author
Scott Wright
Scott Wright specializes in religion and has been creating helpful content for over 2 years. Scott is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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