How to achieve faded solid color finishes..

119235119234How do you think the Fender CS fades the paint on their finishes like the surf green and shell pink colors??

Tanning booths and UV lights work.

Tanning booths and UV lights work.

Seems like that make take some time.... is there a way during the painting process to achieve it?

Using lighter shades of the color I guess haha.

The finish on the bass that I painted during the summer faded and it just sat in the sun for a few days with the pickguard on.... That and whatever exposure it gets from the lights in my bedroom:P

Seems like that make take some time.... is there a way during the painting process to achieve it?

Nah. With the UV light I use, it takes a couple of weeks.

Nah. With the UV light I use, it takes a couple of weeks.

Is that before or after clear coat??

I have seen bodies change completely different shades and colors when left in direct sunlight for a few hours. Just depends on the lacquer you are using and the intensity of the sunlight.

Is that before or after clear coat??

After the clear coat. I should tell you that using clear nitro from Reranch gets the best results that I have seen. 40 years if surface discoloration in 2 weeks or less.

UV may or may not fade the color. I don't have experience with that. But it will also yellow the clear coat. So a sonic blue for example, with yellowing added, will get a green tint to it.

I like the idea of less pigment in the paint. If I am not mistaken, Bill at ReRanch.com will custom mix cans of paint with reduced tint.

I did a Telecaster body with Reranch Lake Placid Blue recently and tried something that I read either here or some other forum and it turned out great. After the color coats I sprayed a couple clear coats nitro. Then sprayed a few coats of the amber clear coat that I was using on the neck. More clear coats after that. After it cured for about three weeks I sanded it back with 800 grit very lightly. What I ended up with was a very aged looking Lake Placid blue with a somewhat flat finish. Not for everybody I know. But I was going for tasteful light relic look to attach a MIM 50's roadworn neck to. Looks kinda like the Custom Shop relics they are selling on Musicians Friend for 5 or six grand.

I did a Telecaster body with Reranch Lake Placid Blue recently and tried something that I read either here or some other forum and it turned out great. After the color coats I sprayed a couple clear coats nitro. Then sprayed a few coats of the amber clear coat that I was using on the neck. More clear coats after that. After it cured for about three weeks I sanded it back with 800 grit very lightly. What I ended up with was a very aged looking Lake Placid blue with a somewhat flat finish. Not for everybody I know. But I was going for tasteful light relic look to attach a MIM 50's roadworn neck to. Looks kinda like the Custom Shop relics they are selling on Musicians Friend for 5 or six grand.

Very cool idea! Post pics when you get a chance, I'd love to see it.

Thanks Awful,
I'll work on the picture thing, never posted pictures before. So I'll have to bone up on photobucket to get pics up here.

Using lighter shades of the color I guess haha.

Actually, that's a big part of it. Starting with a 50-75% strength tint gets you part way there in a hurry. Of course, if you are using rattle cans that's not going to work. The CS starts with a lighter tint in most cases (which you can recognize if the color under the pickguard is close to the uncovered areas).

Not related to fading but close - for aging effects you can get all sorts of transparent toners in rattle cans. Mohawk makes dozens of them, but they're cheap ($4-6/can). By experimenting you can find different combinations of toners and coats (sometimes just single passes in certain areas) that can get you various yellowing effects, 60-years-in-a-bar nicotine stains etc. Since my opaques are usually tinted from bulk lacquer I start lighter than the "stock" color and then use lacquer toners (or even water-soluble dyes between toner coats...it does work if you practice enough) to "darken/yellow the clear coats".

After the clear coat. I should tell you that using clear nitro from Reranch gets the best results that I have seen. 40 years if surface discoloration in 2 weeks or less.

hmmm - that would actually be considered a defective batch by most manufacturers. Lacquer clear coats are NOT supposed to yellow quickly, so someone who buys a Custom Shop Fiesta Red Strat gets exactly that - and not one that's orange two weeks later. Those must be some very strong UV lights you're using - I'd wear sunscreen two blocks away!

:lol:

Picture of aged Lake Placid blue for awfulguitarnoise Hope this works.

http://s1174photobucket.com

Aged Lake Placid Blue Roadworn finish with Reranch rattle cans