1960's "Custom colors"-What to use?

[iansmitchell]

I know Fender originally used automotive finishes, what's gonna get me closest to those same finishes, preferably available in a rattle can?
I'm looking for some hot-rod red or metallic blue color.
One that'll fade into a bit yellower would be even better.

[RodeoTex]

ReRanch.com specializes in these vintage finishes in spray cans. They get a lot of slagging here for not having their website open sometimes (I've never had a problem).
The paint is superb and they have a forum and gallery to help their customers with their projects.

[iansmitchell]

How many finishes is a can good for?

[RodeoTex]

Originally Posted by iansmitchell

How many finishes is a can good for?

I usually count on one can of color and 2 cans of clear per guitar. You may get a bit more than this from my process, but that should do one guitar well.

[iansmitchell]

Ouch...
So I've read that acrylic lacquer works well, and it's possible to get nice thin coats with it.
I think that and then a good vintage tinted nitro clear coat should work out nicely and much more easily...

[mojo2001]

Check out Duplicolor Ultramarine Blue. Comes in the little cans at the auto store. Not too far from Lake Placid Blue, i.e metallic medium dark blue.

This is acrylic lacquer.

[iansmitchell]

Any one that's close to candy apple/dakota red?
Those are my two favorite "hot rod" colors, car or guitar!

[KevinB]

Re-ranch has Dakota red. Candy apple is much more difficult as it's essentially a thin transparent coat of Fiesta red applied over a metallic gold undercoat.

[iansmitchell]

Really? I never knew candy apple was so much more difficult.

[meyekel]

Candy Apple is a 2 stage paint. First is either a silver or gold base with the candy color on top of that. The silver undercoat lends itself to a more crisp red and the gold is a warmer red. Here's my gold/CAR strat.



Personally I love Dakota Red and here's an Esquire I did in Krylon Banner Red which is pretty close. This to me is more of a hot rod color as opposed to CAR. It really changes in the light from a flyer wagon red to a deeper shade.



IIRC most reds don't fade to yellow except Fiesta red which gets lighter not necessarily more yellow. The whites/blues/greens tend to turn yellow with time.