How to achieve faded solid color finishes..

[PLAYONIT]

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

[Thinlineggman]

Tanning booths and UV lights work.

[PLAYONIT]

Originally Posted by Thinlineggman

Tanning booths and UV lights work.

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

[Thinlineggman]

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

[flyingbanana]

Originally Posted by PLAYONIT

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.

[PLAYONIT]

Originally Posted by flyingbanana

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

Is that before or after clear coat??

[Colt W. Knight]

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.

[flyingbanana]

Originally Posted by PLAYONIT

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.

[SixShooter]

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.

[stdyfrddy]

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.

[awfulguitarnois]

Originally Posted by stdyfrddy

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.

[stdyfrddy]

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.

[Silverface]

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!

[stdyfrddy]

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

http://s1174photobucket.com

[stdyfrddy]

Aged Lake Placid Blue Roadworn finish with Reranch rattle cans