So what type of laquer should I use?

[Telecaster582]

I'm doing a refin and my parents have told me that poly always dries sticky or never actually dries at all, so there's not a high chance of that happening, although it is a possibility still. I also know literally nothing about using laquer, so any help on what to use and how to use it would be great, thanks.

 

[RodeoTex]

Would help to know where you're starting from. Bare wood? Refin?

 

[Telekarster]

Would help to know where you're starting from. Bare wood? Refin?

He says he's doing a refin

 

[Telekarster]

I love nitro lacquer. I love the feel of it and I also like how it ages over time, but it's really nasty stuff to work with. Be sure that you're in a well ventilated environment, and be sure to have proper protection for the fumes, because they are highly toxic. The great thing about lacquer is that you can apply coats pretty quickly, and one coat melts into the other, so it's pretty forgiving in terms of naturally smoothing itself out and leveling itself. It is also easier to repair down the road, and it's easy to wet sand and get a nice polished finish, if that's what you want. Be advised that it will take a while to fully cure however, and will be fairly stinky until it does, so you don't want to bring it into the house for a few days or more after you've sprayed it. Also, be sure to test your colors on scrap wood to make sure they're going to be compatible with the lacquer. Good luck on your project!

 

[Telecaster582]

I love nitro lacquer. I love the feel of it and I also like how it ages over time, but it's really nasty stuff to work with. Be sure that you're in a well ventilated environment, and be sure to have proper protection for the fumes, because they are highly toxic. The great thing about lacquer is that you can apply coats pretty quickly, and one coat melts into the other, so it's pretty forgiving in terms of naturally smoothing itself out and leveling itself. It is also easier to repair down the road, and it's easy to wet sand and get a nice polished finish, if that's what you want. Be advised that it will take a while to fully cure however, and will be fairly stinky until it does, so you don't want to bring it into the house for a few days or more after you've sprayed it. Also, be sure to test your colors on scrap wood to make sure they're going to be compatible with the lacquer. Good luck on your project!

So I f I bought some off StewMac, how many cans should I buy?

 

[Telecaster582]

I'm gonna give a little more information here, see I'm refinishing it because it was lake placid blue, but it sat in a window or something for a long time and now it's green, from the poly yellowing. I received it this way and I liked it at first but now, not so much

 

[Telekarster]

I'm gonna give a little more information here, see I'm refinishing it because it was lake placid blue, but it sat in a window or something for a long time and now it's green, from the poly yellowing. I received it this way and I liked it at first but now, not so much

I'd buy 2 rattle cans to make sure you've got enough, although 1 would probably do it if you're careful. I'm presuming it's a Tele or Strat? Just FYI but poly is very difficult to remove, if you're planning to take it down to the wood. I've done it once and it was a real pain. Maybe there's others out here that can give you some tips on removing poly, with more exp than I have, but I remember having to attack it with stripper, heat gun, scraping, and tons of sanding before I finally got it back to the wood.

EDIT: I think if I had to do it all over again, I might've just roughed up the original finish and shot over it with color and nitro laquer, rather than remove the poly to the wood. Only reason why I removed it all was because I wanted to get rid of the poly completely, but man it was a lot of hard work to do it LOL!!

 

[Telecaster582]

I'd buy 2 rattle cans to make sure you've got enough, although 1 would probably do it if you're careful. I'm presuming it's a Tele or Strat? Just FYI but poly is very difficult to remove, if you're planning to take it down to the wood. I've done it once and it was a real pain. Maybe there's others out here that can give you some tips on removing poly, with more exp than I have, but I remember having to attack it with stripper, heat gun, scraping, and tons of sanding before I finally got it back to the wood.

EDIT: I think if I had to do it all over again, I might've just roughed up the original finish and shot over it with color and nitro laquer, rather than remove the poly to the wood. Only reason why I removed it all was because I wanted to get rid of the poly completely, but man it was a lot of hard work to do it LOL!!

Ok, someone on strat-talk just told me to do the same. I have a spray paint can that matches the color under the pickguard exactly. I meant to post a pic in the last post, so here's the guitar:

 

[Telekarster]

Ok, someone on strat-talk just told me to do the same. I have a spray paint can that matches the color under the pickguard exactly. I meant to post a pic in the last post, so here's the guitar: View attachment 998016

Wow that thing really did turn green! I actually like that color! LOL!!! I'm sure it's not uniform though, back and sides etc. probably. Good luck on your project man! If you take your time I'm sure you can restore it Post some pics when you're done! Would love to see the end result.

 

[Telecaster582]

Wow that thing really did turn green! I actually like that color! LOL!!! I'm sure it's not uniform though, back and sides etc. probably. Good luck on your project man! If you take your time I'm sure you can restore it Post some pics when you're done! Would love to see the end result.

Yeah, my plan was to kinda try to restore it, but the neck is a little wonky so I replaced it. Here's what it looks like now that I'm trying to wire it correctly:

 

[Telecaster582]

The back is a really nice ice blue color and the front is green

 

[Telekarster]

Yeah, my plan was to kinda try to restore it, but the neck is a little wonky so I replaced it. Here's what it looks like now that I'm trying to wire it correctly: View attachment 998024

Wow. That is some severe color change. I love LP blue! I don't own one in that color, but I'd sure like to have one. Got too many as it is though LOL!! Good luck! Looking forward to the results!

 

[eallen]

It depends on if you want a pro caliper job or acceptable. Pro means removing all the current finish & reapplying eith new. Acceptable means scuff with sand with 320 grit, fill any dents or chips with CA, and apply a new color coat followed by clear.


For nitro, I would not use Stew as it is marginal compared to others. I would go for Behlms or other quality clear. For color, you will want to stick with an acrylic or nitro lacquer. A lot of the duplicolor auto touchup is acrylic.

You only need enough color coats to get good even coverage. Any more is waisted. For clear, use light coats until the final couple as full gloss.

As for the wonky neck. As in twisted or back bowed? If neither of those most necks have just never had the frets leveled & setup properly to play well. Many new necks will have the same problem unless they are specifically indicated as being leveled.

 

[Telecaster582]

It depends on if you want a pro caliper job or acceptable. Pro means removing all the current finish & reapplying eith new. Acceptable means scuff with sand with 320 grit, fill any dents or chips with CA, and apply a new color coat followed by clear.


For nitro, I would not use Stew as it is marginal compared to others. I would go for Behlms or other quality clear. For color, you will want to stick with an acrylic or nitro lacquer. A lot of the duplicolor auto touchup is acrylic.

You only need enough color coats to get good even coverage. Any more is waisted. For clear, use light coats until the final couple as full gloss.

As for the wonky neck. As in twisted or back bowed? If neither of those most necks have just never had the frets leveled & setup properly to play well. Many new necks will have the same problem unless they are specifically indicated as being leveled.

It's bowed upwards (I have no idea what the actual term is called) and because of that the frets are flat on the top, like someone didn't finish a fret job.

 

[Telecaster582]

So, here's the color comparison. The first is without flash and the second is with flash. It is a metallic paint so I think I'll do it, unless it's looks to dark. Should I do the headstock too?

 

[Telecaster582]

Oops, forgot to post the pics lol

 

[Telecaster582]

Here's the last pic of it while it's still green:

 

[Telecaster582]

Maybe it was nitro? Ive already hit the wood

 

[Telecaster582]

Got it all sanded down with a belt sander (thanks dad) and the only little paint I need to sand is by the "horns" and then I can paint it.

 

[Telecaster582]

So, under the blue is silver. I found this guitar online in the same color and I thought it was just something that happened to these guitars, that it wasn't unusual to have it turn green, but now that I find silver underneath, it makes me think that the picture I found online could have been the guitar I hold in my hands now. It makes more since that it used to be silver though because the black pickguard always made me wonder why the factory would put a black pickguard on a blue guitar, especially from the 80's. So, @Telekarster, what should I do now?