# painting a guitar



## dcj (Apr 17, 2009)

Any ever painted a guitar? I've got a. Stratocaster copy in the loft and I,m bored now the dark nights are with us. I know I can get guitar paint but was wondering if the fret board can be painted as well?


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

the strings will just scrape off any paint as soon as you play it..

I started to paint a fender electro acoustic in Ford Electric orange but thinking if might be a bit garish.. thinking of going back to Black.
not sure what specific guitar paint offers over other paints tbh.


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## Mick (Jan 23, 2010)

You can paint the body and neck of a guitar no problems, done it before and worked ok. Just make sure you get agood few layers of laquer on so it resists wear well.

On the fretboard, no, as said the strings will wear it dowm quickly. Most of my guitars have been a bare wood fretboard, so a good clean and perhaps the lightest of sandings should suffice to freshen it up :thumb:


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## johnnyguitar (Mar 24, 2010)

Fender used duPont car paint colours back in the 50s for painting guitars. I personally wouldn't paint a fingerboard and if I wanted a shiny gloss finish I'd use nitrocellulose lacquer.


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## President Swirl (Oct 23, 2011)

Whatever you do, don't get paint on the fred dividers ( not sure of the technical name )the guitar will lose its tone. For me, as long as it's not rotten, just leave it. The rustic look on certain guitars can look good. If in doubt, a good furniture, or instrument restorer could do it for you.


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## nick.s (Dec 21, 2009)

President Swirl said:


> Whatever you do, don't get paint on the fred dividers ( *not sure of the technical name *)the guitar will lose its tone. For me, as long as it's not rotten, just leave it. The rustic look on certain guitars can look good. If in doubt, a good furniture, or instrument restorer could do it for you.


They'll be the 'frets' 

I've seen some pretty dismal attempts at painted fretboards, Fender did the 'So-Cal' Strat:










It looks wrong. Leave it bare if ebony or rosewood, or nitro on maple  Treat it to a little lemon oil if it gets grubby and is bare wood.


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## President Swirl (Oct 23, 2011)

*strat*

'thanks'


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Yep,

I'm in the middle of giving my Westfield LP copy a touch of BL Tara Green Metallic with some VW Black Magic bubbles on it.

It's will look good when it's finished but ATM, it looks like a 5 year-old took it apart and can't put it back together again.


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## Edamski (Jun 19, 2008)

That so cal is hilarious haha! 

Now don't hold me to this but I thought the paint had to let the wood breathe or something to that effect?? I only say this because of something i partly read a while back. Any ideas?

A bit of lemon oil on your fretboard and it'll come up a treat


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

It'll breathe through the pot covers etc.

Most guitars are laquered anyway so i can't see that having an effect.


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## Edamski (Jun 19, 2008)

I know I thought the lacquer was in on the act as well haha


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## nick.s (Dec 21, 2009)

Nitrocellulose lacquer does allow a certain level of breathing to occur. The poly coating many modern guitars have doesn't  But it does polish up nicely! Might get the rotary out on my Jackson and do some 50/50's over Christmas!


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## Edamski (Jun 19, 2008)

Now that I'd like to see!


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