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For all of you who make or refinish guitars I'm wondering if you would share your resources where you buy your paint, the type of paint you like to work with etc.

I'm not saying I'm ready to start painting guitars, but I do have a nice pair of white coveralls.....just in case.

I started with some nitro lacquer from Stewmac, but I wasn't really happy with it. Since then I've found Behlen nitro lacquer from shellac.net which works way better for me. Plus I could save on shipping since they're only one town away.

I've used ReRanch nitro, but have had just as good results with Duplicolor from the AutoZone ...
Dennis

If you are asking about the clear coating; Lawrence McFadden instrument lacquer #3751 has been the industry standard for decades. Sadly, they closed their doors last year. Seagraves Coatings has picked up the ball and uses the same formula today so it's available again. Now at Stew-Mac and Luthiers Mercatile among others (but they often sell out quickly). I have found the Behlen and Mowhawk (which makes Behlen) instrument lacquers not as good in the final buff out. I don't use any solid colors so no help on this but I use alcohol based stains for the sunburst mixed with clear lacquer and thinned down for transparency. Mohawk is a good source for these alcohol stains. I use the liquid not paste.

There are other clear coatings like Polyurethane that is widely used on instruments and is very durable (much more-so than lacquer) but I have never used them.

Good luck with your projects

-Terry

I've use pigments to add to clear lacquer to obtain both transparent and opaque color. Less on the pigment for transparent and heavy pigment for opaque. You can also mix different colors of pigment to obtain a certain color you want. However you have to know what color to use as learned in art class. Here are some locations to purchase pigments as well as other material you may need.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2005522 ... Tints.aspx

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/tint ... -tube.aspx

http://woodworker.com/fullpres.asp?PARTNUM=928-091

I've kinda played around with a little bit of everything. I've used duplicolor, reranch, for colored lacquers. I've also made colors using toners and other lacquers and mixed them in a preval sprayer to get a custom color to my liking. I been using a lot of mohawk sealers and pre-cat lacquer for undercoats just cuz I have it in my shop. But I primarily use deft for my clear coating. no particular reason other then it's easy to find and it generally doesn't go out of stock at my local lowe's.
I've also used a few toners made from vaspar for gibson that I've gotten a lot of use. I have powered mohawk toners as well that worked great for a hand rubbed finish. sometimes you have to be creative to make the right color for a finish.

If you are ever wandering what Aerospace grade paint to use, AkzoNobel or PPG are Boeing standard. Kinda random but I'm in the mood!!

Wow, aircraft paint is some priety hot stuff, you need the contained breathing equpmint if your going to mess with that stuff, but its darn near indestructable.

Al