Custom paint job on electric?

agent0064life · #1 July 15th, 2007

Anyone ever gotten a custom paint job and about how much do they cost if I say, design everything in photoshop already placed on my guitar so they don't have to do the designing. I'm sure there is a wide range of how much one of these could cost but hey it's worth looking into.

agent0064life · #2 July 15th, 2007

okay so I just searched the web and it seems there is a wide range of prices... thinking about painting one myself but I am the total opposite of an artist and a handyman... any tips?

SprayTech · #3 July 15th, 2007

I really depends on the experience of the painter really , I am an Automotive painter and have painted just about anything you can think of .
How much air brush work is needed , its the detail work that gets expensive , plus I use nothing but the finest paint products out there and they are very expensive !

I just did my buddies T-bucket and the paint on it was 200 bucks a quart and it took 2 quarts , he spent $1000 dollars on material and that was my cost . I didnt charge him anything , but if it was a customer it would of been $5000 dollars .
T-bucket

Then the sanding and buffing to get the mirror like finish on it afterwards takes alot of time .

Some of these custom painted motorcycles you see on TV have 20 - 50 THOUSAND dollar paint jobs , and there is little area on a bike , so dont faint when you find a Good painter and he gives you his quote .
Your paying for the talent and knowhow ,not just the labor .
Oh and if the guy is busy and good , and depending on the detail work you could be out of a guitar for several weeks or longer .

So it could be from a couple of hundred dollars to thousands , to answer your question .

SprayTech · #4 July 15th, 2007

Oh and I might add , you will have to take your guitar apart to paint the body , as you dont want to try and mask everything off to paint it ! Taking it down to just the body , no neck , no electronics , no bridge , just the wood body , can you do this ? or will you have to take it to a luthier ? another cost built in to the cost of the paint job .

agent0064life · #5 July 15th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by SprayTech

Oh and I might add , you will have to take your guitar apart to paint the body , as you dont want to try and mask everything off to paint it ! Taking it down to just the body , no neck , no electronics , no bridge , just the wood body , can you do this ? or will you have to take it to a luthier ? another cost built in to the cost of the paint job .

yeah, although I read I might need to know soldering because I'll have to cut a wire inside somewhere, forgot which one. I have a telecaster clone I could try first, but who knows maybe I'll just get a custom pick guard because I would imagine they are a hell of a lot cheaper.

Also something else just popped in my head. Do you know anywhere that sells full sheet stickers (just a sheet that is essentially a high quality sticker but blank) that would be printer friendly? Could just design stuff on photoshop and stick it on. I'll hold off on a custom paint job 'til I'm either A, gigging, or B, have a good job.

SprayTech · #6 July 15th, 2007

You might be able to do your photoshop and print it on paper , then take it to a graphics / sign company ,that does stuff like vinyl transfers , and they may make it for you .
How drastic is your design ?

I custom painted a friends drum set in Kandy Brandywine

Man they came out slick ! He shipped them to me all tore down and I sent them back to him , he lives in Indiana , and I live in Kansas .

knight46 · #7 July 16th, 2007

Hope things go well with the custom paint, agent.

Spray Tech, that is one cool job on the T-bucket.

1hp04 · #8 3 Days Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by SprayTech

Oh and I might add , you will have to take your guitar apart to paint the body , as you dont want to try and mask everything off to paint it ! Taking it down to just the body , no neck , no electronics , no bridge , just the wood body , can you do this ? or will you have to take it to a luthier ? another cost built in to the cost of the paint job .

why should u not just mask everything other than it would take all lot of work

fly135 · #9 3 Days Ago

I wouldn't mask it off because you're always going to see some edges that will immediately identify the work as being amateur. Also the surface of the guitar is going to need preparation and you don't want to damage or scuff the screwed on non-painted parts. If you just want a quick and cheap job then no big deal. But if you expect high standards then take it apart.

1hp04 · #10 3 Days Ago

i had an idea of like screwing off the pickguard and then cover the pickups and dials and then paint it

1hp04 · #11 3 Days Ago

1 more question do you really have to take of the old paint?

1hp04 · #12 3 Days Ago

im also taking off the strings

1hp04 · #13 3 Days Ago

can anyone answer me? hello

Rockerbob · #14 3 Days Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1hp04

can anyone answer me? hello

Gee, you waited for 8 minutes and got impatient. This is not a real-time chat.

Anyway, to answer: If you want the paint job to look professional then you should remove the old paint first. You don't have to if you don't care about the final result, or if a basic amateur paint job is good enough.

1hp04 · #15 3 Days Ago

oh well thanks fot that bit of advice