My first build was a challenge and I learned a lot. I made some mistakes and the paint sank down into the body and the sanding scratches are visible if the light hits it just right. It’s a beautiful, hard black thin finish And the guitar is well protected but it ain’t gonna win GOTM!!!
FAILED First Build Finishing schedule:
1. Sanded body smooth.
2. Applied water based grain filler, sanded, reapplied, sanded, over and over.
3. (Here is where I messed it up -) I bought some white primer to spray over the grain filled body. I sanded it, AOK! Then I looked at the can ...acrylic lacquer primer, not compatible with nitrocellulose lacquer. Can’t use my cans of nitro color and clear, now! I made the juvenile mistake of rushing and wanting to get on with it and didn’t read carefully enough!!
4. Sprayed and sanded multiple coats of acrylic lacquer, finally polished it to a gloss - done. Weeks later, the scratches started showing up.
2nd Build Proposed Plan:
1. Sand body smooth
2. Water based grain filler - more sanding
3. Seal the body with SHELLAC this time - not sure if I need multiple coats with sanding in between...thoughts?
5. Nitro color coat
6. Nitro clear coats - much time elapses - final buffing
Is my plan correct this time? I don’t want a thick, gloppy plastic finish but I also don’t want it so thin, it’s sinking back into the scratches (I will try to minimize scratches more carefully this time). It’s somewhere in between.
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