Replicating an aged poly finish

[metalhead]

The best person to ask re: applications etc of poly / acrylic paints would be Jarrod.. Jarrod is far more experienced and knows a heck of a lot more than i do about these things..
But i do know that leaving your axe in the sun will basically destroy it!

Back in my art school days we learned that crackle finishes can be achieved by painting Lean over Fat.
What this means is a thin coat applied over a thicker coat after the thicker coat has skinned over.

As the thin coat dries faster, as the underlying thicker coat dries and shrinks slightly it casues the thin coat to crack.

Ok, thanks. Don't worry, no way I would be leaving a strung and tensioned guitar out in the sun! But leaving a bare body and or neck in the sun shouldn't cause any dramas really should it?

DB is an expert in how to relic an axe. Just tie the body up to your bike and ride around on some rough gravel for 5 minutes. Then drop the body from a height. Repeat steps till it looks beaten up haha

Haha thanks, I was waiting for that. I'm not normally a fan of fake 'relics' either, but somehow it seems right for this project. Hell, if I could pick up an 80s Gibson explorer in white without pickguard for not much money then I would... Odds of that happening?

I've heard you can force checking by rapid temperature changes. After your clear coat has cured, chuck it in the freezer over night then put it in the sun to warm up. Mind you, this was referring to nitro, so nor sure if poly will react the same way.

Thanks, yes I've read that. Checking/cracking, while it can happen with poly, is less common and is probably not needed for the look / era I'm shooting for.

The main thing I guess I'm looking for is a) how do I replicate the paint finish (thickness, appearance, etc) and b) how do I then age/yellow/fade the paint? I can probably work out how to damage/chip it if I still feel the need at that point!

Thanks for the input and help guys.