Refinishing in nitro...

[Mylkinut]

I've got a mid-80s MIJ P that I want to refinish in Shell Pink nitro. The original finish was stripped before I got it and I'm 99% sure the body is alder, but unfortunately I can't work out what's on there now - it almost looks like a brushed-on brown stain, but it's very consistently satin in feel/sheen.

 

My first question is will nitro stick to anything? Or do I need to put some time into removing what's already on there to be on the safe side? Happy to put in the hours to get it right.

 

Second question is how best to do it given I don't have a workshop or garage available to spray in. Can I get decent results waiting until summer and doing it outside? 

 

Final question is, does anyone have experience with how Manchester Guitar Tech, Northwest and Dartfords aerosols compare?

 

Thanks!

 

[Jono Bolton]

I'd sand it back before applying the finish to be on the safe side. My JV Precision was sunburst at one point, and the black edges were stained before the lacquer was applied, so it had soaked into the grain a bit, but after the primer and the nitro were applied, it doesn't show through.

 

It's also shell pink!

 

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/116578-precisions/?do=findComment&comment=4581896

Edited December 19, 2022 by Jono Bolton

[JPJ]

I’ve refinished a few guitars and basses in nitro from a rattle can and my experience is its always best starting from clean wood to avoid the type of reaction I got with the telecaster body below. Nitro is very temperature sensitive so if you are thinking about spraying out doors at this time of year I’d recommend you don’t. The black telecaster was sprayed from bare wood using rattle cans from Rothko & Frost. The secret to a good finish is preparation of the body, and finishing of the paint by wet sanding and buffing. Don’t forget nitro is a carcinogenic so invest in a good filter mask (not one of the FP Covid jobbies either) before spraying. When you take into account the cost of all the materials (primer, grain filler, undercoat, top coat, wet’n’dry from 400 grit through to 2000 grit, corse medium and fine buffing compounds) not to mention the hours and hours of work and potential for pink torpedo-ups along the way, you understand why the pro’s charge what they charge to refinish a body - and believe me, it can be money (and time) better spent.  

[Mylkinut]

Thanks both, super helpful and certainly food for thought - keen to get my teeth into a project but always good to know what I might be getting into. I've also got a '79 neck without a body, so potentially sourcing a shell pink body for it might be the way forward.

 

@Jono BoltonThat's a beaut, exact look I've got in my head! 

[Jono Bolton]

1 hour ago, Mylkinut said:

Thanks both, super helpful and certainly food for thought - keen to get my teeth into a project but always good to know what I might be getting into. I've also got a '79 neck without a body, so potentially sourcing a shell pink body for it might be the way forward.

 

@Jono BoltonThat's a beaut, exact look I've got in my head! 

Thanks. David Wilson did the refinish for me. A few on here have used him before. He also sprayed the headstock of my Bass VI to match the body, and I have a body on the way that I'll eventually be getting him to do in relic black nitro. He's very good.

[lidl e]

2 hours ago, Mylkinut said:

Thanks both, super helpful and certainly food for thought - keen to get my teeth into a project but always good to know what I might be getting into. I've also got a '79 neck without a body, so potentially sourcing a shell pink body for it might be the way forward.

 

@Jono BoltonThat's a beaut, exact look I've got in my head! 

I rwfinned my MIA jazz bass with nitro rattle cans and it came out perfect. Very very happy witth the results.

 

Im currently waiting for it to warm up to do another. 

 

Easy and rewarding. 

 

Do a primer coat first. O suppose with alder you wont need grain filler or sanding sealer

[BlueMoon]

Try wherever possible to avoid touching anything with silicones in it, otherwise you can get some nasty reactions taking place with paint adhesion.  Keep things solvent clean and wear disposable gloves.

 

Silicones are present in various personal care products (eg deodorants) and household care products (eg furniture polish) and stay on your hands/fingers even after washing with soap and water. Touching the surface of anything to be painted after that can be troublesome.

 

Good luck and have fun!