Very good video for al the diy people out there....I cant wait to get started now!!

Brad, this is the DIY guitar painting video I have been looking for! I like how you lay the process out, step by step, and that you admit when you made an error, and turned it into a learning experience, pointing out never to use lacquer on top of enamel, which, frankly, I had no idea of. Keep up the good work, I've learned a lot!

Good idea to let your spray cans sit in warm water for a while before painting. Makes for a lot smoother coat and easier spraying

Thanks so much for helping us all out with these "to the point" - videos. You have a great teaching style!

I'm so glad that you made this video; I bought some Duplicolor to paint a Rickenbacker-style kit bass and I've been procrastinating like mad on actually finishing the thing. You've given me the confidence to undertake it. Thanks.

that's what I like about your videos. if something goes wrong, like the masking marks and stuff, you show everybody and point out what went wrong instead of turning the camera off, and fixing it to make it look like a perfect paint job on the 1st try. you point out problems someone might run into. great video

really excellent tutorial, thank you very much Brad

I've learned so much from your videos Brad. I started using spraying a bit over a yr ago and I'll never do guitars any other way now. I started refinishing guitars using duplicolor primers and basecoats. When I first started I would get wrinkles about a month or so after I completed a guitar. Later found out with duplicolor you need to let the primer dry for about 10 days before your basecoat or your risking spraying a basecoat over wet primer. Even if it's sandable doesn't mean it's dry enough. I got great lasting results spraying the primer, sanding 4 days after, after 10 days spray the base, 7 days after I sprayed the clear. Waited at least 30 days before sanding the clear. Even with 2k urethane I wait almost 2 weeks after I lay my clear to sand Even using a gun. I love your videos you actually inspired me to start refinishing guitars and now I'm getting customers and positive reviews. Thanks Brad

Hi, Brad, new subscriber, just wanted to tell your a great instructor and have great videos and they are very informative to my first guitar project, thank you for posting Tim

'Smells like instant cancer' 🤣Dude I've learned so much from you, I've been building/refinishing guitars and rifle stocks for a few years and you're my #1 instructor. I like how you leave out all the carbs (many tutorials, people can talk for 5 minutes without actually saying anything, it's all filler) You're full of information, good information, and get right to the point. Awesome work as always 🤘

This is actually very helpful, thank you! Especially because you showed us the complications regarding the chemical reactions and the spots from the old paint job. It really hammered home the point of doing the proper preparations before even thinking about applying new paint. That might be something that would have caught me off guard in the process, wasting not just money but also a lot of time... Thanks again!

Fantastic tip on the metallics!

I really appreciate your videos. It helped me a lot. Thanks :)

Keep going man! Your giving people confidence to try painting there own! It helped me and yes even when I messed up. But you help! And yes people you can get a nice look with rattle cans!

I'm inspired. Getting ready to try this!

Thank you. Perfect video. I have painted a few cars but wanted some of the information you have provided here

Brad, great channel and great teaching style. Ypu are mak8ng me belive I can do my dream of a Jack Butler-style guitar. What colour was the paint you used for this vid? I have it in mind for anther project idea. Thanks!

Haha didn't saw this one ^^ exactly what I need :p

Great video, and thanks for showing mistakes and results... sometimes we learn more from our mistakes than not.

I did a kit build SG several years ago (2014). Used this same paint and a good clear coat. I gave the guitar to my then 4 year old grandson, he still has it and the finish has held up amazingly well.

would love to use duplicolor for a metalic type finish.

"And please don't let the suspended guitar fall off the coat hanger in the middle of painting..."

I'm whatching tons of your videos.. thank you. making a play list from your stuff. cool ref.

Thanks Brad for an excellent and straightforward tutorial which you've convinced me I'll simply paint over the existing paint job of my awful first guitar (I've a feeling the body is made of laminated layers and not exactly sure what I'd reveal by stripping back the paint). Now I'm off to watch your polishing tutorial! Kudos on the safety advice too can't be too cautious with the cancer in a can!

I instant liked the vid When He Said it Smells like instant cancer

This stuff smells like ahh... *Instant Cancer*

You make this look ten times easier than it is. I’m doing a Randy Rhoads style guitar kit and painting it has been the hardest part. Thanks for making these videos because if you didn’t I would have no idea what to do.

Excellent!!! I’m going to try it with a project I have

Solid tutorial. Well done.

I really appreciate showing what mistakes look like. For future demos it might be cool to include multiple different examples on the body of how various mistakes will manifest throughout the project into the final product.

love the slowmo masking up transitions before painting. everything you said and done via duplicolor is exactly what I went through when painting my Iron Man bass. I used Minwax polyurethane for the finish though... I'm happy with the look and it plays like a Wahl bass minus the preamp

Made your spray stand, too. Works great!

So I just finished my first spray can guitar finish. It doesn't look great, but it is pretty darn good for a first try. Thanks for the great instructions and examples! The next one will be stunning!

He's really methodical and no chitchat.... I like that. Just show what to do!

Thanks a lot for the great tutorials!! I’ve been thinking about building my own drums of stave cherry shells. My goal is white with a brushed nickel type hardware.

Love that Duplicolor rotating cap. Give you about three inches of coverage vs rustoleum which leaves tiger stripes.

Great video and helped me out a lot. Thanks!

Great tutorial. Thanks

Great video Brad. Thank you.

I just SUBSCRIBED I learn more from you than many other videos. I like your style I like you. Honestly showing us your mistake, you just have this decent honest humility. I like your videos thanx

When I did my upgrade on my guitar I just used paint remover liquid, It was quick and easy, cleaned it off and it was ready to get the new finish on.

Been planning on making a Frankenstrat replica and your videos have been so helpful

Great video. Wish that all tutorials would be like this. Thanks!

Nice job dude. Thanks for the vids.

thank you very much young man you've been very helpful that color looks so delicious I want to take a bite out of it because it looks like an apple

i just bought a guitar kit and i'm using this tutorial, you've given me the confidence to do it on my own, thank you very much, keep it up man i love all your videos!

Great friendly personality. Nice video ... many thumbs up!

Well done! I am a huge fan of your videos and I have learned a lot. I will be starting my kits in a few weeks once I am finished with my Bachelor's degree. One kit will be painted and one will be stained.

Used Dupli colors pearl white red and blue for my strat kit, painted it like a Texas flag and your video helped so much. Thanks

Thanks Brad. Info on the volume used is appreciated. I have had a play around with some Duplicolour metallic and got a nice effect, so have been thinking it would be a good option to try on my first guitar rebuild. Looks like a decent clear coat.

Some very good info here; thanks!

The "mistake" you made not sanding properly was really good for us learning. Seeing that made me sand like a mad man haha

great results man came out really nice. great vid.

Late to the party but thanks! I'm currently trying to strip and refinish a Dean Z where the clear coat cracked and chipped all over, including the neck. Rather than trying to get down to bare I think this will work out ok

good video - useful tips 😬

Great vid. Makes me wanna try it on a bruised up squier p-bass i have

Something to remember with Dupli-Color paints, Most of them are Semi Transparent. The base coat has a big effect on the final color

This was cool I messed up my guitar it’s a jam jr and I might get another Jem body I found it’s yellow so this really helps if I get it

Great vids, gonna repaint a disaster i bought in a pawn shop - saving it because its a early custom Larrivee electric bass ! The P pick ups were moved and new holes routed for them with a hideous filler job on old pick spaces. Learning a lot from your videos. A suggestion though, i dont think people would mind if you showed each layer of paint and clear coats going on. It would give a little more insight to "how" they coat and what to look for. Keep up the great videos !

Dude, I've made that mistake. Repeatedly! I finished my project, and plotting my next build. I'm thinking a 7 string w/ high gain pickups, Floyd Rose trem, and a kitschy early 60s body shape painted either sparkle silver or surf green...

11:47 I kind of like the "ghost pattern.." but that's just me. Very cool video!

Been there, done that. Used to paint car parts at one of the GM parts suppliers, and many of the things you mention were issues we had to deal with.

Great job . mess around with you guitars I have

Every video of yours I watch makes me want to try a new method to refinish one of my (too many) guitars lol. Thanks for the knowledge and inspiration once again!

320 is boss. I use water based poly/acrylic for almost everything and that's my between coat grit (doesn't burn through, magically. Lol).

etching primer is great

I like the ghost patterns....lol

Thanks for the video Brad! This one in particular saved me a lot of grief in sanding down a poor "relic" job to the bare wood. Is there a particular product you recommend for filling in gashes and "nicks" in the wood prior to laying a base primer coat? Thanks in advance for the assistance

Awesome video man! I'll post results in a few days when I had time to sand the body. Small note: can you please normalize or lower the volume of the music during sprays? I had to turn down my headphones a few times during those and turn them back up to understand what you were saying. Keep the awesome videos coming!

Good video!

Brad, great videos and I am learning a lot. Do you believe duplicolor is the best spray can to use or will rustoleum 2X ultra color a better choice? I am about to start my DIY kit and plan on going with white.

Excelente

Personally since I've been a finisher for 30 years now I recommend using Naphtha for wiping down before recoating. It flashes off super quick and will not inhibit or effect the paint application in any way!

great video! very useful. I saw in your intro the exact paint job I am looking for. it's was the transparent red with the black sunburst. was that featured in a video?

Great channel Brad! Can u go over some paint terms in an episode? I have dupli colour 'lacquered enamel' which I thought were two dissimilar terms. Mixing acrylic and ntro is bad I've heard but its seems the terms overlap if that makes any sense....

Hi Brad, love the channel. I am doing this on a guitar I am refinishing and it was looking great, I had prayed the colour and it was looking very nice but they're were a couple imperfections. So I decided to do a very light dust coat and this gave the paint a very rough/textured finish. I assume I sprayed it too light. Now I am unsure if I should lightly sand and re spray or if I move on to the gloss and the gloss will even it out. The paint is perfect aside from the fact that the last 'dusting' left the paint with a rough finish. Thanks in advance, keep up the great work!

Nice Beach Toolbox.

Great videos! Been binge watching lol. A question......I am spraying a new never finished sandblasted guitar body using this duplicolor acrylic lacquer paint. I would like to lightly sand the the top coat to expose a different color underneath. Kinda like a ceruse finish. What would be the best way to put the top color over the first color to leave the color intact underneath? Full cure on first color? Or just stack them up as continuous coats?

Hj Brad, as far as getting paint on your finger goes you can get a trigger attachment available ar your local home storee that fits most spray rattle cans and works like a regular pro spray rig but is usually plastic and just clips to the can...this gives you better control and doesn't tire the one finger and the hand position is the same as an air rig in a shop or any speay booth the trigged clip un works really good and saves your hands stress and strain of holding it in a slmewhat awkward position using only the index or second finger and with the clip on rig your spray control is much better and smoother..better control of overlap and angle too...just aime it like a pro spray gun.. easy... Ive had many many many of these but they seem to grow legs and walk away to new homes once others find out how handy they are,,I buy one and when i go to where i thought i'd hidden it well i find nothing where it is supposed to be and my handy little device missing yet again, and another one bites the dust and i need to go buy another all over again and so it goes.. but really it is a very handy thing to have when the rattle can is the option you choose, its a simple device that snapn into place around the ccap ridge and on most versions a lever locks it in place, dont try shaking the can holding it by the clip on rig it'll ripp it off in most cases but just shake the can first then pop it on and away we go a painting like a pro on th3e shop ...well almost..but you see the benefit of this little toy looking thing and it does sotr of look like a toy at first glance but useful as you would not believe so get one of these clip-on trigger attachments....your fingers will truly thank you. well there's my good deed for the day,,,I'm out bye

Great vid, thank you. Thumbs up.

Thanks for all the tips! For sanding the duplicolor clear coat, i was planning dry sanding with 1000, then 2000. Then polishing it up. Would you recommend a higher grit for the sanding? Also, did you tape off the cavities? Or can I just spray into them?

Hi Brad, great videos. Sorry if this has been asked and answered, have looked in comments but couldn't see. In this video you don't lightly sand before doing the clear coast but in your older 4-part series on painting with cans you did. Is that because of the type of paint you used in the other videos? I'm doing up and respraying a cheap tele and using Acrylic spray can primer, base and clear that I got from a local auto parts chain store. It's Color Spec brand - I live in Asutralia. Should I/do I need to do a light sand on the base colour prior to clear coat? I got them to match old Lake Placid Blue pearl finish so a little unsure about how sanding might affect that finish? Cheers, Merry Christmas and stay safe!

I had a guitar signed by Bruce Campbell after the lacquer color coat, signed with an enamel paint pen, in 2014. My plan has been to let it gas off for a while before I hit it with clear. Obvs its been 7 years now, and my plan is to very very very lightly build up layers over the enamel until the heavy coats to go on are going over a layer or two of lacquer, to minimize reactions. It wont be the end of the world if I gotta have him sign it again but I'd prefer to keep the autograph like it is. I've thought about putting a clear pick guard on it no matter what, and I might instead just mask the autograph from the lacquer since it will be under the pickguard anyway.

Your videos are incredible Brad, followed your rub on poly guide and ended up with amazing results on my first build. My stain didn't turn out how I'd like though and now I'm going to be painting the body. question: if I used dupli-color spray paints could i use the rub on poly method to do the clear coat? or should i spray that as well to keep it the same?

good hands

Hey man, love the videos! Just asking if the dupli color primer will go straight into raw wood? I've got a fresh body I'm looking to paint

Great video Brad, what grit paper should I use if I want to airbrush over the color coat?

Hi Brad , great video! I’m trying paint a guitar that lets the original color show though in certain areas. But I don’t want to tape off straight lines. Any suggestions for a natural worn look?

With the red colour which re-acted and gave an orange peal effect would it have helped to dry thoroughly and give another few coats with a decent sanding in between just to see if the peal coat could be removed or start again after sanding to prime and use a different type of red colour. Alistair Scotland

And how many layers of primer did you applied and how many of red? Thanks for the video amazing job!!!

It looks really good congrats! Just one thing......... that clear (duplicolor) does not really hardens at all like nitro lacquer does. The colors are great but the clear stays soft for a long time.

Hey I have enjoyed watching your videos. Would I be able to complete the paint job on my guitar by stopping after I apply clear coat, or do I have to do sand and polish? How long should I wait until I can start tuning up the guitar after the clear coat? Also this video is really great, Its extremely helpful having all the steps in 1 video and especially using DIY techniques. If you have a playlist or more like this for DIYer's can you comment the link. Thanks.

Thanks for the great video, my only question is at the beginning when you're explaining the sanding process to buffer the factory paint job, you said "I'll start with 320" does that mean you used other grits after the 320?

Hey Brad. At about 12 minutes you're talking about sanding before clear lacquer. I've been working on an old BC Rich Warlock. Painting red and green triangular stripes over the original red gloss finish. I sanded and scuffed the original red finish. Where the different colored stripes meet I created a slight ridge which I am removing with a protected razor blade. All the paint looks really good but I know I have to sand to get rid of these ridges. I definitely don't want to have to repaint any of the red or green, I'm using Krylon products. I believe the paints are lacquer but I'm not really sure how to tell. (Krylon ColorMaxx paint and primer indoor and outdoor) and I'll be using (Krylon Specialty Lacquer Ultra Hard, Durable Coating) clear lacquer. My question is, what grit or grits sandpaper is safe to use on this 3 plus coats of paint and, should I go wet or dry? I just don't want to mess up or have to repaint prior to clear coat. Thanks man! Great video!

Hi Brad, love your channel. So basically I should sand the guitar so that it no longer has a gloss feel, and is coarse?

Great job as always brad !! And no white shirt this time !! :P :D

Ok so I've got a shiny red Jackson Warrior and wanna paint it matte black with vermilion red towards the cutaways. I'm a bit reluctant towards removing the hardwire myself in fear of messing the wiring up. I however plan to get the pickups changed at a guitar store but can't visit it that often... Wouldn't just taping the hardware work?

All those boxes on top of that transformer is a fire waiting to happen.

Brad, how do you like the duplicolor clear in terms of how well it hardens/cures? I've read that it takes quite a long time to fully cure. I'm thinking of doing a guitar with this method to try it myself, and some guitar forums mention minwax lacquer as the clear hardens quicker. Curious about your thoughts and experience about that. Thanks.

Have you ever used charcoal based spray paint? It sprays like a powder coat. Great coverage and less overlap.