My new project, it's a "Jem" of a guitar

[indeedido]

No guitar of mine has those stupid trempost bushings.

Because you have no guitars. Piss off and get out of my build thread. You offer nothing.

[jackassrock]

Not to be the one to agree with the ever unpopular Gar, but I think he's right. That's what some factories do, maybe even most. But I also know that in refinishing both a Hamer and an Ibanez in the past, they were both primed, whereas Fenders I've done weren't. The Hamer was a standard with one of those godawful factory flamejobs on it. Turns out it was painted over a decent flame maple top.

Although I honestly don't see how it would really make that much of a difference.

[indeedido]

Fair enough, I'll add this, primer is suggested for use over the sand sealer and before the color coat. A satisfactory finish can be accomplished without the use of a primer, but more color coats may be required. That is my school of thought. I feel like my projects that I've done look nicer with primer than without.

[Diamondjimi]

Primer is always a good thing ,like you said ,it fills in micro pitsand such. Plus primer sands down very easy and it's bonding properties for top coating with finish are valuable.
You're doin a great job "deeds" keep us posted.

[GAR]

Do you know anything? Primer helps the paint to bond whether it be metal or wood. Also helps fill in any micro scratch in the sand sealer.

Primer fills deep scratches from 80 to 220, turd.

Bare wood bodies get sanded at 80 grit, then scratches fine-sanded out with 180 before sealer and if you REALLY wanted to get nutty, polish the edges and barely go with the grain at 220 before the first clear coat.

Also, the brisket sauce does NOT mix well with the clear. But I recommend you drink the primer it's prolly yummier.

[letsrock]

Gar sounds jealous. Keep up the nice work on your guitar.
Keep us posted on the progress and the pics do your work justice.
Thanks for sharing.

John

[GAR]

.. primer is suggested for use over the sand sealer and before the color coat.

Primer is more brittle and less flexible than clear sealer. It is recommended only by paint supply counter knobs who want to sell you crap.

Until the early 80s we used primer on cars and trucks, then the industry came out with acrylic enamel sealer coatings which would apply even over bare metal that was degreased and etched.

This is wood, not rocket science. You're overprepping but that's okay because you probably don't understand it's more important to maintain as thin a coating on musical instruments as possible.

Seal the grain so it doesn't pop, shoot the color, shoot a light clear then buff. Or don't do clear.. it's not that complicated that you have to have primer - it's not METAL.

Get it? "Prime"="Prep" there's a purpose-statement in the name alone, that tells you what it is made to do.

Primer should never, ever be used on a new bare wood guitar surface or you invited the disaster of extra-thick film thicknesses that *loooove* to chip and crack for you in environmental and seasonal changes.

NO primer. None. Don't do it. Never do this!

[GAR]

Gar sounds jealous.
Thanks for sharing.

John

MOre to back my point: Strats from the 50s and 60s that started around 57 doing solid colors?

Did they EVER use a primer? No. They would fulfill a solid-color or custom color request by taking a sunburst off the rack and shoot straight over it.

There are lots of examples, and that was in the days paint was limited to lacquer before the new polyesters came out in the late 60's.

In fact, my 74 creme strat similar to Yngwies', the creme is the faded clear LACQUER topcoat, over a thin white layer, of LACQUER, over a heavy thick coating of LACQUER.

You could see in the worn bouts the layers coming thru clearly, as all these guitars do.

You'd think the factory would just wake up and use "primer" to fill the deep grains of ash wood.

[indeedido]

Why do you think I'm priming bare wood? It is not bare wood. The wood has been sealed with a laqcuer based sand sealer. I sand the primer so it is super thin. I even wet sand the paint to make it as flat and thin as possible and likewise with the clear coat. You don't know jack shit so don't tell me I don't understand a thick finish and its tonal properties.

So you think primer on bare wood only makes it thick? Primer on bare wood serves no protection of the grain. The wood grain is going to pop right through primer.

I know more about this than you can google, so piss off. You probably support a poly paint rather than lacquer because it is more durable. Poly is shit.

You seem to paint alot, or smell the fumes at least, how about posting some pics of your projects know-it-all. I wanna see that Charvette.

[ELVIS]

I admit, that's a difficult job...

That's why I stick with more rounded Strats...


Nice!

[ELVIS]

Yeah, i've painted solid colors directly over wood, but the wood absorbs the first three coats or so, but it still works...

Trial and error is the way I learn...

[Igosplut]

Until the early 80s we used primer on cars and trucks, then the industry came out with acrylic enamel sealer coatings which would apply even over bare metal that was degreased and etched.

Another wrong google search....

Sealers are primarily used to seal impurities from contaminants, incompatible paints/primers, ect from bleeding through and affecting the topcoats.They are NOT a replacement for primers, which besides aiding adhesion are fillers for small scratches and straightening panels. The newer hi-build primers par down even further the use of plastic filler and body putty (that was notorious for shrinking AND very popular years back) by not shrinking with thicker coats. And before you google again, I know there are products that claim to be both, but I've never seen any professionals use them

And the big thing in the 80s was Imron paint.

Try again coward..

[indeedido]

Automakers also skip another step you don't "have" to do. Color sand and wet sand the clear. Ever wonder why there is so much orange peel in the cars on the road? It is cheaper to clear and go. Skipping that step saves money. Sure you can skip it, but it doesn't look as good.

[indeedido]

I admit, that's a difficult job...

That's why I stick with more rounded Strats...


Nice!

Thanks! It is a lot harder than I anticipated. Getting paint into the lion's claw smoothly without running is a chore. Same for the lower horn where it is more flat than round. Can't say I want to do it again

[ELVIS]

But you can use primer, sealers or even paint to seal the wood. Let it dry a week or two and your topcoat will lay smooth as long as you sand the dried coats first...