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Refinish advice needed...to return or not

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  • Refinish advice needed...to return or not

    I recently posted this guitar in the Import Charvel section. Here's a post of mine in that thread that explains my dilema. My question is simple. Has the painter done something wrong where I would be in the right to return the body for it to be corrected? Thanks in advance.

    Since you mentioned it. I took it out of the case and looked it over. I had put it up after I put it together because the input jack needs resoldered, and metaljunkie is going to fix it for me. Now that I've looked at it closer, the clear coat job doesn't appear to have hardened properly to me. I initally saw a two small pen tip sized imperfections in the clear coat that could only be seen holding the body up close.

    Three things I've just noticed is that the clear coat/paint has bulged up where I tightened the pick-up ring down. Another thing I noticed, is that I always put a spare trem cavity cover under my floyds so I don't scratch the finish when I put the bridge in and the springs on it. There is a small indention about a half an inch long where the trem spring cover dug into the finish right at the upper and lower trem posts. Also, when I took the neck plate off the finish was mashed up at each bolt area of the neck plate. Could this be because it hasn't cured properly?


  • #2
    Is the paint nitro lacquer?Some times lacquer depending on weather conditions can take a long time to harden/ cure.Poly type paint will harden in several hours.The clear some times reacts differently to different paints.I'd say they didnt let it dry long enough.
    Really? well screw Mark Twain.

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    • #3
      Sounds like the clear didn't fully cure.
      Not sure if it was "the painters fault", but he should have warned that it needed more cure time.
      -Rick

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      • #4
        Three possibilities I can think of.

        Not enough cure time.

        The clear reacting with the paint/stain underneath.

        Improperly mixed clear. Not enough catalyst will prevent most clears from drying properly.

        My guess is not enough drying time though.
        If as mentioned, it's a lacquer finish, the full cure time is upwards of three weeks, and that's with catalyzed lacquer. Nitrocellulose with many coats would be 6 weeks minimum.

        Your painter should have known these things, and even if he gave it back to you to assemble shortly after finishing the job, should have told you to let it sit in a warm environment for a long time.
        This cure time doesn't apply to polyurethane finishes though. They can be buffed within a day or two and assembled.
        If it is a poly finish that isn't curing, then the only possibilities are a bad mix on his part, or a bad batch of poly. It does happen.

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        • #5
          It was Paul at Bighead, right? Should be poly, so something must have been wrong with the mix, or a bad batch of clear or catalyst. It should be hard like any new guitar when you receive it. He has a good rep & should take care of you. Hope this works out for you, because that's a sweet one!

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          • #6
            agreed with the clear mix. call the guy and see what he says.

            sully
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            • #7
              Thanks all for the replies. Paul e-mailed me back today, and he feels like the clear coat didn't cure properly also. He said he'll get it taken care of for me, so all's well that ends well.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Razor View Post
                Thanks all for the replies. Paul e-mailed me back today, and he feels like the clear coat didn't cure properly also. He said he'll get it taken care of for me, so all's well that ends well.
                The 2 guitars he painted for me had this problem also. They eventually cured. It's not hard to mix these paints. Clear is usually 2 parts paint to 1 part "hardener" or catalyst.

                Also, the same happened to one of txchavel's guitars that he painted. A soft coat clear.
                Last edited by Bengal65; 03-14-2007, 08:40 AM.
                Tone is like Art: Your opinion is valid. Listen, learn, have fun, draw your own conclusions.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by 37fiat View Post
                  This cure time doesn't apply to polyurethane finishes though. They can be buffed within a day or two and assembled.
                  If it is a poly finish that isn't curing, then the only possibilities are a bad mix on his part, or a bad batch of poly. It does happen.

                  Actually, there are other factors that will impede the curing of poly clear. The first (and most usual) is temperature. There are hardeners designed for specific temp ranges, equating to faster cure times for cooler temps. If Paul is using a hardener designed for warmer temps, and/or is spraying it in an environment under 70 F, the clear could take up to a week to fully cure. (even though it could be sanded and buffed in a day or two, it will not be cured enough for prolonged handling)

                  The other factor is the base color, stains, primers, or anything else under the clear. If those aren't FULLY cured before laying on the clear, it will slow down the curing time of the clear dramatically.

                  If Paul is providing the fast turn-around times on refins I've heard about, and isn't using a means of heat curing, and/or hardeners formulated for cooler temps, then there ya go.
                  My goal in life is to be the kind of asshole my wife thinks I am.

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