Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi all.

A friend of mind would like me to turn his aqua painted Strat into something that would look like gold plated. Did any of you ever tried gold plated paint?

Thanks!

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

There are a few looks that might work...in increasing levels of difficulty:

1- Gold metallic paint. Sure, it doesn't look like gold plating...but it's easy and it's sparkly! It does have a certain allure, as well.

2- Gold reflective stuff veneered on. Like this stuff

3- Gold leaf...like this car

4- Real gold plating...this one is hard. It's doable, but not on any sort of non-insane budget! Zinc plating the guitar is the hard part, really.

They also get more expensive, exponentially, with each step...

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Thanks Bob. Nice choice of pictures too!


That's my first choice for now. I assume that by applying extra coats of polyurethane on top, it should add to the 'mirror' aspect of it. I'll do some test before though...


He also has that stuff on his guitar, only silver. He'd like something better.


The guy pays the bills by playing music, so lets remain realistic...


See above comment on solution number 3....

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Actually, the real gold plating is cheaper than the gold leaf...but it's much more difficult

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Alain, I am almost finished with my first attempt at a "gold top". I did it using gold bronzing powder in lacquer. I will post pics when I get a chance. If it's what you are looking for, I'll be happy to tell you exactly how I did it.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

I'm working on a gold-top SG for a customer. I used this:

http://reranchstore.stores.yahoo.net/goldtopgold.html

Applied two coats of this over a couple of coats of sanding sealer, then applied about 6 coats of clear lacquer over that. Looks surprisingly good.

--Steve

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---Steve

Here's a picture:

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---Steve

Thanks Steve and Mike.

But what I'm really after is not the Gibson Goldtop look. I'm really looking for the gold plated look, with the mirror aspect. Just like the real gold plated aspect.

Not sure it's possible. Maybe the 'reflective stuff veneer' is my best option...

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Alain, check out http://www.alsa-corporation.com/ they have some very interesting chromes which can be coloured gold, eg. mirrachrome + candy concentrate. Probably not cheap though.

Paul

Wow! That is some awesome stuff!

Definitely not cheap to set up (you need special equipment from them to spray it), and pricey (they say 15% cheaper than chrome plating...which means expensive)...but awesome! I am definitely going to look into trying some of their finishes on guitars someday (electrics, of course!).

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Candy apple gold might be what you're looking for. I finished a motorcycle in candy apple green once with a candy apple gold spider web on it. It is a beautiful finish. You lay down the candy apple coats then apply several clear coats over it. Very deep and rich. All the hot rods back in the 50's and 60's used it. Well, probably not all the rods, but it was a very popular finish.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Clapton used a gold-leaf strat during the Montreaux gigs a few years ago. It's a really classy look, especially with gold hardware and gold colored fretwire. I built a parts-o-caster several years ago and used a spray can of gold metallic paint and it looked very much like Clapton's. The trick was that I didn't use any clear coating over it, just the paint-- that way it looked matte, like gold leaf, rather than glossy.

Candy apple gold? That sounds promising.

Please Ron, tell me more! (Is 'Candy Apple' a brand name of a paint? If so, where do I buy it?)

Thanks!

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Just google "candy apple paint" and you'll get all kinds of info. I used it way back in 1972, I think. Basically it consists of this: The base coat is sort of a metallic gold (silver also, I think). The top coat is clear or translucent red, green, blue, etc. It lets the base coat add to the top color. For candy apple green you just lay down a couple of base coats of the gold, then a couple coats of the green top coat. For the gold finish you just use the clear top coat over the gold base. I also added a couple of clear coats over my green to increase the depth. You know, Alain, I don't remember if "Candy apple" is a brand name or just the type of finish. When I used it, it was all in spray cans, but it was a beautiful finish.

To make my spider web I first coated the whole thing with the gold base coat then used pinstriping tape to "draw" my web design. Next, I sprayed the green top coats. Pulled off my pinstriping tape to reveal the golden web, then applied several clear coats over the whole thing.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Ok, thanks Ron.

I'll check that out.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I did a Goldie too.....

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

John, that is most lovely. The goldie I'm working on has a wraparound bridge just like that. Is it a Pigtail?

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

I see you want the "Gold Surfer" look.
Here are some realistic choices.
1. vacuum bag some mylar over an adhesive coat. Water based urethane clearcoat over this. Disadvantage; unable to do both sides without seam.
2. Place body in a vacuum deposition chamber and coat with a plateable metal like copper. Have it plated.
3. Build the body from something plateable like James Trussart guitars and plate it.

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Anything too stupid to be said is sung. -Voltaire

Thanks for your input Patrick.

Unfortunately, my customer finally decided not to have to job done.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)