Neck Plate Refinishing? - Would you do it?

[big al]

I have my UVMC disassembled for cleaning so I thought I would paint the neck plate. Should I use a gloss black or flat ? *I do not have any other Ibanez models with a neck plate so I cannot compare.
Would you guys paint it or leave it alone?

[jemsite]

I would leave it alone... glen

[Project Guitar]

It really is up to you in the end and how you feel about keeping the guitar 100% original.

I have refinished several neck plates and I tend to lean towards Krylon High Gloss Black. First make sure it is completely clean (duh). Anyway hit it with 600-800 grit lightly just to fog the surface, don't worry the paint will fill the very light scratch marks. Remember as always two to three light coats will turn out way better than one thick coat.

When you do paint it I recommend doing it on a piece of cardboard and laying it outside in the sun for an hour or two. Sure it heats up but the sun tends to bake the paint on better than just an air dry. The biggest thing you need to think about here is that your going to find it impossible to create a cosmo black finish if thats what your looking to get, give up before you start.

[rickboot]

I'd leave it alone too. Wear on the plate is normal. I have even seen this on NOS guitars that I knew were unplayed.

Another option is to remove the existing paint and polish the plate. I remember one of the old-timers on Jemsite doing this and it looked nice.

Rick

[spiro]

I have painted a few in my days as well.....

Motor engine enamel is what I use... again an oven job or a really hot sun..... like the sun they use in Mexico

I also do the neck plate screws in the same paint.....

[jono]

I personally love the faded arc that you see on the old neckplates. So I'm with glen on the "leaving it alone" side of the fence

[Kelv]

i've painted the neck plate once using black gloss enamel paint for models....it looks great now