RG548 project

[Speedabob]

Good job man , but i recommend you use 800 grit wet sand paper smooths it out more evenly!

[TruckstopChuckie]

Thanks for the advice, man I'll try that.

[Blaklynx]

Looks really good so far. Take your time and don't rush. It's the mistake that many make. They want to see a finished product becasue they're so eager and in turn stuff it up. It takes less time to do it right than to fix it up.

Another little trick you can do is 'do what the professionals do'......

Lightly and roughly (but consistently) spray a matt black coat over the primer. Don't do a coat that it's a solid black. More like a first light coat that's sprayed from two feet away, a mist, so to speak. It's OK of the primer still shows through lightly. Let dry then sand off lightly until you hit the primer coat. When sanding, avoid using your fingers as the 'sanding block'. Use a block of cork or some flat rigid item as your sanding block. Any dips in the timber will remain black which will act as visual markers showing you where to fill with filler/extra primer. If you use your fingers as a 'sanding block', you'll go into the dips making this excercise useless. Have you ever noticed a car that's in primer with black roughly sprayed over the top? This is to find out where the dips/dents are when the black is sanded back. Now you know why some custom painted cars are 'straight as an arrow'.

Have fun. Looking forward to the next lot of photos.

[G500XL]

Man, it already looks a lot better than what you had started with.

[TruckstopChuckie]

I'm gonna paint it in shock pink, jem style. Does anyone know the color code? (either RAL or NCS system).

[TruckstopChuckie]

I don't bring anything new to the table, except that I've switched brand from Quick to Dupli-Color.

First impression is that the Dupli-Color is way much harder. Mistakes made in the spray booth are harder to flatten out, but it looks ten times better and feels a lot smoother, even before I've started to sand it with 800 grit paper (which was a great tip btw, thanks).

It's also white instead of grey (the Quick primer was grey), though it looks grey on the pictures. It will be a nice base for the pink color.

Second coat of DC primer, not sanded. The top isn't 100% flat as you all can see, but I don't think I'll care to fix it. It will be covered with a pickguard so it won't be visible.




Third coat of primer, fresh from the spray booth. Still mistakes, but I'm learning.




I think I'll give it another coat of primer and then it will be ready for some shock pink color. I know I could've sorted out all the flaws that's still visible if you look really close, but... We'll see about that.

We're getting close to autumn here in Norway and it's getting a lot colder. I've got to speed things up before it get's to cold to spray outside. The nature is my spraying booth.

[TruckstopChuckie]

Hurrah!
The body is all primed up, ready for the pink and I just scored a maple/rosewood RG550 neck for 80 dollars (from a guy here in Norway, so no shipping and taxes to pay).

[Speedabob]

Excellent man Looks great so far

are you using alot of soap with water when wet sanding? also when sanding apply little pressure (very little) and go in circles Passing on tips that have been given to me

Where did you get the shocking pink paint if you dont mind me asking?

[TruckstopChuckie]

Hah, another great tip coming almost a little too late. Soap? I've just been using plain water, and that has worked out just perfectly. Gotta try that, haven't sanded the last coat which I sprayed on this morning.

I don't use a lot of pressure at all and I'm going around in circles.

I haven't bought the pink paint yet, still looking for a brand that offers something close to the original found on the jem777sk (and that brand has to be available here in Norway). Dupli Color offers something that's pretty close.

[Speedabob]

I say you go to a custom paint shop and get them to make you the paint It WILL be really difficult to find a ready made shocking pink

Yes use alot of soap

If you are spraying light coats then sand every 3 coats, if you're spraying heavy/wet coats then sand every coat

[TruckstopChuckie]

Then I'll use loads of soap next time.

I'm not sure if I'm gonna go that far as getting a pro paint shop to blend some cans for me. This project, though putting a lot of working hour and attention to it, is not going to be a big buck project. It's mostly for just the cause of learning and building up some skills and experience in painting and tweaking guitars. If I'm gonna put some extra money on the paint it will be on covering it up with 2K clear coating.

But if someone has the code or numbers (NCS or RAL) for a blend that's close to equal of the shocking pink color of the 777sk, please be my guest...

[TruckstopChuckie]

Got the 550 neck today. Looks great. It's almost in mint condition except for two small dents, one on the headstock and one on the back of the neck. Also some minor fretwear on the three first frets. Otherwise, it's all goodie.
The serial number says 1998. It's missing tuners and the locking nut. Which locking nut should I be looking for?

[TruckstopChuckie]

Pink!!

First coat of pink, sprayed it 10 minutes ago. Looks good, I think



As always, photos doesn't show how it really looks. The color is more pink in person, and not something between pink and purple as the pictures wants it to be.

[Speedabob]

Looks great man, where'd you get the pink?

[TruckstopChuckie]

It's Dupli Color, same brand as the primer I used. I bought it at a car parts supplier right up the road where I live.