Custom Colors

[Mr Real Nice]

For those that go the DIY route, where do you get your custom colors from?  I mean, there's Krylon and Dupli-Color, but what if one of these pre-manufactured colors don't fit what you have in your mind?  Is there somewhere with more options?

 

[sundin4prez]

reranch if your in the states

 

[Mr Real Nice]

Thanks for the idea, but they don't have much beyond stock Fender/Gibson colors that already come on those guitars.  In fact, the only "custom" color they had was orange.

 

[chuck7]

From what I have seen, the nitro colors people work with all seem to be either clear over dyes, or solid non-metallic colors.  There are toners you can get from stewmac, and a few guys, CB and Jack I think, recommend a brand called mohawk. 

If you really want to get into any sort of crazy metallics, you are going to have to look into automotive finishes.  For the most part they are going to be poly products, and a lot of guys here poo poo the poly.  Not me, I used it on my MIJ Strat rebuild and couldn't be happier.  One thing I will say though, if you do want a custom-sorta color and you go the automotive finish route, be prepared to pay for it.  You only need a pint, but ends up being a lot more than just a pint. For instance, the color I used was a PPG product.  I had to get a pint of base color, a pint of transparent mid coat, a pint of clear, a quart of reducer, and a container of hardener for the clear.  When it was all said and done, I spent about $175 bucks just on the paint! 

 

[vanhagar]

In Canada you can go to an automotive store called Car Quest and get whatever color you want loaded into a spray can! I don't know if there is a Car Quest in the US or not, but worth checking out.

 

[Mr Real Nice]

In Canada you can go to an automotive store called Car Quest and get whatever color you want loaded into a spray can! I don't know if there is a Car Quest in the US or not, but worth checking out.

Yeah, I have CarQuest here.  How does that work?  Can you just bring in a sample?  Do they color-match it right there?

 

[vanhagar]

If they mix automotive paint there then they can mix any color. If the color you want was used on a car then they can match it. It would help if you have the paint code, or at least the year and type of vehicle it was on.

 

[chuck7]

They will also have books with color samples you can look at.  Usually they have tons of samples from production cars, then they will also have the after market colors that are more flashy. 

 

[Mr Real Nice]

cool, thanks.  I've already searched auto manufacturers extensively for a color that would work for me, but I guess I'm just picky.

 

[vanhagar]

One really good thing about paint as appossed to stains and dye, If you get tired of it or it turns out bad it's a lot easier to cover up  :icon_biggrin: I am  currently working on a two tone stain job on a strat, it's turning out nice, but a lot more work than paint!!

 

[chuck7]

you really need to look at the books they have.  Its hard to get a good sense of what the color will look like online.  Also, most of the colors your manufacturers use are far more "plain" than the custom stuff you can get.  Partly this is because when you want to appeal to the most people you can't get too extream with your finishes, but it also has to do with the complexity of applying the finish.  Your average modern vehicle is going to have a simple base coat clear coat finish.  This means the finish has a color coat, and a clear coat over it.  When you start working with custom colors you can do a lot more at the cost of a more complex paint process.