The Easiest Guitar Spray Painting Tutorial (Final Part)

This is the third and final part of my easiest guitar painting tutorial to follow yet. For this one I am using a finishing kit from Oxford Supply that has everything you need to get the job done. No guessing what you need, no shopping around, it’s all there.
You can find the Oxford supply paints here: oxfordguitarsupply.com/
They are also available through Solo Guitars here: www.solomusicgear.com/brands/...
Find the spray rig here: reverb.com/ca/shop/spintwistp...
Find some of my favorite products: www.amazon.com/shop/bradangove
(commission link)
Support the channel: / bradangove
Or by PayPal donation to: [e-mail]
Follow me on instagram: / brad.angove
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My favourite spray guns: www.warwickspraytools.com/dea...
Don't forget to ask your questions in the comment section.
Thanks for watching.

[@bigkahuna100]

That color is stunning, and another perfect paint job, Brad!

[@yakfishin4912]

That's all he knows bro.

[@BradAngove]

Thanks guys

[@yakfishin4912]

@@BradAngove Been following you for yrs brad. Best damn how-to on youtube for this type of thing. Nobody else comes close.

[@BradAngove]

That’s very kind of you

[@craigparse1439]

Great job Brad! Love this build.

[@BradAngove]

Thanks Craig

[@nickf2170]

Man, what a color, that is hot. Good video series, I am doing an ash Tele project next and will deffinately check out the Oxford kit. Thanks for all the tips!

[@johnjgibson6807]

Man That turned Out Awesome, And the Teaching Instructions are Very Helpful Thanks Brad 👍👍🎶🎶🎸

[@BradAngove]

Thank you John

[@briansimpson8116]

That's an excellent color Brad. Good tutorial as well.

[@BradAngove]

Thank you Brian

[@carsandconcerts]

I might have to pick up one of those spin twist rigs awesome review!!!👍👍👍

[@BradAngove]

Cheers; they’re pretty cool.

[@TheDevnul]

Love the colour. Ordered a Seymour Duncan Hyperswitch from Solo. It arrived really fast. Great vid as per usual. Thanks Brad.

[@BradAngove]

Glad you like it. Thanks!

[@StealthParrot]

This was a fantastic series. I have done one guitar kit so far so the tips are great for someone like myself. I've ordered a SeaFoam Green deluxe kit from Oxford Guitar Supply for my next JEM style guitar. Going for the JEM 70V SFG look and can't wait to try out their products. Love the channel!

[@BradAngove]

Thanks, I hope the build goes well for you.

[@BradHutchings]

You are not going to believe this, but your polishing music (1st song) is one of the songs on rotation on the US Lowe's customer support line. I spent about two whole business days on that line getting help with not 1, but 2 botched clothes dryer deliveries in August. So I should really hate that song. But I don't. And now I can associate it with finishing a guitar. Rock on, Brad!

[@BradAngove]

Haha wow. That does surprise me. Glad I didn’t associate the video too strongly with a bad memory.

[@j-mo2453]

Oh I totally missed it. I had nsync on the Alexa during that part… lmao

[@quartercirclebk]

I picked out an Ice Blue Metallic kit from Oxford without even seeing this video first and DAMN. I am so excited to get that color on my first from-scratch build. Thank you as always for the tutorial.

[@BradAngove]

Awesome; I hope you like it.

[@Shihab-fk8pr]

Love from Bangladesh You are my inspiration

[@BradAngove]

Thank you

[@murpsman]

Welcome back to you to Brad.

[@BradAngove]

Thanks

[@tusharjamwal]

Hey Brad, I think it would be a great Idea to put a link to this playlist of this paint series in the description.

[@michaelhousman9604]

Hi Brad, I'd love to see you do a tutorial with the Oxford metallic lacquer using a spray gun. I'm particularly interested in seeing how much lacquer to thinner you use and if you recommend any retarder. Thank you and I hope that you have a great 2024!

[@BradAngove]

I’ve done some work with the Oxford and a gun, albeit not the metallic. These paints come ready to spray, so thinning isn’t usually necessary. I don’t use retarder, but that’s because it’s very dry where I live. In a more humid climate I would recommend adding some.

[@Northernblood78]

Love the video series. Was a massive help. Is it possible to use automotive polish for something like this or is there something in Oxford polish that is necessary?

[@BradAngove]

Automotive polish should work fine. As long as it’s actual polish and not wax.

[@davelogeman]

Very cool. Have you ever considered trying a sandblasted ash finish? I'd be interested in seeing how it's done.

[@BradAngove]

I’ve done one. My 2021 GGBO build.

[@robertbell9957]

Your painting and guitar modification videos are all extremely well done, I have so much confidence moving forward with a project now. Can you comment on whether or not you prefer the Oxford paints vs DupliColor? I have access to both but am looking for input on which brand gives better results. Thanks!

[@BradAngove]

I prefer Oxford. They are a higher quality spray can and I like the paint better. However, it is a different type of paint, so keep that in mind. Nitrocellulose lacquer and acrylic lacquer behave differently.

[@robertbell9957]

I appreciate you taking the time to answer, it saves a lot of troubleshooting being able to rely on someone's experience. I really like how clear Oxford is in their application instructions, and their pricing is also competitive so I think I am leaning that way.

[@markmilligan8773]

Missing you bud! Been a while. I hope things are OK with you, the wee one and your work life balance. Hope the wee one gave a fantastic 1st Christmas 🎄

[@BradAngove]

Thank you Mark. Things are ok, but the balance has been a bit difficult these last few months. I’m working on it. The little one has been great. Thanks again and happy holidays

[@StealthParrot]

Beautiful end result. Brad, can you please tell me what grease and wax remover you are using between polishes?

[@BradAngove]

I just use the one from duplicolor, but they all tend to work fine.

[@StealthParrot]

Thanks, appreciate it @@BradAngove

[@JesseeSage]

Hi Brad! Was wondering if using a clear epoxy would work ok as a final top coat. In particular, I'm preparing to top / final-coat a white with black stripe Frankenstrat guitar body. I was considering the 2K clear but with winter weather approaching, I'd like to finish up the guitar indoors. I liked your video titled "How to Brush On a Beautiful Gloss Finish", however since the guitar is predominantly white, the Varathane brush-on will probably result a caramelized looking white.finish. For both the white and black I used Rustolium 2X acrylic gloss spray cans. So a product that caught my attention is called "Alumilite Amazing Clear Cast Epoxy Resin". This seems to be akin to what is used on bar tops. Especially for the Frankenstrat, I'm assuming this would also help even the surfaces between the white and black stripes, as a result of the lower surface after removing the tape. It would be great to hear your recommendations on this.. Thanks!

[@BradAngove]

That’s a good option. It’s a bit thick though, and still not ideal to do indoors. It does give off some fumes as it cures. You may want to check out the stone coat countertops KZbin channel. That’s my recollection of the name at least. They do awesome epoxy work.

[@JesseeSage]

@@BradAngoveThank you! I'll check them out. It's good to know other options. I figured since the epoxy is self leveling as well as a super strong, it wouldn't have the orange peel issue and wouldn't require multiple coats. Thanks again for the pro advice... Cheers!

[@vincent33195]

Awesome job! As always. Two quick questions: do you sand or polish the sides at all? And were you using naphtha in between polishing coats? I couldn’t see what the can said. Thanks Brad!

[@BradAngove]

I generally don’t sand and polish the sides unless there is an overspray issue and they appear to need it. Usually they don’t. That was wax and grease remover, not naphtha.

[@vincent33195]

@@BradAngove You are the best bud. Hope you and the family are doing great. Thanks again for everything.

[@CarlWinter-oy8uf]

Thankyou ---how do you repair small scratches on final spray coat (water -based gloss finish ) says on can !

[@BradAngove]

Usually by sanding smooth and polishing. I have a few videos on that process.

[@jimcadorette1140]

Sorry if I missed this in your series but does the Oxford clear coat require a cure time and if so, how long? Also you've mentioned how fast and hard 2K clear coats are. How would you compare those to the Oxford clear coat besides the fact that Oxford products play well together. I truly appreciate your clear, concise videos.

[@BradAngove]

Oxford is a nitrocellulose lacquer, so it doesn’t cure per se but it takes a few weeks to fully harden. Lacquer isn’t as fast in that respect, although it is quick to apply. It’s also not as hard as the 2K. It’s much easier to repair if there’s an issue, but you wouldn’t use it on something like a car.

[@donnybrook8051]

Hi, Brad... When dry sanding between coats (or for polish stage), how much downward pressure should I use (if any)? It's hard to tell from your video and I didn't see this question asked already in the comments. Thanks!!

[@BradAngove]

I use gentle pressure. Let the sandpaper do the work; you don’t need to press hard.

[@alanwhite6293]

If you press hard,it may burn the paint due to friction-light pressure and lots of time gives a better result. @@BradAngove

[@BradAngove]

Indeed

[@jimmydevine4862]

Looks incredible sir. . One question, what was the grip of the sandpaper for the light sanding between clear coats?

[@jimmydevine4862]

Grit lol.

[@BradAngove]

800 grit

[@socialclubmusic_]

that color is incredible. any chance you will play this guitar on the channel?

[@BradAngove]

I may do that at some point, but you’ve probably noticed I rarely play guitar on the channel at all.

[@shaynerushton214]

Got a lacquer question. Got 6 thin coats of black lacquer on a guitar drying now. I did 3 coats, let stand 3 days, 3 more coats. Now its not flat, but i want to clear coat next. Im tempted to flatten the black by wet sanding before clear. Do i need to or will I be able to flatten it with no visual anomalies if i just put on my clear? Edit. Answered my question a few minutes in! Lol

[@BradAngove]

Haha glad I could help

[@rnpshadow36]

Can you create a tutorial, "What if the eg is already painted or I bought an electric guitar but I wanted to change the paint or just add like a sunburst type design" How do I do it?

[@BradAngove]

I’ve done a few tutorials on how to repaint a guitar. Have a look at my short frankenstrat series for example.

[@johnstitt2615]

Hey Brad, What do you think is a good choice of brand for wood clamps ? It concerns using clamps to hold a neck to a body whilst the glue dries.

[@BradAngove]

I honestly think pretty much any clamp should work fine.

[@trxmedia]

Hi Brad, I don't remember if you mentioned this on the video, but do you use medium polish and THEN heavy or the other way around. Working on my first guitar now. Thanks.

[@BradAngove]

Other way around. In this case I used medium then fine.

[@flatroc1]

I have hear for a long time now that the rattle can should gently warmed up in hot water before use. Any validity to this idea ? Thanks.

[@BradAngove]

Some. Warming them up can assist with the accelerant and make them spray better. It’s a good option if your cans are stored somewhere that isn’t warm enough, or if they aren’t great spray cans. Not a bad idea in any event.

[@christianglaude6659]

Great tutorial But how do I do that on a Gibson style guitar for the painting? Thanks

[@BradAngove]

Get the set neck version of the spray rig. I’ll show one in my upcoming series.

[@jugheadjones5458]

I really like that color. Might use it on my parts-caster. Is a white primer undercoat required for that color?

[@pedraw]

No, if you use sanding sealer prior to the color you'll be fine.

[@jugheadjones5458]

@@pedraw thanks.

[@BradAngove]

The sanding sealer is adequate to get a smooth finish. The white primer is advisable though to set a uniform base color. Metallics aren’t completely opaque. If you plan to use the kit the primer comes with it, so you might as well use it.

[@jugheadjones5458]

@@BradAngove thanks for the advice.

[@murpsman]

How many coast of Mohawks pre-catalyzed clear fo you recommend over a metallic base coat? Someone on Facebook recommended 20.

[@BradAngove]

That’s… a lot. I doubt that I’ve ever done more than 12 coats of anything. Usually 6-8.

[@FKAS8410]

Luthier Ben Affleck strikes again!!

[@BradAngove]

Affleck isn’t one I get very often haha.

[@marksmith-hs9li]

Hi Brad ,I have a question I've used nitro clear and it keeps going cloudy on the guitar body. I'm I England so the weather is never that good. Any suggestions.

[@BradAngove]

Yes, that’s blushing. It’s humidity trapped under the surface. If you’re mixing your own paint try using 5% lacquer retarder to slow down the drying. Otherwise, some companies make blush remover (basically slow thinner), of you can probably get it out with a heat gun if you’re careful.

[@marksmith-hs9li]

@@BradAngove thanks Brad for the advice. I normally use a rattlecan Expensive over here lol Thanks again Mark

[@Martinroot]

An idea for a future project: Superglue for clearcoat?

[@BradAngove]

Yes, that’s been done for sure. It’s a fun one to work with as long as you have good eye protection. Those fumes are pretty bad when using high volumes of glue.

[@Martinroot]

@@BradAngove I your oppion: What's better? A superglue clear coat or a 2k clear? Both in application and to work with?

[@BradAngove]

@Martinroot 2K if you have somewhere reasonable to spray it. It’s easier to get smooth and creates a finish that I think is generally harder.

[@Martinroot]

@@BradAngove Would outside be considert reasonable?

[@BradAngove]

Spraying outside? I wouldn’t recommend it.

[@mikecappadona9314]

How long should I wait between the final clear coat and the sanding/polishing step? I saw one video where the guy recommended 6 weeks.

[@BradAngove]

Yeah with nitrocellulose lacquer some people leave it that long. I tend to do 3-4 weeks. It depends on climate somewhat.

[@mikecappadona9314]

Ok thank you

[@reikenkayzer]

I am looking to replaint a factory painted guitar. Is there more to do than just sand it down and apply paint in such an instance, or should I do more before applying new paint?

[@BradAngove]

No, with a factory job you can just sand smooth and then paint over it.

[@reikenkayzer]

@@BradAngove thank you so much for your reply. I truly enjoy your videos and wholesome demeanor. Keep it up.

[@reikenkayzer]

@@BradAngove what kind grain sandpaper do you recommend?

[@BradAngove]

I would use some 400 grit to prep it. The type isn’t important really.

[@ScottK1018]

If you do not mind me asking, what is the liquid in the poor can you are using to wipe off the guitar while sanding the clear coat?

[@BradAngove]

That’s wax and grease remover

[@ScottK1018]

Do you prefer a particular brand?

[@BradAngove]

@scottkohn5571 not really. I’m using the duplicolor, but mostly just because it was readily available.

[@robertlis298]

Other than the polishing compound, what it the can contain that you’re applying in between? Acetone??

[@BradAngove]

Wax and grease remover. Acetone would take this type of paint right off.

[@robertlis298]

@@BradAngove oh, okay, wax & grease remover. Thank you

[@robertlis298]

@@BradAngove Hi Brad, sorry for so many questions, are there any particular wax & grease removers you would recommend to use?

[@BradAngove]

@robertlis298 not really; they should all be similar. I’m using one from duplicolor in this video.

[@rnjrm]

hi brad, i purchased a guitar with a maple neck, and after playing it for about four days, i noticed a gray spot on the 15th fret. according to online sources, this could be due to the finish wearing out in that area. the guitar is a squier affinity stratocaster, and i believe the fretboard is lightly finished with polyurethane. what can i do about the gray spot?

[@BradAngove]

Have you tried cleaning it to start with? It may be something wearing off of the strings too.

[@rnjrm]

@@BradAngove yes, i wiped down the fret and even the strings, but later, the gray spot returned with the exact same pattern it had. i suspect it's due to the finish wearing off in that area, as people mention that exposed maple discolors easily.

[@BradAngove]

@rnjrm that does happen, but usually it takes quite a long time and some pretty aggressive playing. You’d probably need to sand that fret area and add another light coat of poly, but I’m not sure that will last. Maybe the finish is higher there.

[@rnjrm]

@@BradAngove thanks Brad, happy holidays

[@markjohnson5636]

How long between the final coat of clear and when you sand?

[@BradAngove]

It depends on the paint type, but for this stuff I give it 3-4 weeks.

[@MACKWESTERN]

Do you warm up.your cans? I started warming them in hot water and i notice much better spraying with nitro! Happy New Year!

[@BradAngove]

I do on occasion. It can be very helpful, especially with the lower quality cans.

[@Voartist]

How many coats of white primer did you spray on that body?

[@BradAngove]

3 I believe

[@shaynerushton214]

I have a random question. If you’re just putting paint on an object, only to sand and buff and polish, why do people say you’ll never get pro results from a rattle can? What is the difference?

[@BradAngove]

If you’re good at painting with a rattle can and you’re using high quality paint there’s no real difference, particularly for nitro. With the polyurethane and polyester finishes you just can’t really get the same quality paint in a rattle can. It’s also easier to lay it on better with a gun if you know what you’re doing.

[@shaynerushton214]

@@BradAngove so rattle can quality is lower that something you put in a spray gun. Ok.

[@BradAngove]

It can be depending on the paint type. With lacquer that’s not really the case. With 2K polyurethane, it is.

[@deanmccaskill5495]

I dunno if anyone will see this in time to matter. But I effed up one of my nitro clear coat sprays. Got a bunch of rolls cause I was too close. ( so stupid) I’ll have to sand. For sure. How long do I have to wait before I sand to repair this idiot mistake? Gawd it was going awesome too. Ughh!!

[@BradAngove]

I’d give it a few days. Maybe wait a week to be safe. I take it you’re adding more nitro after?

[@deanmccaskill5495]

@@BradAngove Hi Brad. Thanks for the reply! I was able to sand it out and apply a few more coats. Where I failed though is the surface prep and grain filler. Especially where I’d made gouges stripping it. I thought they were flush but they sank. Really noticeable. To me especially. Anyway should I grain fill then sand and fill again? Is that the technique? Or just do a good job initially ha ha…

[@BradAngove]

@deanmccaskill5495 a lot of grain fillers shrink, so doing it twice is often a good idea.

[@CarlWinter-oy8uf]

What primer on wood did u use ?---cannot find part 1 --

[@BradAngove]

I used the one that comes in the Oxford finishing kit with the paint.

[@johnstitt2615]

I heard a guitar was made out of Brad Angove. Are you open or closed grain ?

[@BradAngove]

A bit of both.

[@shaynerushton214]

Here's another question. I can't get away with 2 to 3 coats. I never have been able to do that. If sanding, 2 to 3 coats I will always burn through the finish into the primer or wood. How do you get away with 2 to 3 coats if sanding?

[@BradAngove]

I’m assuming you’re talking about clear coat, so correct me if I’m wrong because my answer will change. Usually with thicker finishes like polyurethane it’s more feasible. With lacquer 2-3 coats is unlikely to be sufficient. Really though, the smoother your finish is the less sanding you need and the higher you can start with the grits. So if you have a really smooth sprayed finish then you can just sand a bit with 2000 or 25000 to level it off the last little bit before polishing. In those cases 3 coats is often fine (2 isn’t enough).

[@shaynerushton214]

@@BradAngove i was talking about base. I use general finishes for water based poly. I also use lacquer. It depends. I like lacquer for cleaning and not having to sand between coats, but I haven’t been able to do 2-3 coats with any of it. Maybe it is my gun and technique. Im going for 9 coats of color lacquer followed by at least that of clear. Thanks, Brad. All these subscribers, a new baby, and you still make time for your fans. I appreciate it.

[@BradAngove]

You’re sanding through your color coats? You should only need to do a light scuff of those before moving on. Or are you having trouble achieving full opacity?

[@shaynerushton214]

@@BradAngove i get opacity, but trying to knock off all the shine, including the lower spotty parts. Perhaps im just not doing enough to get my pieces flat in my prep.

[@BradAngove]

@shaynerushton214 try using scotch brite instead of sandpaper to finish off. It gets into the lower spots easier.

[@robertlis298]

Hi Brad, so far I’ve used four cans of triple thick glaze clear coat, but , it still seems that I can feel the rough finish coming through, I’m a bit nervous about sanding it . Please advise? V/R Pat Lis

[@BradAngove]

How often have you been sanding during the process?

[@robertlis298]

⁠ 4:20 Hi Brad, I tried to sand after I put the second can, but burned through a corner on the guitar body, that when that happened I stopped and re-painted that portion and then re-applied clear coat with now the fourth can.

[@BradAngove]

@robertlis298 that’s a lot of paint. More than I would generally use. If you want to flatten it out you’ll need to sand, preferably with a block. Stick with a high grit like 1000 or 1500.

[@robertlis298]

Hi Brad, I sanded with 1500-2000 grit, put on the polishing compound, question about using the grease/wax remover…. Do I use that between polishing compound costs or do I put that on last after I’m finished with the polishing compound? V/R Pat Lis

[@BradAngove]

Use it between compounds so that it doesn’t build up and scratch.

[@kevinvandeventer8690]

I'm ordering supplies from Oxford. How many cans of clear did you actually use? You said 24 hours before sanding the clear. I've heard up to two weeks drying time is that just insane overkill?

[@BradAngove]

I used 2 cans. I would wait 24 hours before sanding to re-coat. If you’re asking about full drying time for lacquer, two weeks is optimistic. It dries to the touch within a couple minutes, but continues to dry/harden for usually 2-4 weeks. The old standard was wait a month before sanding and polishing.

[@kevinvandeventer8690]

@@BradAngove Thank you I have one more question. I am refinishing poly and painting nitro do I need to remove the sanding sealer down to the wood or can I paint on top of it after flattening it?

[@BradAngove]

@kevinvandeventer8690 you can sand flat and paint on top

[@kevinvandeventer8690]

@@BradAngove Thank you.

[@kaimelconian]

Do you only polish the front side?

[@BradAngove]

If I’m doing gloss on the whole guitar I polish the whole thing. Sometimes I do guitars with gloss tops and satin back and edges. On those I only polish the front.

[@charleswickline3865]

I just got three cans to finish my guitar. How long of a drying time between each coat of clear?

[@BradAngove]

Of it’s this type of paint you will probably want to wait 10-15 minutes between 3 coats. Then wait at least 24 hours, and lightly with 800 grit, and go again.

[@charleswickline3865]

@@BradAngove Thanks

[@charleswickline3865]

@@BradAngove What is the magic number of coats. I have 10 I think an it looks to need very little sanding and buffing. I hate to add more coats.

[@BradAngove]

That’s tons. The number isn’t always the same. If you can get a beautifully smooth finish with 3 coats that’s great. Most people need more so they can sand and polish without burning through.

[@charleswickline3865]

@@BradAngove Thanks

[@CyclopsGuitars8642]

You need super assilix sand paper

[@BradAngove]

I’ll have a look for that

[@j-mo2453]

Oh… I thought easiest would be a compilation video with that one song you have been listening to so much… you know the one. Im not going to mention it so no one gets the wrong impression of you or Justin Timberlake. Lol

[@j-mo2453]

Thanks another great video and the guitar looks pretty fabulous and it do go easily. I look forward to more on this guitar. Like it’s matching head stock. Because I want it that way. You know what I’m sayin? Lolol

[@RevGerryRM]

Not to shabby, not factory, but OK, I like it!👍👍👍👍_

[@BradAngove]

Thanks Gerry

[@yakfishin4912]

Shoot we want the video to be 40 minutes though

[@BradAngove]

Haha maybe I’ll aim for that next time.

[@yakfishin4912]

@@BradAngove I want to see a royal purple and black paint job. Gold hardware maybe? Insane huh?

[@BradAngove]

@yakfishin4912 sounds “rich”. Love that idea.

[@BlueMoonFuzz]

You’ve thought me how to paint a guitar like 200 different ways

[@BlueMoonFuzz]

Thanks

[@BradAngove]

Glad I could help

[@scarknuckle]

How bout some links to the other videos part 1&2. Jack wagon

[@BradAngove]

How about you go to the channel and click “videos” like people do to watch every other video series? I’m sure you can figure it out from there.