Huge Longjohns
long-serving member
Joined: 10/04/03
Posts: 1361
Loc: Where the black rocks stand gu...
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Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
#953324 - 14/11/11 04:40 PM
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I'd like to paint a scratchplate on an old Yamaha pacifica tele I've got (they don't make
replacements as far as I can see). Any suggestions for what type of paint to use? Car
paint or Airfix enamel? Do I need to sand it first or anything? Cheers
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"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" Charles Darwin.
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Huge Longjohns
long-serving member
Joined: 10/04/03
Posts: 1361
Loc: Where the black rocks stand gu...
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953669 - 16/11/11 09:31 AM
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Nobody ever done this? Really? 
-------------------- "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" Charles Darwin.
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Dynamic Mike
Joined: 31/12/06
Posts: 1476
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953723 - 16/11/11 12:55 PM
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Plasti-kote?
DM
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Not much in life worth running for. Or from.
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. . . Delete This
Here be Dragons
Joined: 23/06/08
Posts: 3888
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953728 - 16/11/11 01:18 PM
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used assorted kinds of paint in the past..... sand the surface to roughen it to improve
adhesion, give it a couple of thin coats of primer, rub it down smooth, then colour coats
as normal , thin, and rubbed back....
conical dremel polishing tools
are useful for the screw holes.
(yes car paint, but normally, lightly
thinned and applied with air brush, not straight from aerosol. )
Edited by Off duty BBQ lighter AKA Idris (16/11/11 01:19 PM)
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zenguitar
active member
Joined: 05/12/02
Posts: 7609
Loc: Devon
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953743 - 16/11/11 02:20 PM
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Personally, I wouldn't bother painting a scratch plate. Even if replacements aren't
available off the shelf most replacement manufacturers can make one using the existing
part as a template. And if you have access to a decent laminate trimmer it is possible to
do it yourself.
The reason I wouldn't want to paint a scratchplate is that it
is a lot of work for something that doesn't last very long. Self coloured plastic is great
because scratches don't show very well. But a painted finish will show scratches and wear
very quickly. And once there is a scratch it doesn't take long before the paint starts to
flake off the plastic.
Andy
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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.
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Darren Lynch
member
Joined: 25/02/03
Posts: 439
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953745 - 16/11/11 02:36 PM
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I got decent results using car aerosol, 'misted' from 3-ft distance (A well ventilated
area is needed.
Two issues - impatiently picking up the plate before the paint
was properly dry (not just touch dry), and (as Andy observes) the very rapid wear n
tear.
It's also worth bearing in mind that after the novelty of having a
different coloured scratch plate has worn off (scuse the pun!) you may yearn for the
original.
Old Pacifica's rock.
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Huge Longjohns
long-serving member
Joined: 10/04/03
Posts: 1361
Loc: Where the black rocks stand gu...
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953766 - 16/11/11 03:58 PM
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Quote:
off the shelf most
replacement manufacturers can make one using the existing part as a template
Any ones you'd recommend? Thanks for
all the replies! 
--------------------
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" Charles Darwin.
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Folderol
Joined: 15/11/08
Posts: 2551
Loc: Rochester, UK
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953783 - 16/11/11 05:25 PM
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An alternative - which I've not used on guitars but on lots of other things - is to make a
replacement out of transparent acrylic sheet about 3mm thick. After cutting edges,
cut-outs etc. smooth with progressively finer grades of sandpaper, then finish with metal
polish soaked in cardboard.
Paint the reverse side. As well as
being just about indestructible the acrylic seems to give extra 'depth' as well as shine
to the colours. You can also get artistic and paint designs on before putting on the final
background colour. As this will be on the reverse side there won't be any raised sections
giving crappy reflections.
--------------------
It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)
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zenguitar
active member
Joined: 05/12/02
Posts: 7609
Loc: Devon
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953819 - 16/11/11 09:27 PM
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Quote Huge Longjohns:
Quote:
off the shelf most
replacement manufacturers can make one using the existing part as a template
Any ones you'd recommend? Thanks for
all the replies!
Afraid not, I
just recalled searching for Pacifica replacement scratchplates for someone here a year or
more ago and remembered that most of the UK suppliers offered a custom service along those
lines.
I've made replacements using similar methods to the ones Folderol
described. It is possible, but a lot of work to get something with really neat, clean,
lines. Making scratchplates by hand is one of the jobs I hate most. So many guitars depend
on the scratchplate to finish of the design and tie everything together into a whole. It
can be very obvious when you get it wrong. I still have nightmares over a replacement
mirrored scratchplate for a Musicman Bass...
Andy 
--------------------
When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.
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Huge Longjohns
long-serving member
Joined: 10/04/03
Posts: 1361
Loc: Where the black rocks stand gu...
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953902 - 17/11/11 11:11 AM
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Quote:
It can be very obvious
when you get it wrong.
Yes,
I thought about this route when I saw you can buy the blanks but I'm pretty certain I'd
make a cack-handed attempt at cutting it out, bevelling the edges, countersinking the
screwholes etc.
I've done some searches for custom-made ones and they're
pretty expensive it seems compared with the £15 or so for an off the peg Fender or Gibson
shaped one.
--------------------
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" Charles Darwin.
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artzmusic
Joined: 20/05/11
Posts: 113
Loc: usa
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Re: Painting a scratchplate--what paint?
[Re: Huge Longjohns]
#953927 - 17/11/11 01:03 PM
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Huge, The two options you might consider is 1. Plastic like ABS with the color
impregnated throughout or 2. plexiglass. However, the plexiglass should be painted on the
side facing the guitar. Think of those backlit signs. The coating needs to be applied
very uniformly from a distance, several light coats built up. (If you do a design, put
the dark color first, 'cause then you can eliminate masking on the lighter one) Then the
pick will be scratching the clear side of the plexiglass - which can be polished as
needed.
Hope that makes it simple for you
Best
Rick
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