Okay, so I wanted to give my old guitar a new look, and I decided to go with a “belair black” finish. I’d seen some pictures online, and I thought it looked pretty slick. It’s basically a black finish, but not super glossy, it has kind of a worn-in vibe. I will go through all process step by step.
Getting Started
First, I took the whole guitar apart. I mean everything – strings, pickups, bridge, tuners, the works. I made sure to keep all the screws and little parts organized in separate baggies, so I wouldn’t lose anything. That’s a lesson I learned the hard way a long time ago!
Prep Work is Key
Next up was sanding. The guitar had a glossy finish before, so I needed to get rid of that. I started with some rougher sandpaper, like 220 grit, to get the bulk of the old finish off. Then I went over it again with finer sandpaper, like 320 and then 400 grit, to smooth everything out. This part took a while, and my arms got pretty tired, but it’s super important to get a nice, even surface for the new paint to stick to.
I used wood filler for a few dents.
Painting Time
I used spray paint that I picked up from the hardware store. Nothing fancy, just regular black spray paint. It says “satin” finish on the can, which is what gives it that belair look.
I hung the guitar body up in my garage and started spraying. The key here is to do lots of thin coats, not one thick coat. If you go too heavy, you’ll get drips, and it’ll look terrible. So, I did a light coat, waited for it to dry, then did another, and another, and another. Probably like five or six coats in total. Patience is key, my friends and also It took a lot longer than I thought it would!
Let it Cure
After the last coat of paint, I let the guitar body hang for a full week. I know, I know, it’s tempting to put it all back together right away, but the paint needs time to fully harden, or “cure.” If you rush it, you’ll end up with fingerprints and smudges, and all your hard work will be ruined.
Putting it Back Together
Finally, the fun part – reassembly! I carefully put all the parts back on the guitar, making sure everything was lined up and tightened properly. I put on a new set of strings, tuned it up, and plugged it in.
The Result
It plays great! The action is nice and low, and the pickups sound awesome. I’m really happy with how it turned out. It’s not perfect – there are a few tiny imperfections in the finish if you look really closely, but overall, I think it looks pretty darn good for a DIY project. And honestly, those little imperfections kind of add to the “belair black” vibe, right?
