Guitar paint and laquers
| Cellulose Paint (Solid) |
Cellulose Paint (Metallic) |
Nitrocellulose Lacquer (Clear) |
Nitrocellulose Lacquer (Tinted) |
Waterborne Lacquer (Clear) |
Waterborne Lacquer (Tinted) |
Waterborne Paint | |
| Can be sprayed? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can be brushed? | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| See-through or opaque? | Opaque | Opaque | See-through | See-through | See-through | See-through | Opaque |
| Clarity.. | None | None | High | Good | High | Good | None |
| Build/solids content.. | Medium | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium | High |
| Requires a base coat? | Yes Cellulose Primer |
Yes Cellulose Primer |
Yes Cellulose Paint Tinted Nitrocellulose Lacquer Cellulose Sanding Sealer |
Yes Cellulose Sanding Sealer |
Yes Waterborne Paint or Lacquer |
Yes Waterborne Sanding Sealer |
Yes Waterborne Primer |
| Requires a top coat? | Only for satin, matt or vintage style finishes. | Yes Clear Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
No | Yes Clear Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
No | Yes Clear Waterborne Lacquer |
Yes Clear Waterborne Lacquer |
| Thinned using.. | Standard or Premium Cellulose Thinners | Standard or Premium Cellulose Thinners | Premium Cellulose Thinners | Standard or Premium Cellulose Thinners | Water | Water | Water |
| Available in aerosols? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Available bottled for spray guns? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Drying time before polishing? | 1 week | n/a | 2 weeks | n/a | 2 days | n/a | 2 days |
| Cracks with age? | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Discolours with age? | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Examples of colours.. | Fiesta Red, Seafoam Green, Olympic White | Lake Placid Blue, Pelham Blue, Inca Silver | Clear Gloss, Clear Satin, Clear Matt | Blonde, Butterscotch, Heritage Cherry Red, Amber | Clear Gloss, Clear Satin, Clear Matt | Blonde, Heritage Cherry Red, Amber | Fiesta Red, Seafoam Green, Black |