Paint a Glitter Guitar

Krylon Sponsored Project

Krylon Sponsored Project

This project is sponsored by Krylon.

Transform an electric guitar with Krylon Glitter Blast spray paint.

  • Author: Brookelynn Morris
  • Time required: 2 hours to prep and paint, 20 minutes to handle, cured in 1 day
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Add Note x

Completely makeover a lackluster guitar with a gleaming glitter finish. Don't be intimidated to dismantle the pieces of a beater guitar and customize your instrument with a coat of paint.

Add vivid, colorful shine with a gorgeous spray paint from Krylon called Glitter Blast. It is fully saturated sparkle. The paint dries into a pure glitter coating within 20 minutes.

In an afternoon crafting you can bring a garage sale instrument from obscurity to the spotlight.

Tools
Relevant parts
Relevant parts (continued)
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Paint a Glitter Guitar  ¶ 

  • Plan for a dramatic makeover. Choose a shade of Glitter Blast that will work with the guitar's base color. I chose Twilight Sky, a mix of brilliant blue and purple. I love how it turned out.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Throw on clothes that you can to paint in, and gather up all your supplies. Protect your workspace with plastic and paper dropcloth.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • Remove the strings.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Unscrew everything on the front of the guitar. Keep track of every screw.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • If you aren't familiar with the inner workings of an electric guitar, stop here and take a photograph. A quick picture on your cellphone is the perfect map for putting everything back together.

  • If the guitar has a floating bridge, use the pliers to remove it.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Cover every component with painter's tape.

  • Use plastic to protect the neck and head.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Wearing your respirator, carefully sand the body of the guitar. Use ultra-fine sandpaper to evenly scuff the painted surface.

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Shake the can of Krylon Glitter Blast to mix the glitter for 2 minutes. To achieve the airbrushed look, hold the can 2 feet away from the guitar and work in big swooping motions. Apply the glitter in one continuous coat, painting in circles all around the guitar until it is fully covered in glitter.

  • Be sure to wear the respirator.

  • Hang plastic sheeting to protect your workspace from overspray and make cleaning up fast.

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Let the glitter dry for about 20 minutes, then finish it with the Krylon Glitter Blast Clear Coat. It helps keep the glitter fixed in place.

  • The guitar will be dry to the touch in another 20 minutes. It's best to leave it hanging for 24 hours to fully dry and cure.

  • Piece by piece, replace the parts of the instrument, until you've restrung your shining new guitar.

For more information, check out the Musical Instruments category page.

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i've done similar projects with spraypaint and discovered the hard way that neoprene that is used on guitar stands will ruin the paint. i'm just saying.

andrew ybarra, · Reply