Just how glossy does the color coat need to be?

[glasshand]

So I'm still working on refinishing my SX Hawk, because for a while we've been in the half of the year that is too hot and humid to spray paint (as opposed to the half of the year that is too cold and dry to spray paint) but we finally got some decent weather.

And I was wondering, assuming you're going to put a clear coat over the color coat, just how glossy does the color coat need to be? How fine a grit should you sand it to?

[solteroblues]

are you doing metallic or solid color? If doing solid, I'd maybe wet sand it down to 400 grit, doesn't have to be super smooth, the clear will take out most of it, and you'll want several coats of clear so you can sand that up to about 2000 or more

[glasshand]

are you doing metallic or solid color? If doing solid, I'd maybe wet sand it down to 400 grit, doesn't have to be super smooth, the clear will take out most of it, and you'll want several coats of clear so you can sand that up to about 2000 or more

Solid. (black, FWIW) 400, huh? I'm surprised it's such a low grit, I really thought it would have to be glossier.

[honyock]

are you doing metallic or solid color? If doing solid, I'd maybe wet sand it down to 400 grit, doesn't have to be super smooth, the clear will take out most of it, and you'll want several coats of clear so you can sand that up to about 2000 or more

Solid. (black, FWIW) 400, huh? I'm surprised it's such a low grit, I really thought it would have to be glossier.

It depends on the paint, some types (I believe lacquers) actually "melt" the layer below so it just needs to be a uniform surface.

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[Partscaster]

final few coats are responsible for the dried paint gloss amount...I think.
If so, color layers could even be flat paint, and the gloss degree could all be from the final over coats.

For sanding and buffing, I've read about people going into 2000 grit and higher...I think.

I tend to use tru oil which is easy. Linseed based, so linseed based artist paints where easily compatible.

[glasshand]

Good points all. I should have specified: I'm using Rustoleum "Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover" paint + primer for the color coat and Rustoleum "Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover" gloss clear for the clear coat. Not because I have any particular illusions about them being the best finishing options, but I wanted to see how decent a job I could do with hardware-store rattlecans. The paint + primer did not go on very smooth and glossy at first, and I was kind of nervous, because obviously to get really glossy you have to go to something like 2000 grit. But I tried using heavier coats later, and apparently I was just spraying too thinly before, because these later coats are reasonably glossy with less orange peel.

[solteroblues]

you really don't need to worry about the finish of the first coats too much, you don't want runs or bubbles, but mostly you're just trying to knock down the high spots between coats so they don't build up. I would put on a couple of coats, let dry really well, wet sand with 400 grit to get it uniformly flat, but not necessarily glossy. Then when you put down your clear coats step it up to 600 grit and wet sand between coats for a few coats, and then spray your last couple of coats, let cure, and start wet sanding from 600 -2000 grit, don't skip grits. Then you can use some auto polishing compound and a buffer and you'll be as shiny as a factory guitar. You just don't want to sand through coats or put in deep scratches. lacquer will melt into itself really well. poly and acrylics don't. what you're using is probably some sort of poly or enamel, so it will not melt into itself. sand too much and you'll get "witness lines" where you can see the different coats.

I should also say I'm not a pro, but I have done a couple guitars with really good results, but I was using a nitro based lacquer. I haven't done poly myself

[solteroblues]

basically the sanding between coats is necessary to give the next layer a little bite to hang onto. the final clear coats will give you all of the gloss you need, the base coats should NOT be glossy, or the next level of paint won't stick very well since you're not using lacquer (at least I don't think you are).