Nitrocellulose lacquer in aerosols
I have supplied this lacquer to Gibson UK, Gordon Smith, Fretking and other guitar builders in the UK.
I offer aerosols of nitrocellulose lacquer in a number of colours suitable for finishing acoustic and electric guitars.
I can supply popular guitar custom colours of the 1950s and 1960s. These should be used with a white primer and finished with a clear coat of lacquer.
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The large aerosols contain 400ml of high quality lacquer and have elliptical nozzles so that the lacquer can be applied accurately. When using the solid colours, one can each of primer, colour and clear is sufficient in most cases to paint a body, but this does depend on your skill level. Inexperienced refinishers may need more!
Aerosols cost £15 each. Delivery to UK addresses is a flat rate of £5. Please email for advice and first see the list of frequently asked questions.
You might have noticed that colours come and go subject to demand and availability. I try to ensure that everything on the site is in stock.
NOTE Lacquer should only be used in a well ventilated area. You should wear a properly fitted vapour respirator during the application and drying of nitrocellulose lacquer. Machine Mart sell an ideal respirator for under £20 including organic solvent cartridges.
It is illegal in the UK for anyone under the age of 16 to attempt to purchase aerosol paints. By ordering lacquer aerosols, you confirm that you are over 16 years of age.
Please note that I cannot supply lacquer outside of mainland United Kingdom.
Transparent and translucent colours
Specially formulated to show the wood grain, these colours will intensify as you apply more coats.
Please see my quick start guide to sunburst finishes.
Clear BlueShown sprayed thinly but more coats result in a deep blue. It has a greenish hue here due to the yellow of the wood showing through. Looks great over figured maple. |
Clear RedShown sprayed quite thinly. Builds with more coats to a deep cherry. Also can be used for cherry sunburst or 3-colour sunbursts. |
Clear Amber YellowGreat for transparent amber on wood and also for sunbursting. Sprayed thickly it gives a deep orange colour. |
Light ButterscotchSold Out - Temporarily unavailableFormulated to replicate the pale butterscotch of the NoCaster era. This lacquer combines the colour and white opaquing agent in one can. You can darken it of course by overcoating with tinted gloss to your desired depth of colour. |
White Blond see exampleGives a typical 60s and 70s blond look. This lacquer is translucent white and the colour in the picture is the colour of the ash wood showing through. For a 50s style butterscotch just overcoat with tinted gloss to your desired depth of colour. |
Clear Medium BrownA reddish brown, useful for sunbursting giving a honeyburst effect when used with Clear Amber. This, like the Clear Tobacco Brown has quite a low stain loading which makes sunbursts easier but means that quite a few coats may be needed to get the colour depth required. |
Clear Tobacco BrownA darker brown, useful for sunbursting giving a vintage sunburst effect when used with Clear Amber. This, like the Clear Medium Brown has quite a low stain loading which makes sunbursts easier but means that quite a few coats may be needed to get the colour depth required. |
Clear coats
I'd always recommend that you clear coat almost any finish before flat sanding and buffing. Not only does a clear coat provide a much deeper gloss (or a soft satin sheen if that's your thing) but it acts as a barrier so that you don't rub through your colour.
Clear Gloss LacquerCrystal clear and water white for natural finishes. Contains no colour and shown here on maple but also essential for clearcoating your lacquer before flatting and buffing. |
Clear Satin LacquerAlso crystal clear and water white, but a softer sheen than the gloss. Contains no colour. Use for necks or when you want a softer finish. Can be used to give an aged appearance. |
Tinted Gloss see exampleAn amber tinted gloss for giving a vintage tone to guitar necks. Needs to be used with clear gloss so that you can control the colour depth. The more you spray the darker the tint. Great for butterscotch telecasters! |
Light Tint Gloss LacquerA light tint, useful for taking the edge of the custom colours. The low dye loading makes getting an even colour much easier. |
Custom Colours
These colours have been created by studying and colour-scanning original items from the 50s and 60s. Please note that colours may change from batch to batch.
For each colour below I have tried to illustrate the effect of using a tinted lacquer over the base colour to replicate the yellowing of an old clear coat. Whether or not you add a tinted coat is up to you.
I would almost always recommend that you use an undercoat of white primer and a clear coat over all these colours. A clearcoat over metallics is essential.
Olympic White see exampleWhat can I say? It's white. Looks best with the edge taken off by using a slight tinted clearcoat and a mint-green pickguard. |
Black see exampleNone more black. The first Fender Esquire launched at the 1950 NAMM exhibition was black and black has been available on Fender guitars ever since. |
Fiesta Red see exampleThis is one of my favourite colours and was originally found on 1956 Ford Thunderbirds. It is one of the earliest custom colours available from the late 1950s through the whole of the 1960s. A white pickguard is a must for Fiesta Red to look its best and all Fiesta Red guitars left the factory with a white 'guard. A tinted clearcoat changes the shade from pinkish red to orange-red. |
Daphne Blue see exampleDaphne Blue was only available for a few years in the early 1960s before being superseded by Blue Ice metallic. |
Surf Green see exampleSurf Green was originally used on 1957 Chevrolets. It is one of the classic colours of the late 1950s and early 1960s. |
Shell Pink see exampleShell Pink is not just for girls! Only available for a few years to 1962 I think it looks great on a rosewood-board Telecaster. A slighly yellowed clearcoat will give that flesh-tone that the aged examples have become. |
Sonic Blue see exampleOne of the most popular Fender custom colours, this chalky blue looks superb on Stratocasters and Mustangs - in fact any Fender! |
Vintage White see exampleThe quintissential 70s and 80s colour, this is matched to my own early 80s Stratocaster. |
Dakota RedOriginally found on 1958 Cadillacs, Fender offered this colour from 1960 to 1969. As you can see, a yellowed clear coat makes very little difference to this colour. |
Foam Green see exampleFoam Green was used by Fender throughout the sixties. I think it looks super-cool with a tortoise pickguard. Best undercoated with White Primer. |
Lake Placid Blue Metallic see exampleMy most popular metallic colour by far. This colour is true to the original, and shimmers from dark to light blue, but is quite unlike the pale blue that passes for LPB on some modern Fender guitars. |
Burgundy Mist MetallicThis is a 1959 Oldsmobile colour and one of my favourites, especially for Jaguars and Jazzmasters. Available on Fender guitars from 1960 to 1965. |
Sherwood Green Metallic see exampleSherwood Green metallic was used by Fender from 1960 to 1965. This colour is a medium green, quite unlike the dark green reissues that you see. I recommend that a white primer is used and that you clearcoat. Looks great with a rosewood neck and off-white pickguard. Best undercoated with White Primer. |
Inca Silver MetallicFender used Inca Silver metallic from 1960 until 1965. I recommend that a white primer is used and that you always clearcoat. Inca Silver can also be used to make a great Candy Apple Red by combining it with my Clear Red Lacquer above. |
Charcoal Frost MetallicBecause I like it. I think it looks superb on Jaguars and Jazzmasters but great on anything really. Needs a white or cream guard I think! Introduced in limited quantities it could be here to stay if it sells as well as it should. |
![]() White PrimerWhite nitrocellulose primer for under the solid colours above. |
Gibson Colours
By popular demand I now have some Gibson colours in stock.
Specials
These are not matched to any particular colour, just for fun refinishes.
Bright RedBright red, good for striped custom paint jobs. |
Bright YellowBright yellow, also good for striped custom paint jobs. |
Medium BlueMedium blue - union jack perhaps? |
This lacquer is sold for guitar finishing. Each application is different however and it is completely up to the user to determine whether this product is suitable for their particular purpose. By making a purchase you indicate you understand the proper and safe use of this product. Nitrocellulose finishes are fragile and sensitive to changes in environmental temperature and humidity.



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