**Anyone Re-paint White Rick "Panda" Panels?**

[Mark Helm]

Hey, fellers!

Anyone re-paint White Rick "Panda" Panels (or know someone who does? Mine are the metal ones from a pre-was B-6.

If so, please PM me.



Thanks!

--Mark

[Bill Groner]

I thought you were going to take a stab at it???

[Mark Helm]

I thought you were going to take a stab at it???

Naw...at least not if I can get a pro to do it. I started thinking about it and got cold feel. But ya never know. Sometimes I'm forced to do things myself!

[Mark Helm]

I thought you were going to take a stab at it???

Naw...at least not if I can get a pro to do it. I started thinking about it and got cold feel. But ya never know. Sometimes I'm forced to do things myself!

[Brad Bechtel]

I touched up the panels on my old Rickenbacher B6 using white Testors model car paint.

[Bill Groner]

But ya never know. Sometimes I'm forced to do things myself! Laughing

That is how one learns and gets a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when the job is done. I have two sons. One is like me, and hates to part with his money. He watches Youtube videos and gets a good idea of how to do and not to do things. My other son, can't be bothered with so called manual work and if at all possible throws money at it the job at hand. Which son do you think feels better about himself? I know which one, and I think you do as well. I don't know you, but I think people over the age of 50 have more of a can do attitude, vs the 50 and under age group. My guess from reading your posts you are around, early to mid 40's?? Am I close? If you are all thumbs, then by all means hire a pro, but I don't think, as well as all the guys that gave you advice it is that difficult of a job. The worst that can happen is you have to strip off the paint you put on.

[George Macdonald]

I have a pre war Rick that I bought from a pawn shop in Fullerton Calif. in the 70s. I managed to get it for $10.00 because it had one tuner that wasn't original. As you can see it has blue celluloid panels. I'm not sure if they were originally blue or if they were painted. I replaced the tuners with vintage style tuners from Stew Mac that look good.

[Ryan Matzen]

I would just get some good quality spray paint and spray them. Those plates are metal. So, if you did happen to mess it up, you could just remove the paint and start over. Getting a professional looking paint job on those panels should be very easy with spray paint. Maybe just watch a few tutorials on using spray paint? I’ve painted vintage Harley parts, guitars, and other items with professional results just using good quality rattle cans.

[Jack Hanson]

I touched up the panels on my old Rickenbacher B6 using white Testors model car paint.

I used Testors dark red on the two screw-nails...
...that double as 12th fret position markers on the Century Deluxe I just finished rescuing:

[Ryan Matzen]

Just in case you were thinking about brushing the finish on… I would strongly suggest not brushing a finish onto those plates as you risk brush marks.

If you do decide to paint the panel yourself…
I assume that Rickenbacker used an enamel. But, you may want to look into that further.
You’d have to clean off the old paint.
Read the instructions on the spray can twice.
Make sure that it is not too windy. And, that the air temperature is within the desired range.
Shake the can thoroughly before and throughout the painting process.
Always start your paint stroke off of the panel. And, always end your paint stroke off of the panel. Do not start and stop on the panel.
Multiple light coats are way better than one thick coat.
Clean the can nozzle every so often by depressing it while holding the can upside down until no paint comes out.

If you feel that you need to outsource the painting…
You might try contacting local car repair / paint shops. Or, powder coating companies. Anytime I’ve needed something powder coated, I would call a local powder coater and see what colors they were currently running. If they we’re running (or going to run) a color that I wanted something done in, I would ask if they could throw a couple of my parts on their line. As long as they were already running the color, they would add my parts for a very low charge. You may also try connecting with someone at a local “Maker’s Space”. Or, even a model shop might know someone who would do it.

[Clyde Mattocks]

There are appliance white spray cans on the market. These paints emulate porcelain and is quite hard and stays white. As some have said above I kind of like going rad and doing some other things. You can get some various sparlkle colors that is hard at motorcycle shops.

[Mark Helm]

I touched up the panels on my old Rickenbacher B6 using white Testors model car paint.

Did it match, or did you have to repaint the whole panels, Brad?

Thanks!

[Mark Helm]

You’d have to clean off the old paint.

Thanks, Ryan! Do you mean strip all the old paint off? What with?

[Mark Helm]

I don't know you, but I think people over the age of 50 have more of a can do attitude, vs the 50 and under age group. My guess from reading your posts you are around, early to mid 40's?? Am I close?
[/color]

HA! I wish! I just turned 60 (but I do look mid-40s....good genes, I guess ). I did totally refinish a destroyed dual pro about a year ago. Here's what it looked like when I bought it (someone had hammered almost 100 roofing nail into it and the fretboard was destroyed...among other things):



And here's what it looked like after A LOT of work. Only original fretboard I could find was an older one, but it looked coo!.











So, Bill, I can do stuff... just makes me a tad nervous and I don't have a garage, so I'm a bit limited--especially in the TN heat. But maybe I'll give it a shot.

Questions: What do I strip the old paint off with? And will I need to seal the spray paint with anything? And should I use a gloss or matte finish? Any suggestion what brand of spray pain and color I should use?


Thanks!

[Bill Groner]

Fair enough Mark! Nice job on the refurb. Didn't mean to upset you, just wanted to give you a gentle nudge. Zip Strip takes off paint well, as well as Acetone. The color and finish is up to you.....satin hides imperfections better than gloss. If you are going for the original look and your panels are original then make the paint match what you have.

[Mark Helm]

Fair enough Mark! Nice job on the refurb. Didn't mean to upset you, just wanted to give you a gentle nudge.

Naw, Bill... you didn't upset me AT ALL. I took the nudge in the spirit in which it was intended. And I appreciate it. You inspired me to give it a go on my own. Todd Clinesmith suggested powder coating. Thoughts?

[Bill Groner]

I never thought of that, but certainly another option and if the job is done properly, it is more bullet proof than paint.

[Noah Miller]

Questions: What do I strip the old paint off with? And will I need to seal the spray paint with anything? And should I use a gloss or matte finish? Any suggestion what brand of spray pain and color I should use?

Acetone to strip, no sealant needed, gloss finish, and I'd go to an art supply store and see what color looks like a reasonable match.

[Mark Helm]

As you can see it has blue celluloid panels. I'm not sure if they were originally blue or if they were painted.

George: They were most certainly painted. To my knowledge, Rick only did the original chrome panels, white panels, and black panels... tho it's possible they may have offered custom colors. Todd Clinesmith would probably know.

[Ryan Matzen]

Hi Mark,

I sent you a PM.

I had suggested powder coating as an option in a previous post here. If you do decide to go that route, take a moment to read my previous post as it could possibly save you some serious $$$. I live in a city we’re there are a handful of powder coating companies around. And, I understand that this may not be an option for you. But, as one example, I needed some vintage Harley wheels powder coated in black. I called around local powder coating companies until I found one that was doing a job for John Deer. They were going to be running a bunch of John Deer parts in John Deer black. So, I asked them if they would throw my two prepped and cleaned wheels on their line when they did that job. They said no problem. It ended up costing $20 total for both wheels. So far, all of the people that I have worked with in powder coating have been happy to help me out.

Ryan

[Mark Helm]

Think I'm gonna just try to spray paint them myself. But much appreciated.

[Lloyd Walsh]

I’m probably in the minority but i like all the battle scars it has. Too many fake “distressed”, “road worn”, “relic” new instruments around, this one is a player who earned it’s scars. Regardless it’s a great looking instrument, and however it turns out I’m sure it’ll still sound great.
Glad you’re showing it some love either way.

[Mark Helm]

I kinda dig the battle scars, too... but I tend to buy a guitar, play it for a white and--if I don't absolutely fall in love with it--I sell it to buy one I hope I'll fall head over heels for.

I did have THAT guitar a couple years ago: A pre-war 7-string Panda that I was ga-ga over. But Bobby Ingano REALLY wanted it, and I was having some financial issues at the time, so I caved and sold it to him (at least it's in amazing hands). Wish I could have afforded to keep it. But maybe this one will get me, It sounds freaking amazing. Tremendous output from the pickup with that sweet pre-ward, string-through sound.

Wish me luck with the re-fi!

[Brian Cheetham]

Someone else mentioned this too but I highly recommend Rust-o-leum white appliance paint. It’s paint + epoxy and gives you a really smooth and durable finish. Spray it on in light coats so you don’t have drips

[Mark Helm]

Someone else mentioned this too but I highly recommend Rust-o-leum white appliance paint. It’s paint + epoxy and gives you a really smooth and durable finish. Spray it on in light coats so you don’t have drips

Brian! I bought a can tonight. Any advice on how light, many coats, and how long to dry in-between. I'm going to have to do it outside in the evening when it cools off (I'm in TN) and bring it in where is cool (ish) to dry between coats.

Also: Do I need to sand the panels any, or will they hold the paint/epoxy?

Thanks!