Any source for Cadillac Green lacquer in the USA?

[New Jersey]

I'm looking for a source for nitrocellulose Cadillac Green lacquer to refinish the neck on my 65 Viking. It had been stripped down to the bare wood by a previous owner. Under bright light, fine gold "dust" flakes can be seen in the origional finish.

 

[drmilktruck]

I'm looking for a source for nitrocellulose Cadillac Green lacquer to refinish the neck on my 65 Viking. It had been stripped down to the bare wood by a previous owner. Under bright light, fine gold "dust" flakes can be seen in the origional finish.

Reach out to @Curt He does a lot of very good Gretsch guitar work and restoration.

 

[Back in Black]

I'm looking for a source for nitrocellulose Cadillac Green lacquer to refinish the neck on my 65 Viking. It had been stripped down to the bare wood by a previous owner. Under bright light, fine gold "dust" flakes can be seen in the origional finish.

Hey NJ,

If you can provide a sample, any good auto body finish supplier should be able to custom mix whatever you need.

You will need to purchase two parts, lacquer and lacquer thinner.

Suggest using an air-brush, StewMac can help you out with that.

Best,

BIB.

 

[New Jersey]

Hey NJ,

If you can provide a sample, any good auto body finish supplier should be able to custom mix whatever you need.

You will need to purchase two parts, lacquer and lacquer thinner.

Suggest using an air-brush, StewMac can help you out with that.

Best,

BIB.

I have only been able to find suppliers of acrylic based lacquers at autobody paint jobbers.

 

[Back in Black]

I have only been able to find suppliers of acrylic based lacquers at autobody paint jobbers.

Ya...nitro cellulose may be a little difficult.

It's a cancer causing agent and highly flammable, its usage was all but ceased due to OSHA health and safety concerns for workers.

Contact StewMac, I know they sell nitro in small quantities. Maybe their supplier can help you out with a specific color

If your project was mine, I'd use any lacquer I could get. Your guitar will not know the difference, and unless you fully detail the repair/refinish to others, neither will anyone else.

Personally, with the health hazards related to nitro cellulose lacquer, I wouldn't use it for anything. It certainly should not be used in a domestic environment.

Best with your repair.

BIB.

 

[New Jersey]

I'm looking for a source for nitrocellulose Cadillac Green lacquer to refinish the neck on my 65 Viking. It had been stripped down to the bare wood by a previous owner. Under bright light, fine gold "dust" flakes can be seen in the origional finish.

Here's a picture of the guitar.

 

[drmilktruck]

Unfortunately ReRanch didn't survive the lockdown. Their Cadillac Green wasn't the right shade anyway, it was the back of the Annie, not the Jet/CC/Viking version.

 

[knavel]

Curt talked about on the GDP how he put a fair bit of effort into creating a Cadillac Green paint formula. He operated a paint store before going full time into luthiery. Given that your screen name is where his workshop is, I would second the recommendation above and suggest you get in touch. I don't expect he'll provide the paint as I think it's a trade secret. But you can always ask. He might have a CG project or two on his site:

Gallery 2

Visit the post for more.

www.oldschoolguitar.net

 

[senojnad]

Curt talked about on the GDP how he put a fair bit of effort into creating a Cadillac Green paint formula. He operated a paint store before going full time into luthiery. Given that your screen name is where his workshop is, I would second the recommendation above and suggest you get in touch. I don't expect he'll provide the paint as I think it's a trade secret. But you can always ask. He might have a CG project or two on his site:

Gallery 2

Visit the post for more.

www.oldschoolguitar.net

Curt is in Hopewell, NJ..........

 

[New Jersey]

Curt talked about on the GDP how he put a fair bit of effort into creating a Cadillac Green paint formula. He operated a paint store before going full time into luthiery. Given that your screen name is where his workshop is, I would second the recommendation above and suggest you get in touch. I don't expect he'll provide the paint as I think it's a trade secret. But you can always ask. He might have a CG project or two on his site:

Gallery 2

Visit the post for more.

www.oldschoolguitar.net

 

[New Jersey]

I have spoken to him before, I asked him about the Webster Vibrato arm project for this guitar. I cobbled one together from scrap barrel material at work. He didn't have any in his shop to measure. Kind of rare evidently. I will see what he suggest. Thanks Dave

 

[knavel]

I have spoken to him before, I asked him about the Webster Vibrato arm project for this guitar. I cobbled one together from scrap barrel material at work. He didn't have any in his shop to measure. Kind of rare evidently. I will see what he suggest. Thanks Dave

Perhaps it could just be a request to piggyback onto the next CG paint project he has and then you can keep looking in the meantime. If you were in the UK I would rec at least two places who could do it. I never had any luck with luthiers aside from Curt in the USA so unfortunately I can't be much help to you. Good luck.

PS - feel free to put up some frontal shots of your Viking!

 

[New Jersey]

Perhaps it could just be a request to piggyback onto the next CG paint project he has and then you can keep looking in the meantime. If you were in the UK I would rec at least two places who could do it. I never had any luck with luthiers aside from Curt in the USA so unfortunately I can't be much help to you. Good luck.

PS - feel free to put up some frontal shots of your Viking!

 

[tartanphantom]

Since Gretsch used a number of GM-based finishes at the time, I would start my search with GM code WA3304 Sherwood Green, and GM code WA3784 Ivanhoe Green. These were the primary Green shades used by Cadillac at the time your guitar was made, and were readily available. I'm not saying that either of these are the exact colors, but they were contemporary to the guitar. The Sherwood Green may appear too "bright" to match if you look at actual vehicle photos, but some of that will be different due to the color of base primer was used.

These are good starting points and you can drill down from there. Gretsch's Cadillac Green has varied both in hue and reflectivity over the years... some with a wee bit of metal flake, some without.

 

[New Jersey]

Since Gretsch used a number of GM-based finishes at the time, I would start my search with GM code WA3304 Sherwood Green, and GM code WA3784 Ivanhoe Green. These were the primary Green shades used by Cadillac at the time your guitar was made, and were readily available. I'm not saying that either of these are the exact colors, but they were contemporary to the guitar. The Sherwood Green may appear too "bright" to match if you look at actual vehicle photos, but some of that will be different due to the color of base primer was used.

These are good starting points and you can drill down from there. Gretsch's Cadillac Green has varied both in hue and reflectivity over the years... some with a wee bit of metal flake, some without.

That's great Information, thanks!

 

[drmilktruck]

I did a Caddy Green Esquire using StewMac wipe on poly. I also plan to use it on a Billy Bo build.

 

[DoctorQ9]

that color is gorgeous!! When you do find a source for the finish that you seek, please post the information to this forum.

 

[Henry]

General Motors?

 

[tartanphantom]

General Motors?

Exactly.

 

[SneakyPete]

Since Gretsch used a number of GM-based finishes at the time, I would start my search with GM code WA3304 Sherwood Green, and GM code WA3784 Ivanhoe Green. These were the primary Green shades used by Cadillac at the time your guitar was made, and were readily available. I'm not saying that either of these are the exact colors, but they were contemporary to the guitar. The Sherwood Green may appear too "bright" to match if you look at actual vehicle photos, but some of that will be different due to the color of base primer was used.

These are good starting points and you can drill down from there. Gretsch's Cadillac Green has varied both in hue and reflectivity over the years... some with a wee bit of metal flake, some without.

That link is a great resource, thanks for posting! I've been curious to know what the colours were called for the two tone Smoke Green Anniversary guitars, so I just clicked on '1958' and 'Cadillac' and was rewarded with this, Acadian Green and Versailles Green. Looks great!