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I am finishing a new electric guitar (alder body). I am an experienced woodworker, just to start this off at the right level.

The problem is compatibility between primer and color coat when the paint manufacturer of the color coat (Krylon) never bothers to say whether their paint is lacquer or something else (they only say "quick drying" which does not help. I am using spray cans. Sorry, I sold my old compressor and Binks gun.

My primer coats were perfect -- velvety smooth, cured for a day. My first color coat also went on fine. The trouble started when I did some very light sanding. The color coat seemed to roll under the sandpaper, rather than powder off like lacquer. Scratch marks were obvious even using 220 lightly. I hit it with color again and ended up with a total mess -- some orange peel (using exactly the same spray technique as before) but also some crazing.

I suspect this Krylon stuff is not lacquer as one of their reps told me it was.

Any suggestions?

I want the guitar to be a darker, grayish blue (Oxford Blue). Very hard to find colored lacquers. I asked on reRanch site but, of course, they said to buy ReRanch even though I said the Lake Placid Blue was too light.

I will likely be stripping it all down tomorrow and starting over. Sigh.

Sounded like it may not have cured . I try to use the same manufactures product from start to finish for that reason. I tried using Krylon over shellac and it did this nice crackle effect , My suggestion would be to get stripped off to the primer go to an auto parts store and use auto paints and finish , the clear coat will be more compatible

Agree but I am looking for an opaque color not a metallic. I am trying to find a lacquer solid color.

you can find solid colors there . They are a better finish than Krylon I think they are acrylic lacquer. They work well and dry fast.

Krylon is one of Sherwin Williams Acrylic lacquers -- it does has a specific white primer -- perhaps for compatibility? I would suggest that there is not a better place to get solid color products and advice for electric guitars then -- http://reranch.com/ Guitar refinishing using rattle cans is their specialty.

Identifying Krylon: When RustOleum bought up Krylon, the paint changed from lacquer to enamel, not so's they told anybody. But you can figure it out real easily by reading the recoating instructions on the label. If you can recoat right anytime, it's lacquer. If it's enamel, they tell you to recoat after waiting x hours.