Hellllo there. Well I only make a few thousand a year so that's not too much experience but, I use good old fashioned Oil Based Kilnz primer and follow up with Oil based enamal. and top it off with Bull's Eye Shellac. That looks pretty good when your done. The Kilnz dries quickly and sands very easily to a smooth finish and than you can easily thin out the oil pain. I use Rustoleum and do my own tinting and metalizing. The Shellac is a nice finish and dries quickly and brilliantly.
My $0.02
Time to catch some fish.