Bass guitar refurb

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Drago

Legendary Member
Wasn't sure whether to put this in here as it is a DIY project of sorts, orminto hobvies and interests. Mods feel free to fiddle as appropriate.

My late 70's G&L jazz was looking pretty beaten up. I know that the relic look is in, but this had gone beyond the event horizon and into post apocalyptic. They're nice instruments, but not as expensive as Fender branded items and nowhere near as valuable as they age, so it was hardly worth the expense of getting a pro involved when a new one would cost less than 400 sniffters.

So time for a DIY repaint, a rewire, and possibly a new pickguard.

I neglected to take a before pic and thus document the project from its nadir to its apex, so you'll just have to use your imagination.

So stripped, rubbed down, damage filled, rubbed down again, and now waiting for the hi build primer to arrive.

587010


That fretboard needs some work! :laugh:

I always thought the body was ash, but it seems very light indeed compared to my P bass so I'm not so sure.

Undecided on the final colour. I've narrowed it down to cherry red with a plain black or dark grey tort pickguard, or the classic China blue with a more typical red tort pickguard. Feel free to opine on the subject.

So lots of priming and rubbing down ahead to achieve a surgically smooth surface before paint goes anywhere near it. I'll be using acrylic and finishing with a 2 pack polyurethane clear lacquer.
 
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MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
fretless... nice!

Were you not tempted to just remove the paint completely and let the wood show?

I tried that once with a Marlin strat copy... turned out to be plywood and looked sh!te.
 
OP
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Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
I did consider it. However, the existing finish is poly so wont come off as cleanly as nitro would. That and I don't have a heat gun.
 
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Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
My Precision is a natual ash finish, and my Ibanez is a sunburst. My Hofner is gloss black, and my Harley Benton is satin black, even the bridge and tuners.

I like natural, but im also a fan of the 50's Fender palate and need some colour in my studio.
 

Badger_Boom

Über Member
Location
York
Wasn't sure whether to put this in here as it is a DIY project of sorts, orminto hobvies and interests. Mods feel free to fiddle as appropriate.

My late 70's G&L jazz was looking pretty beaten up. I know that the relic look is in, but this had gone beyond the event horizon and into post apocalyptic. They're nice instruments, but not as expensive as Fender branded items and nowhere near as valuable as they age, so it was hardly worth the expense of getting a pro involved when a new one would cost less than 400 sniffters.

So time for a DIY repaint, a rewire, and possibly a new pickguard.

I neglected to take a before pic and thus document the project from its nadir to its apex, so you'll just have to use your imagination.

So stripped, rubbed down, damage filled, rubbed down again, and now waiting for the hi build primer to arrive.

View attachment 587010

That fretboard needs some work! :laugh:

I always thought the body was ash, but it seems very light indeed compared to my P bass so I'm not so sure.

Undecided on the final colour. I've narrowed it down to cherry red with a plain black or dark grey tort pickguard, or the classic China blue with a more typical red tort pickguard. Feel free to opine on the subject.

So lots of priming and rubbing down ahead to achieve a surgically smooth surface before paint goes anywhere near it. I'll be using acrylic and finishing with a 2 pack polyurethane clear lacquer.
So you're not going full Betsy and spraying it Burgundy MIst? ^_^
 
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OP
Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
Been laying down coats of hi build primer, rubbed down with 400 grit between coats.

Last night I laid on a primer coat, and while it was still wet laid on a coat of the final colour. A bit heavier than a mist coat, but lighter than a full coat.

That's a guide coat, so when I rubbed or down the morning any imperfections, peaks or follows would stand out. All rubbed down now and looking pretty decent.

587390


Will now clean, degrease and allow to dry for a few days before laying the first few colour coats.
 
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