Poor bass...

5stringDNA · #1 04-10-2005, 06:54 PM

It seems this bass was vicitim to an incompletely rockabilly customization attempt. What is a Strunal 50/4 worth anyway. Stripping the nasty paint off would be a serious task....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...314202257&rd=1

BTW- Is sanding off the extra layer of paint particularly hard, or could it be done by someone with a basic level of carpentry and painting abilities? I may go look at the bass before the auction ends tommorow if I can squeeze it in. Curiosity can be a dangerous thing....

Silversorcerer · #2 04-10-2005, 09:55 PM

Sanding is not always the best way to remove a bad paint job. You want to try solvents first in less visible areas and hope that the original finish is a different solvent base than the flat black. If the original finish is nitrocellulose or polyurethane, you can probably get the black off without affecting the original finish. I would try mineral spirits and then shellac thinner (pure ethanol), in that order. If you're lucky it's a spray laquer. If that doesn't work, try xylene. The goal is to get something that will just wipe the black off and not the original finish. If it's the same solvent base, you can't do it that way. Try steel wool in various grades and use a dust mask. That will polish it off and do less damage than sandpaper. Whatever that stuff is, you don't want to breath a bunch of the dust, or the fumes. Don't do something like Stripeez(sp?). That will take it all off. Whoever did that to the bass sort of put a visual blight on it more than a sound blight and if it was me and I just wanted a cheapo bass for the dangerous gigs, I would live with the flat black. It looks to be in good shape otherwise, but don't you already have an EM1?

I have a Lidyl bass made in the same town as Strunal called a model 50/1. Strunal also makes a 50/1. These are all laminated and mine has the "ebonized" FB. I think the 50/4 is an upgrade, perhaps a hybrid, but I think you can find a page that describes them fully. They probably have ebony on the FB and maybe a carved top. I think someone else on the forum has one, so search the basses forum for "Strunal" and it should pop up. I got my Lidyl for $250 by the way. It is very weather stable, a little weak and nasally, but not bad and for all its' short comings;- it beats most of the Kays and Engelhardts in the sound department but Engelhardts have prettier veneers.

If it really interests you, under $500 wouldn't be real bad. Sight unseen I wouldn't go any higher. Getting rid of the finish will be a great deal of work so decide how much your labor is worth before you bid and be prepared to spend more for a set-up.

5stringDNA · #3 04-10-2005, 10:23 PM

ya, I have an Em-1, and his a nice sound as well. The bass is at a music store about 30 minutes away from my house, so if I got off work in time I could check it out tommorow then sneak in a bid over teh nearest library's connection, haha. The whole point was if the bass ended up goign for dirt cheap and I coudl take the plack paint off then take my precious time reselling it to make some cash. I would prefer a bit fatter neck than is what is on my M-1, so if the bass actually sounded good I could also just keep it and sell of the M-1 for some cash. I don't intend on keeping the engel too long, as my ultimate goal is a 5, as noted previously. I probably won't bid, but I thought just in case....the labor isn't an issue either, it would be a fun side-project to mess with for awhile.
the 50/4 has an ebony fingerboard, ebonized tailpiece, beechwood neck, all ply body.

Paul Warburton · #4 04-11-2005, 07:07 AM

Those damn Gollihur BASS stickers show up just everywhere don't they?

Brent Norton · #5 04-11-2005, 08:46 AM

Strunal uses poly (can't remember of it's -ester or -urethane) on their laminaed basses. You might try to find out from the current owner what he pained it with - most likely a rattle can enamel job of some kind. Mineral spirits ain't gonna do much of anything on a cured finish. You might try lacquer thinner and hope it doesn't eat the poly as well. The 50/4 is a laminated bass, ebony fingerboard.

anonymous0726 · #6 04-11-2005, 08:56 AM

I think the previous owner needs new batteries in his hearing aid.

Flat BACK, not BLACK.

Eric Jackson · #7 04-11-2005, 09:24 AM

Judging by the tattoo- style artwork on the back, the owner may have batteries in his ear LOBES already.

anonymous0726 · #8 04-11-2005, 09:43 AM

Up there, too, eh? I was hoping that this was a localized Christopher St. thang.

(Christopher St. is the center of the 'alternative' universe in the West Village, for those not informed)

Rob Hunter · #9 04-11-2005, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent Norton

Strunal uses poly (can't remember of it's -ester or -urethane) on their laminaed basses.

If it helps, a Strunal employee from the Czech Republic said my 5/20 was finished with "polyurethane varnish."

I think the Gollihur sticker is the best part of the paint job!

Silversorcerer · #10 04-11-2005, 10:44 AM

Hey, 5stringDNA,

If it's only 30 minutes drive to check it out, that's a definite plus. Another good sign, the friction from putting it in and out of the bag has already removed some of the flat black at the edges. You might be able to just rub that stuff off with some #0000 steel wool.

Ed Fuqua · #11 04-11-2005, 10:52 AM

PACMAN's got an old thread about stripping and revarnishing a DB...

**Pacman** · #12 04-11-2005, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

PACMAN's got an old thread about stripping and revarnishing a DB...

..uuuhhh, yeah.... NOT recommended! (At least by me) It sorta helped the sound, but that bass is BUTT ugly now!

Thanks for digging up that pain, ed!

Ed Fuqua · #13 04-11-2005, 11:04 AM

Do you wear that necklace when you play? Doesn't it get in the way?

Paul Warburton · #14 04-11-2005, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Do you wear that necklace when you play? Doesn't it get in the way?

Tom Hutton · #15 04-11-2005, 02:53 PM

I say do it!
I've almost finished the stripping/refinishing of an old Kay (it'll be done by the end of the week), and it's turned out really well. It's not so hard if you've got the time to spare, and there's info on here to cover pretty much every aspect of the process

**Pacman** · #16 04-11-2005, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Do you wear that necklace when you play? Doesn't it get in the way?

More than you'd think...

5stringDNA · #17 04-11-2005, 04:22 PM

well, I went and looked at the bass, and to replace the bridge, plane the bump out of the fingerboard, and put on new strings (they are shot), it owudl end up in the $600 ballpark, which would bring it up to teh same level as my engelhardt sans paint work. I bid up to $390 but let it go. Th winner payed over $700. I really feel sorry for whoever payed that much cash for that bass. It had a good sound and wasn't abad player- the neck is was much more comfortable for me than my engel however.