Getting Bass Refinished

[saxnbass]

I have a jazz bass that I am thinking about getting refinished. I would like a Pino Palladino Red in Nitro. Anybody have any ideas how much that would cost?

[62bass]

I don't know for sure, but over $300 depending on how much prep work needs to be done and if you need to completely remove the existing finish. Try getting in touch with Michael Dolan on his forum at the Dudepit. He does excellent work and his prices are good.

[saxnbass]

Does Sadowsky or Valenti or any of those guys do refinishing jobs for people? If so, will they do a Nitro finish? More than $300 I figured, but less than $500? I want the original finish completely removed and I don't want the new Nitro finish too thick (think Highway One/1). It's a new bass, so the original finish is excellent (basically mint).

[koentje_bassist]

Anybody done a refinish on a musicman sub. I really like the natural look of natural musicman stingrays, so it's just sandpaper and some oil I need (at least, I think so). Does anyone got pictures of a refinished musicman sub (not of the special white refinish)? Thx!

[62bass]

Originally Posted by saxnbass

Does Sadowsky or Valenti or any of those guys do refinishing jobs for people? If so, will they do a Nitro finish? More than $300 I figured, but less than $500? I want the original finish completely removed and I don't want the new Nitro finish too thick (think Highway One/1). It's a new bass, so the original finish is excellent (basically mint).

I just noticed you're in Italy. Michael Dolan and Sadowsky are in the USA of course. You'd better check around your area. Removing the existing finish is the really labour intensive part and can add a lot to the cost. If they can spray the nitro over the original, and I'm sure they can, it'll be a lot less money. You might want to save some money and remove the finish yourself and get it as close to ready for spraying as you can. It's probably one of those bullet proof catalyzed poly finishes that are impervious to chemical strippers and are best removed with a heat gun and many hours of final sanding. It's not a job I'd relish doing again.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by koentje_bassist

Anybody done a refinish on a musicman sub. I really like the natural look of natural musicman stingrays, so it's just sandpaper and some oil I need (at least, I think so). Does anyone got pictures of a refinished musicman sub (not of the special white refinish)? Thx!

Before you decide to remove the finish, which can be a LOT of work, do you know what the wood looks like underneath? A natural oil finish looks great on ash and some other woods, not so good on very plain grained woods or mismatched pieces of wood. I lucked out on my Fender. It was a 3 piece ash body and the 3 pieces matched each other well.

[groovetoolz]

Originally Posted by 62bass

Before you decide to remove the finish, which can be a LOT of work, do you know what the wood looks like underneath? A natural oil finish looks great on ash and some other woods, not so good on very plain grained woods or mismatched pieces of wood. I lucked out on my Fender. It was a 3 piece ash body and the 3 pieces matched each other well.

he can always put a paint back on anyway

[62bass]

Originally Posted by groovetoolz

he can always put a paint back on anyway

Very true. That's what I was prepared to do in case my Fender looked bad ubderneath.

[joeyl]

my brother in law paints bikes as a hobby, he re-sprayed a guitar for my friend easily. He knocked off the shine of the paint with fine sandpaper, resprayed and clear coated. It looks pretty good.
you don't have to limit yourself to guitar refinishers