Quote:
Originally Posted by robert43  Hi all as I have said earlier in pickups I am going to convert a P & J bass ( cheap ) to a P & MM bass ( like the Fender American Deluxe P bass )
Any way the question I have to ask is when I go to routet out the pick ares , my bass is a sunburst bass. What I as wondering how can I cut the clear hard lacqure , if I dont take away the lacqure it will chip / break and look s****house  any ideas.
Maybe a sharp stanley knife to cut the edges ? any other ideas? thanks  |
If you use a down cutting router bit, chipping the finish shouldn't be a problem.
Make the initial cut well inside the template, stop and check the quality of the cut.
Don't use regular masking tape to shield the front of the bass. It is sticky enough that it could lift a chip at the cut edge. The blue colored 'painters tape' doesn't have nearly the adhesion of garden variety masking tape and is safer to use.
In the event that you did (unlikely) lift a chip, the chip can be carefully glued back in place since it'll be held in place by the tape.
Use the tape to align the chip by peeling the tape edge back just enough to carefully put a thin coat of S.G. in the void. By allowing the tape to 'hinge' back down the, chip realigns with the void.
Don't underestimate just how tough a sound lacquer finish really is. IMO, if you can knock a 1/4" deep dent in a lacquer finish and the finish doesn't fail in that dent, it probably will survive careful routing just fine.
