painting tuning knobs on a fender

Thwing · #1 03-16-2009, 04:49 PM

i was looking at painting the tuning knobs on my fender p bass because i think it would make my axe look freakn' sweet. im sure im not the only one that has thought of this. so any insight would help.

the tuning knobs are the standard fender chrome that come on the american standard basses. the color that i was thinking about painting them was either gloss or flat black because my P is white with the black pickguard(it just goes with the theme). does anyone have a experience doing this or had it done before, is it worth it, will it mess up anything (its not worth destroying my P bass at all)

-thanks

TrevorOfDoom · #2 03-16-2009, 04:56 PM

i wouldn't recommend it. seems to me to just be asking for trouble. getting paint in the gears and whatnot...
just buy black tuners.

PilbaraBass · #3 03-16-2009, 05:03 PM

why not buy a set of black chrome tuners? All the aftermarket companies make them...

walterw · #4 03-16-2009, 08:41 PM

paint won't stick that well to chrome, so painted keys will start to peel, flake, and look like ass in short order.

**line6man** · #5 03-16-2009, 08:57 PM

No offense, but i literally laughed out loud when i saw the title of this thread. This has got to be the most half @$$3d idea i have ever heard.

Why not just buy black tuners?
Just about all the tuners on the market today are available in chrome, black, and gold.

Thwing · #6 03-16-2009, 11:59 PM

i am going to hafta buy some black tuners. but i was really wanting to stay with the stock fenders and fender dosent make black tuners. but i guess ill just buy some black hipshots.

zagnut · #7 03-17-2009, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

paint won't stick that well to chrome, so painted keys will start to peel, flake, and look like ass in short order.

This man is correct, I found out the hard way. No matter how well I prepped mine, used adhesion promoter, paint just wont stick to the chrome. Even tried epoxy appliance paint. I finally decided on powder coating. Only cost me $20 to have all this powder coated -

olistorck · #8 03-17-2009, 12:36 PM

Is that a plywood bass ??? Yes it is...

zagnut · #9 03-17-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olistorck

Is that a plywood bass ??? Yes it is...

Yup, she's a cheapy. But has strong sentimental value.

hypercarrots · #10 03-19-2009, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thwing

i am going to hafta buy some black tuners. but i was really wanting to stay with the stock fenders and fender dosent make black tuners. but i guess ill just buy some black hipshots.

fender makes black tuners.

RustyAxe · #11 03-19-2009, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

No offense, but i literally laughed out loud when i saw the title of this thread. This has got to be the most half @$$3d idea i have ever heard.

Interesting way to avoid causing offense.

zagnut · #12 03-19-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hypercarrots

fender makes black tuners.

Everybody makes black tuners, and gold. That was my problem, black, gold and silver are the only ones available. In my case, and probably the OP's, the tuners were fine and in good condition. I couldn't justify spending about $100 on new tuners when I didn't need them and still have a color that everybody else had. Solution, look for someplace that does powder coating.

OP, a quick search turned up quite a few places in your area that do powder coating -
http://www.yellowbook.com/yellow-pag...ier+City%2C+LA

http://www.yellowpages.com/Bossier-C...Powder-Coating

Just makes sure that things like screw holes, gears, anything that connects closely to something else, etc don't get powder coated.

varunkapahi · #13 03-19-2009, 12:11 PM

first you scratch out the finish on the tuner you can do this using a sand paper or something. then you paint it and then you'd realize its a bad idea but its too later. so you can just buy black tuners

zagnut · #14 03-19-2009, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

first you scratch out the finish on the tuner you can do this using a sand paper or something. then you paint it and then you'd realize its a bad idea but its too later. so you can just buy black tuners

Yup, it will still flake off. I learned that the hard way. I even tried some epoxy paint, still flaked off. So I sent them off for powder. Cheap and durable as hell.