Rattle can headstock matching ?

4Mal · #1 04-26-2010, 08:42 AM

I just assembled a pretty sweet Franken. It's based on a MIM Dirnt body (54 P with added forearm contour). Warmoth J neck with 'bloodwood' fretboard.

So .. I'm thinking a gloss black matching headstock. Currently has a satin poly finish so that needs to be sanded off but then ...

If I want a close to the MIM Poly Gloss Black look, what is a good choice in Rattle Can ? I know of Re-Ranch but is there a locally available (Home Depot/Lowes) item that will serve ?

Do I do a few light coats and then clear over the top ?

If so, what's a good choice in rattle can clear ?

TIA, Mal

joeyl · #2 04-26-2010, 09:25 AM

since it is glossy black, that should be pretty easy to match. Sand the headstock lightly with 300 grit to give something for the paint to bite, no need to sand down to wood. I have used the duplicolor black with good results, a few coats and then clear with the compatible duplicolor clear coat. I bought them at Wal Mart in the automotive touchup section.

Jim C · #3 04-26-2010, 10:09 AM

The trick will be to get the clear on wet as it will be very hard to match the gloss level of the bass.
If you work with lacquor, you can at least wet sand, and use rubbing / polishing compound to reack that goal. I have never been able to get super high gloss out of any traditional hardware store enamels.
Is Duplicolor lacquor?

joeyl · #4 04-26-2010, 10:46 AM

I believe duplicolor is an acrylic enamel, but the clear for me came out quite glossy and I did not have to wet sand it any. Now for a larger area, it would have been trickier to get a nice level clear coat, but should be fine for a headstock

pin_head_47 · #5 04-26-2010, 12:13 PM

Try laying flat when as opposed to hanging it vertical. You'll have a much easier time not running or sagging the paint that way, so you can spray it on a bit wetter for better gloss.

4Mal · #6 05-02-2010, 08:06 PM

The 'Djirnt' bass.

Mike Dirnt body, Warmoth J neck ... bloodwood fretboard on 1/4 sawn maple, Hipshot UltraLites - the holes for the original plate style tuners I dowelled & glued, threaded vintage style barrels. Pete Biltoft @ Vintage Vibe made me a pickup, Alnico III with a slight overwind. Nice bottom, laid back hi's, nice and warm but not at the expense of articulation. This is the second of those he's done for me. New TI Jazz Flats.

Came out really well. Best playing Franken I've turned out yet. Most challenging as well. The neck pocket was a bit of a disaster wherea previous owner had attempted to round it to meet a rounded heel neck as opposed to the square Tele style neck. He elongated the pocket about 3/16ths. You can see the gap in the photo below. The 21st fret overhang covers that nicely. The other challenge was the pocket was too shallow for the neck if I wanted the strings the same distance from the body as on a 'regular' P. So I got out 'Happy the Plunge Router' and went very, very slowly... I hate free hand routing. All in all I got a nice stout neck joint after the work though.

4Mal · #7 05-02-2010, 08:08 PM

not too far off. 3 coats of Gloss Black lacquer followed by 2 clear. I sanded 220, 320 then 400 after the first coat of black. The others seemed to be pretty smooth. I did go withthe head horizontal and loaded up the black coats a little more and a little more again.

Thanks for the tips!