painting a bass

AmazingGracePlayer · #1 10-17-2006, 11:59 AM

hey, does anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how to paint a bass? i was thinking of getting a black 200 dollar bass and paint it.. what paint would i have to use and what kind of finishing should i put on it?

canopener · #2 10-17-2006, 02:35 PM

Why not get an unfinished bass body and assemble your own? It would be a lot cooler if you started almost from scratch.

AmazingGracePlayer · #3 10-18-2006, 08:19 PM

if i get unfinished bass, would i have to install my own pickups and preamps and stuff? because i dont know how to do that hehe

Koushaku · #4 10-19-2006, 06:50 PM

I'd be interested in this, too.

If you have a bass already that you'd like to paint, do you need to do anything to it, like stripping the finish that's already there, before you put any new paint on it?

I don't know much about painting/finishing instruments, but am interested to hear what is involved.

AmazingGracePlayer · #5 10-19-2006, 07:18 PM

well since finished basses already have finishes on it, i guess i'd have to sand paper the body or something, so paint will actually stay on, after the paint, i'd have to put on another layer of finish... right?

Nick Ioannucci · #6 10-19-2006, 08:26 PM

if its a poly finish its ognna be a pain to take off, and you will have to take out the pickups and such anyway. youd be better off starting fresh and clean. this site http://home.flash.net/~guitars/ is an amazing resource for finishing bodies and necks, they have great tutorials and you can buy the stuff that you need from them or find out where to buy it from them.

canopener · #7 10-20-2006, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htotheh

if i get unfinished bass, would i have to install my own pickups and preamps and stuff? because i dont know how to do that hehe

Everything you need to know is in TB's forums. A good place to start would be the Pickups, Setup, Strings forums' FAQ and you should be well on your way. I think DIY, even in assemble-your-own might be more cost efficient in the long run, especially if you decide to sell it a few years down the road. A refinished bass will devalue more while an assembled bass will have a certain mojo to it if you do it right.