Did I use too much Tru-Oil?

[fat-bottom]

I finished an ash body with a base coat of pure tung oil and the 11 or 12 coats of Tru-Oil. On the 1st 7 or 8 coats I roughed up in between coats with 0000 steel wool. For the rest I didn't.

The reason I ask is because now that the bass is assembled it is very muffled on the upper end. I've changed pickups and preamps and all that stuff with no significant difference.

Do too many coats deaden the highs?

Thanks,
Tony

[Trevorus]

You may want to check if the bridge is anchored properly. A lot of times, a thick coat of finish between the bridge and the body can make the tone sound mushy.

[Hambone]

Originally Posted by T Jay

I finished an ash body with a base coat of pure tung oil and the 11 or 12 coats of Tru-Oil. On the 1st 7 or 8 coats I roughed up in between coats with 0000 steel wool. For the rest I didn't.

The reason I ask is because now that the bass is assembled it is very muffled on the upper end. I've changed pickups and preamps and all that stuff with no significant difference.

Do too many coats deaden the highs?

Thanks,
Tony

Pure tung oil doesn't dry. That could be a problem. Only oils that have been treated or "polymerized" will cure to a hardened state. You'll find these oils labeled as "polymerized" or sometimes they are labeled "finishes" as in "tung oil finish", meaning they've been blended with other stuff like driers to cure hard.

I'd say it's doubtful that the TO had anything to do with this. I've never had the problem and I've done more coats than that on a single body. I can also point to the myriad of acoustic instrument builders that like TO as a finish. If TO was choking off a range of tone, it would quickly be apparent in an acoustic instrument.