How do i remove the laquer?

[dadodetres]

Hi!
i have a 78`jazz with a bad laquer job, which i want to remove, leaving the wood exposed.

How can i remove it without damaging or marking the wood?


Also, will the tone of the bass change?


Thanks!

[THIRSTYGUMS]

Just take it apart and douse on some nitromors paint remover, get the gel stuff thats quite thick and follow the instructions on the tin and when your done sand the body down with rough then smooth sandpaper, apply a little wax or oil and hey presto!

[dadodetres]

Originally Posted by THIRSTYGUMS

Just take it apart and douse on some nitromors paint remover,

so, how do i take it apart ?

[bassman blue]

if you're not sure how to take it apart, trust me, don't do this project yourself.

[Sneakyfella]

Just start unscrewing stuff like you know what your doing... but be sure to increase the string tension first so you have no chance of injury.

but seriously.

People say that if you have a vintage fender it is worth quite a bit more money with it's origional paint job - even if it is a little bit messed up. When you strip the paint and make it look better you are replacing history with modern science, which is not as valuable.

If it is absolutely horrible and you have your heart set on doing this I reccomend you take a photo diary so you can remember where everything went origionally. When you are done you should do research on re-shielding the electronic cavity (electronics forum). Also when you re-assemble the bass you may need to adjust the truss rod because the tension relief may adversly affect the neck.

As for the tone - no there wont be any dramatic changes with a change in paint jobs. If you want a different tone get new electronics or sell the bass and buy a new one.

[dadodetres]

Originally Posted by Sneakyfella

Just start unscrewing stuff like you know what your doing... but be sure to increase the string tension first so you have no chance of injury.

but seriously.

People say that if you have a vintage fender it is worth quite a bit more money with it's origional paint job - even if it is a little bit messed up. When you strip the paint and make it look better you are replacing history with modern science, which is not as valuable.

If it is absolutely horrible and you have your heart set on doing this I reccomend you take a photo diary so you can remember where everything went origionally. When you are done you should do research on re-shielding the electronic cavity (electronics forum). Also when you re-assemble the bass you may need to adjust the truss rod because the tension relief may adversly affect the neck.

As for the tone - no there wont be any dramatic changes with a change in paint jobs. If you want a different tone get new electronics or sell the bass and buy a new one.

The laquer looks like its been done some years ago, so im guessing is not original, so removing it wont lower the bass price.

I dont get it, why should i increase the stirng tension?

Do you mean i should take the neck away from the bass ?

I just want to remove the laquer on the body, why should i need this?

maybe there is something im not getting,

Thanks fot the info!

[Kibuddy]

Originally Posted by dadodetres

The laquer looks like its been done some years ago, so im guessing is not original, so removing it wont lower the bass price.

I dont get it, why should i increase the stirng tension?

Do you mean i should take the neck away from the bass ?

I just want to remove the laquer on the body, why should i need this?

maybe there is something im not getting,

Thanks fot the info!

He was joking about that.


You have to completely disassemble the bass if you want to refinish it. That means removing the neck, removing the electronics, the hardware- everything. You want just the woooden body, and that's it. That way, you won't damage any of the other parts of the bass while you're working on it. It will also be much easier to handle.

[Sneakyfella]

Yea, to re-do a bass I would reccomend removing the neck, bridge, all electronics, and everyting that is not wood. By doing this you have a better chance of not screwing everything up.

If i were you I wouldnt mess with anything in the actual neck cavity because any changes in this cavity may have adverse effects on the neck joint.

I dont reccomend you do this.... but if you absoultely must make sure you do research on this for a few hours - use the search function and visit other sites, such as the Guitar ReRanch.

[dadodetres]

But i dont want to re-do the laquer, i just want to take it off.

[Kibuddy]

Originally Posted by dadodetres

But i dont want to re-do the laquer, i just want to take it off.

Regardless, you still have to completely disassemble the bass. You can't have any hardware/electronics on the body. The paint thinner (if you use it) and the dust you will generate from sanding (and there will be plenty of it) can be very damamging to the hardware and electronics. It would also be incredibly difficult to remove the laquer with everything still attached.

You'll also need to replace the laquer with some sort of finish, be it oil, wax, or whatever else you decide to use. You need to protect the wood somehow.

[budman]

Disassemble the bass first.

I've had good luck stripping lacquer with a heat gun. Start by heating a small area on the corner of a route, like the neck pocket or a pickup cavity. Then pick at the soft paint with a razor blade and peel it off. Work your way out from there, small areas at a time. Don't get the lacquer too hot were it turns brown and bubbles. Just get it soft. The whole thing should peel of quite nicely and there's little sanding to do when you're done. It's cleaner and quicker than chemicals.

[Kibuddy]

Originally Posted by budman

Disassemble the bass first.

I've had good luck stripping lacquer with a heat gun. Start by heating a small area on the corner of a route, like the neck pocket or a pickup cavity. Then pick at the soft paint with a razor blade and peel it off. Work your way out from there, small areas at a time. Don't get the lacquer too hot were it turns brown and bubbles. Just get it soft. The whole thing should peel of quite nicely and there's little sanding to do when you're done. It's cleaner and quicker than chemicals.

Is there any danger of toxic fumes in this method?

[dadodetres]

Hey, thanks everyone for the input!

Originally Posted by Kibuddy

You'll also need to replace the laquer with some sort of finish, be it oil, wax, or whatever else you decide to use. You need to protect the wood somehow.

Whats the difference between oil and wax?

What happens if i leave the wood exposed?