Removing the finish...?

[Tim Harrison]

hey,

i've got this bass, the V990, and i love it, one of the best basses i've every played (probably thanks to a pro setup).

http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintagebass.html

the problem is i really don't like the 'black quilted maple' finish, i really like natural basses.

i've never tried anything like this before, but i think it'd be cool. so, how do i go about doing it?

do i strip it back or sand it? what's the wood underneath going to look like? do i need to oil it once i'm done? is it an easy job to mess up?

cheers guys
tim

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Tim Harrison

hey,

i've got this bass, the V990, and i love it, one of the best basses i've every played (probably thanks to a pro setup).

http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintagebass.html

the problem is i really don't like the 'black quilted maple' finish, i really like natural basses.

i've never tried anything like this before, but i think it'd be cool. so, how do i go about doing it?

do i strip it back or sand it? what's the wood underneath going to look like? do i need to oil it once i'm done? is it an easy job to mess up?

Read the thread further down the page-"adding a finish to a raw bass body"

cheers guys
tim

It depends on what kind of finish is on there. If it's one of the tough catalyzed coatings they can be very tough to remove. Most easily available chemical strippers won't touch them and you have to sand it off or use a heatgun and scraper to melt it off. That can be a problem if the top is just a thin layer of veneer over a solid wood body. You can easily sand through the veneer or if using a heat gun, lift the veneer off from the heat. The wood might look okay underneath or not. I can't tell without a close look at the bass. Once it's cleaned up and all the finish and stain is removed you can make a choice about what type of finish to use. Matbe oil, maybe varnish.

No, it's not an easy job and it is easy to mess it up if you don't have experience.

Read the thread further down the page--"adding a finish to a raw bass body"