Experience with REFINISHING a Bass

[Lennard III.]

I'm thinking of refinishing my Fender Japan Jazz Bass 5 String. The actuall colour is sunburst....

But now I've heard that a refinish could change the sound dramatically (in the worst case)

I thought about changing the colour to Sonic Blue with matching Headstock (nitro or not... not quite sure yet) - but now I'm thinking :

1.should the Bass first be dragged of the old colour and get the new finish on it ?

2. or should the new colour be painted over the actuall sunburst to be sth. on the safer side (is this even the "safer" side?)

3. or should I just keep the Bass like it is because it sounds really good and I should arrange with the colour ?


Thanks for your help

[fretno]

IME it didn't change at all .

oil finish before





Pat Wilkins LPB after

[SolomonHelsing]

I think a refinish could only change the sound if its either extremely thick, or if you do refinish it over the original paint, which wouldn't be a good idea anyways, if you really want to, there are ways to strip the original paint off, im not sure what myself, but there are a few ways, and it is better to go that route, if more expensive.

Of course you could keep it as is, still as good

[basspraiser]

should not change the sound...have the old finish TOTALLY taken off and repainted (preferably by a pro)...I have used Pat Wilkins in the past and have been VERY happy!

[joeyl]

why do you want the old finish completely off? that's the hardest part: to get a nice clean flat surface to paint over, and the sealer and primer part has already been done, so I would sand until the primer and then paint.

Unless you are sending to my man Marty Bell, he dips the whole body in a vat of toxic strippers, and he does a fantastic job!!

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by Lennard III.

I'm thinking of refinishing my Fender Japan Jazz Bass 5 String. The actuall colour is sunburst....

But now I've heard that a refinish could change the sound dramatically (in the worst case)

Baloney.

3. or should I just keep the Bass like it is because it sounds really good

Yes. Refinishing a bass is virtually always a mistake. It destroys the value of the bass, and you usually screw something up in the process of doing a usually crappy paint job.

Sell the bass and buy one you like.

[Lennard III.]

thanks for your guys input.


1. The paintjobs on the Pat Wilkins page look great ! But I'm from germany - sending my parts to the US and back with everything would be a bit to expensive.

The paintjob on my Bass will be done by some very experienced luthiers with over 20 years of experience with building and painting guitars and basses.

It's really funny - as a Lefty I always was forced to get Custom basses and also was close to buy sth. like Sadowsky, FBass, Alleva Copollo etc. some month ago.....but I'm just fed up with spending much money on a Bass where I first always have a 50/50% that I like it or not ... and this 5 String here sounds great and was a very good deal

@ Bongolation :

I'm a LEFTY - I was on a search for a good 5er for a loooong time - so also this Bass now is a used (with dings and dongs) Bass made in Japan - so it's value is not that big anymore - also I won't sell it because I like it. I would never let a paintjob done by some amateur - also a Lefty does not have the chance to go in a shop and buy a Bass that he likes because there is no choice of Basses

[basspraiser]

Lennard:

as long as an experienced guitar/bass PAINTER (not "just a Luthier") does the job you will be in good shape....

good luck!

[Rafael]

Originally Posted by basspraiser

Lennard:

as long as an experienced guitar/bass PAINTER (not "just a Luthier") does the job you will be in good shape....

good luck!

I've seen some awesome paintjobs by automobile painters as well....it's the same idea and they are usually pretty picky regarding finish flaws.

[pickle]

I call bull poo on it changing the sound at all unless you pain the jack socket lol

This forum still makes me giggle some times.

[Horny Toad]

Originally Posted by joeyl

.....he dips the whole body in a vat of toxic strippers.....

You've gotta be careful with those.

[joeyl]

Originally Posted by Horny Toad

You've gotta be careful with those.

LOL

[Lennard III.]

and yes - the job will be done by experienced painters

[murphy]

Go for it.
It is fun and life is short.