Bass body raw wood?

[smallmouthbass70]

I recently purchased a bass. The previous owner sanded the body down to raw wood. Although I'd like to finish it in the future, I'd like to play it now. What would be best to protect the raw wood for the time being? I was thinking maybe an adhesive vinyl tape or a light coating of finish or primer. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Tape is likely to leave a residue that will need to be removed when you decide to apply a finish later. A wipe on polyurethane is probably the easiest to apply and you have a decent chance of a future finish adhering later.

What kind of wood is the body?

 

[Bruce Johnson]

If it had some kind of finish on it, which has now been sanded off, it's not raw wood. It may look like raw wood, but the previous finish has soaked down into the pores and sealed it up. Sanding doesn't take that out. So, the body is reasonably well sealed up against moisture as it is.

However, it would still be a good idea to give it a coat of something simple to protect the wood and keep it from soaking in any more moisture or arm grease. Shellac, a water-base wipe-on polyurethane, an oil-base wipe on finish. It doesn't matter too much. But think ahead to what type of finish you eventually want to do, and use something compatible.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

What Bruce said, but dewaxed shellac was the first thing I thought of, it’s compatible with nearly any other finish later. You never know, you might like it and leave it that way, stupid easy to re-coat with more shellac as needed. If it looks decent (not all blotchy) maybe consider an easy oil finish like Tru Oil or Watco Danish Oil.

 

[smallmouthbass70]

Tape is likely to leave a residue that will need to be removed when you decide to apply a finish later. A wipe on polyurethane is probably the easiest to apply and you have a decent chance of a future finish adhering later.

What kind of wood is the body?

 

[smallmouthbass70]

I don't know what type of wood it is. The bass is a 4 string Peavey Foundation. I'm guessing the year is mid '90s based on the pickups. I haven't ran the serial # through the identifier.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I don't know what type of wood it is. The bass is a 4 string Peavey Foundation. I'm guessing the year is mid '90s based on the pickups. I haven't ran the serial # through the identifier.

Ok, so what Bruce said, there’s almost undoubtedly still finish/sealer in or on the wood even if it seems like it’s bare.

 

[HardNHeavy]

.Is it a assembled ready to play bass or just a slab O wood.. primer/sealer and a cool dry place to store it...otherwise rock it, as is.

 

[Turnaround]

What Bruce said, but dewaxed shellac was the first thing I thought of, it’s compatible with nearly any other finish later.

If you use shellac be sure it is de-waxed as mentioned. The wax in shellac can cause problems with some poly finishes - they don't fully cure and can remain sticky forever.

 

[herndonbassist]

The foundations used basswood, relatively stable, light and resonant.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Every wood finish I can think of looks better after thorough prep.

If you aren't prepared to do the prep now, leave it as is.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Howards Feed N Wax works great on raw wood, of course like other methods you'd have to remove the layers before real finish.

Another solution might be a couple coats of Danish Oil.
It's fairly easily removed when the time comes.

Good luck!

 

[jTrolt]

If it had some kind of finish on it, which has now been sanded off, it's not raw wood. It may look like raw wood, but the previous finish has soaked down into the pores and sealed it up. Sanding doesn't take that out. So, the body is reasonably well sealed up against moisture as it is.

Highly questionable conclusion, especially without seeing it in person.
A more concise way to look at this:
If the original color is no longer present, all subsequent seal coats had to be abraded away before you even hit that color layer. If that color layer is gone as well, it's raw enough to be considered unsealed wood.

Yep, some of the deeper, open pores can still block a little finish, as they likely were filled in the finishing process, but hardly what I'd call "sealed", as we're talking pinprick size pores being plugged, not a light, even coat left on the surface that will block your sweat, which is what I'd define as actually sealed, and seems to be at the root of your question.

Just trying to clarify why you're being told it's sealed, yet advised you need to seal it....

Final point I'll strongly agree with: De-waxed shellac. Look for Zinnser Bulls Eye Seal Coat, avoid their straight shellacs. It can be stripped off later with alcohol, which is the solvent it's carried in and can be re-dissolved with. That, and a judicious amount of sanding should allow you to work with a fresh stain reasonably well once the time comes.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Highly questionable conclusion, especially without seeing it in person.
A more concise way to look at this:
If the original color is no longer present, all subsequent seal coats had to be abraded away before you even hit that color layer. If that color layer is gone as well, it's raw enough to be considered unsealed wood.

Yep, some of the deeper, open pores can still block a little finish, as they likely were filled in the finishing process, but hardly what I'd call "sealed", as we're talking pinprick size pores being plugged, not a light, even coat left on the surface that will block your sweat, which is what I'd define as actually sealed, and seems to be at the root of your question.

Just trying to clarify why you're being told it's sealed, yet advised you need to seal it....

Final point I'll strongly agree with: De-waxed shellac. Look for Zinnser Bulls Eye Seal Coat, avoid their straight shellacs. It can be stripped off later with alcohol, which is the solvent it's carried in and can be re-dissolved with. That, and a judicious amount of sanding should allow you to work with a fresh stain reasonably well once the time comes.

The pores are sealed up with the residue of the old finish. That will stop the big serious moisture absorption that will make wood swell and crack. The fresh layer of finish overall is to stop new grease and dirt from grinding into the surface. Two different things.

I've been refinishing basses for many decades.

 

[smallmouthbass70]

.Is it a assembled ready to play bass or just a slab O wood.. primer/sealer and a cool dry place to store it...otherwise rock it, as is.

It is assembled.

 

[Turnaround]

Highly questionable conclusion, especially without seeing it in person.
A more concise way to look at this:
If the original color is no longer present, all subsequent seal coats had to be abraded away before you even hit that color layer. If that color layer is gone as well, it's raw enough to be considered unsealed wood.

Not really. Most color finishes are not stained wood, but coloured finish that's applied over the sealer.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Straight stain on most woods just looks blotchy, hard to tell what it would do on a stripped and sanded bass. If it had anything like the Fender primer to start with, it’s a b*tch to get off evenly. I tried that on an old MIM P I stripped, ended up painting it after all that work stripping it. Minwax Polystain is just poly with colorant added, goes on nice, but it’s a fragile finish, any chips go right back to bare wood. Ibanez used something similar on their SR500 “brown mahogany” basses, and it universally failed, chipping away at common wear points.

 

[T-boneParish]

Just play it and enjoy it. When you're getting ready to paint, you'll have to prep it anyway.

Years ago I had an old p bass like the one you're describing with the finish sanded down to bare wood. I loved it and played the hell out of it for a long long time. Fond memories. I wouldn't be surprised if that bass still lives on, wherever it may be, in all it's raw, unfinished glory.

 

[bdplaid]

To see if it's sealed, put a couple of drops of water on the wood. If the wood darkens, it's not sealed. If it stays the same color, it's sealed.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I recently purchased a bass. The previous owner sanded the body down to raw wood. Although I'd like to finish it in the future, I'd like to play it now. What would be best to protect the raw wood for the time being? I was thinking maybe an adhesive vinyl tape or a light coating of finish or primer. Any comments would be appreciated.

2-3 coats of tung oil