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Double Bass Bass Varnish Time?

I

ImAGoodDuck

Jul 30, 2004
218
9
39
Denver, Colorado
#1
I have been told by a guy that knows his basses and was told that the finish on my bass top was way to thick and should get it removed. He said it was killing my sound because it was heavy and thick. Only the top of my bass has the finish on it not the side or back (thats another story of a bad luthier). So I talked to another luthier and he said he will just put a real thin varnish on it so I'm planning on doing that. The thing is that now school started, I'm playin with several groups, and still gigin. So how long will something like this take? I can deal with some down time but I'm fast running out of time all together. Thanks fellas
 
#2
You should put up some info in your public profile. I checked in to see what you have to no avail....

A lot of lesser expensive basses, especially plywoods are known for thick, cheap finishes and these will muffle the sound. Steve Gilmore, great bass player, has/had a hobby of picking up ply basses, stripping, and finishing them properly. He swore by this making good bass out of beaters.

A luthier can give you a better time line, but I'm guessing that your bass would be down for a week or better to strip, refinish it and allow for enough drying of the varnish?
 
#3
How do I put stuff in my public profile?

The bass I am having the work done to is late 1800's fully carved Czech bass. I got it kind of banged up not really bad but had some crack repair done on it and asked to have a finish put on assuming that the WHOLE BASS would get done. But he could have finished the whole bass with the amount there is on the top. Amazingly it sounds very good now but was told I would get more sound with a lite varnish. But like I said time is becoming an issue
 
#4
Go to 'My TalkBass', above, to fill out your profile.

If it's sounding good now and you're pretty busy then maybe now isn't the time. If the rest of the bass is bare then you might want to get it done ASAP to protect your instrument.
 

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