thank you for that! how do those pickups compare to something like the 'custom shop 60's' i currently have in my J Bass
The DiMarzio Relentless are based off of the Model J i believe?, which are hotter than regular Jazz Bass pickups and uses Neodymium magnets. BUT they also have the Sixties J which is their vintage hum cancelling pickup set with alnico 5 magnets that still uses the metal covers.
Link for gold ones here:
Sixties J™ Pair | DiMarzio
MEC also has a set of gold pickups:
Bass Pickups
Another option for you could be to wrap them with a gold vinyl wrap. it would be a tricky piece to do but with a heat gun i think it's doable...
As for the paint: there is a way to make it last longer. I'll go in depth, but the most important is to prep, paint, clearcoat. here are a couple detailed steps you could follow to have the best ever paint job:
Surface prep is crucial!
1. Plastic is too smooth for paint to adhere to it. you will need to scuff it to remove any gloss and promote better adhesion. try sanding with maybe #320 or #400 grit. they need to look dull.
2. clean the surface to remove any skin oil/grease on the cover. we don't really see it because it's transparent, but it's there since we always rest our fingers on them. Idk which would be best for your case, maybe some PTS or some odorless Paint thinner? nothing too strong as it could damage the plastic.
Paint
1. (Optional), primer could help your gold paint to adhere even more to the surface, only one coat is enough. but if your prep is done properly, it's really not necessary. Anyways, nowadays you can find Spray cans that have the "Paint + Primer" mention on them.
2. Select the right type of paint, you need one that specifically says that it goes on all or most plastics. regular spray paint such as tremclad should hold on the short run but won't last as it's not made to bond with plastic. I don't know all of the paint brands that exists, but one that I used to sell in hardware stores was the Krylon Fusion, it was very good, and holds well on plastic. it's also paint + primer. The trick (which is hard to do on smaller parts) is to apply multiple light coats instead or 1 or 2 thick coats. You need to create a buildup to achieve durability. 3 to 5 coats is usually enough, your first 1 or 2 coats shouldnt fully hide the surface.
3. Clear coat is the 2nd most important step after surface prep. it is what holds everything in place and also the finish that will be damaged from your fingers rubbing against the pickups. Again, try to find a good clear coat and apply 2 or 3 coats to create buildup instead of only one thick coat. I believe Krylon Colormaxx clear coat is OK for your project, or maybe the Rust-oleum 2X Ultra Cover Clear. whichever is easier to find in your area.
Drying times and Curing
Follow the drying times between coats of each product you use, it is very important. double the drying times if you do it in a cold and/or high humidity level environment. And lastly, let the paint fully cure, not just dry on the surface, before installing them back. 24h should be enough for fast drying spray paints, but imo the longer you wait the better because there are no ways for you to know when it's fully cured. If you don't wait long enough and install them and start playing, the moisture trapped in your skin could soften the top layers of the finish and that will shorten the lifespan of your paint film by alot. especially with rubbing/scratching going on.
