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Diy possible?

A

ajota_di

Dec 5, 2009
83
0
Chicago
withoursunkenship.com
#1
Hey everyone!
So I recently got a new bass and I haven't decided what to do with my old one (a cheap ol' cort that I won't play anymore... Haha). I have kinda decided to make it a project guitar and I'd like to do something like this: http://www.auroraproject.co.uk/fret lights.htm
Thing is, I don't live in the uk, don't want to ship any part of my bass, and don't want to spend the money.
Has anyone here made their bass glow? Using LEDs or otherwise.... I would love to do an outline of the body and then some cool design on the inside of the body.... I dunno. Haha. If anyone has any tips... They would be much appreciated!!
 
#3
I have never done lights, but if you are looking to take the cort body and do any refinishing to it, let me save you the trouble. They use that coating that you have to use I heat gun to get off. The smell alone will knock you out.

Someone told me that and I thought I would use my random orbital sander and see where it took me. Turns out that coating gums up the sandpaper and you end up changing sanding discs all the time and still not even make progress on it. Plus if you use a higher speed to sand it just heats up the coating more and sticks and turns to gum even faster.

I had free time and no money, so I thought I would just sand it and paint it. That is long gone. I have it sitting to go to the trash. Grab one of those Mighty Mite PBass bodies for $100 and use that as your project.

The money you will spend on stripping the bass will add up quick. Give it a shot if you would like and see, maybe you will have better luck than me.

Of course if you are not going to refinish it, then that is not a worry.
 
#5
I like the idea of the "Glow-Guards" on the link. I think a clear pickguard on a Thunderbird with the bird logo etched would be cool. Sort of like the plexi logos on Ampeg Portaflexes.

Here's what I did to an Epiphone that I pimped out with Gibson & Lull parts. I got LED strips from Auto Zone that had a "test me" button on the package. Replaced the button with a switch and wired them up under the handrest. Both strips are adhered to either side of the neck pickup.

bluebirdLEDS007.jpg


bluebirdLEDS008.jpg


bluebirdLEDS009.jpg


bluebirdLEDS006.jpg
 
#8
Thanks for the help, guys! I think I'll do a glow guard type thing... And I'll check out the cool neon (what I've learned to be technically called electroluminecent wire). Has anyone worked with this el wire? And also *warning dumb question* would it be safe to carve out a groove on the sides of the neck (where the fretboard meets the neck) to use as a holder for el wire? Or is that a bad idea? Thx
 
#9
radarbass said:
I am throwing away the body. My dewalt sander is awesome.
Click to expand...

Heat gun at Harbor Freight runs about $10 and works great on the poly used to coat the body.

Keep the body and use it to learn refinishing work. It can be a LOT of fun. I'm in the middle of my second one right now, but my 20 year old compressor died so all on hold for now.

First one turned out great (if I say so myself) and I can't wait to get started again.
 
#10
I'll give it a shot with the heat gun and see how the poly comes off. I have built one bass before and am working on my second one now. But I could try something wild on it if I can get the poly off cleanly.
 

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