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Finish suggestions

baba

baba

Jan 22, 2002
7,443
133
3rd stone from the sun
#1
I just bought this bass for a ridiculously low price, but I think it needs some more finish. I've never played with wood and have no idea whether wax, oil, or both is a good idea. The body wood was listed as mahogany with maple front and back, but it doesn't look quite like maple to me.

Anyway, any suggestions for a finish? There are open grain holes in the birdseye here and there, I don't know if that is a factor.

Also, any basic do's and don't's in applying a finish to a bass that's already loaded with hardware, etc?
 

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#4
baba said:
Also, any basic do's and don't's in applying a finish to a bass that's already loaded with hardware, etc?
Click to expand...

Remove the bridge, knobs, pots, and mask off the pickups and neck - unless you are going to finish the neck at the same time OR it's a bolt on, in which case you can just take the neck off. Mask off the fingerboard at any rate, even if you're doing the neck at the same time. Tape off the control holes that are left when you take out the pots. You may end up having to remove the pickups anyway (it really is the best way) if they get in the way. If you leave them in, you'll end up with dust and goop from the sanding process in the cavity cracks.

I used tung oil to do my refin. It's pretty easy to use... very forgiving.

P.
 
#6
Pneuma said:
Remove the bridge, knobs, pots, and mask off the pickups and neck - unless you are going to finish the neck at the same time OR it's a bolt on, in which case you can just take the neck off. Mask off the fingerboard at any rate, even if you're doing the neck at the same time. Tape off the control holes that are left when you take out the pots. You may end up having to remove the pickups anyway (it really is the best way) if they get in the way. If you leave them in, you'll end up with dust and goop from the sanding process in the cavity cracks.

I used tung oil to do my refin. It's pretty easy to use... very forgiving.

P.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...

I was hoping to get away with just rubbing some stuff on, drying, and repeating a few times, and no sanding. Mainly I'd like to protect it more because it almost looks like the wood would suck up beer if I spilled it on the bass. I'm not much for pampering my instruments, so it WILL take some spillage, sweat, and body oils no doubt.
 
#7
baba said:
Hmmm...

I was hoping to get away with just rubbing some stuff on, drying, and repeating a few times, and no sanding. Mainly I'd like to protect it more because it almost looks like the wood would suck up beer if I spilled it on the bass. I'm not much for pampering my instruments, so it WILL take some spillage, sweat, and body oils no doubt.
Click to expand...


Well, you can do that. It's just that the oil can build up unevenly in spots sometimes (especially the gloss version). But yeah, you can just wipe on and leave it alone if you wanted. If you do want to sand any (and it's not that tough), just be sure and wait at least two days, three is better, a week is really good. The oil can stay gummy for a while if you slather it on thick.

Also, note that it will take several coats to get it thick enough to offer beer protection, and it'll never do much to stop dings and scratches.

Pirate Translation follows...

Well, ye can do that. `Tis jus' that th' oil can build up unevenly in spots sometimes (especially th' gloss version). But aye, ye can jus' wipe on an' leave 't alone if ye wanted. If ye do want t' sand any (an' 'tis nay that tough), jus' be sure an' wait at least two days, three be better, a tides be really good. Th' oil can stay gummy fer a while if ye slather 't on thick.

Also, note that 't will take several coats t' get 't thick enough t' offer grog protection, an' 't`ll neredo much t' avast dings an' scratches.
Ya horn swollgin' swabbie!


P.
 
#10
baba said:
Great, thanks for the info!

Any suggestion as far as sandpaper type/grit?

(sorry, I need to brush up on my Piratese)
Click to expand...


Depends on the current finish. It doesn't look too bad in the pic, so I'd say either 320 or 400 to start. Maybe even 600. Start with 180 or so if you have scratches that need sanded out. From there on out, it boils down to "how smooth do I want this to be." 600 grit is a lot smoother than you'd think. If you use the regular low gloss tung oil, you may not need anything better than 600. If you're using the glossy stuff, you'll need to go pretty high to keep the gloss. You can get crazy high grit micro-mesh if you want a glass like finish. But that requires thicker coverage to buff out, and generally the pores will look weird unless you filled them in with either grain filler or the tung oil itself (and that can take several application/sanding cycles).

Oh, and stay away from the 0000 steel wool. That crap does sand well, but man does it make a mess.

P.
 
#13
that's a burl... it looks to me like it's maple, and under a coat of brown dye. If that's true, there's likely a satin finish over it (not glossy, but still provides protection). However, I can't see it firsthand, so I can't say for sure. it may turn out that it doesn't need a refin after all...
 

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