• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Gene Simmons LoBue Tribute Build

#762
Hopkins said:
If you decide to use urethane. Find a paint and body supply that sells Nason Ful-Thane. It is Duponts single stage, and lower priced base coat/clear coat. It is by far the easiest to spray finish I have ever used.
Click to expand...

How deep is the black? I've found that with nitro, the black doesn't get super deep. I imagine its me doing something wrong.
 
#763
bassgod76 said:
How deep is the black? I've found that with nitro, the black doesn't get super deep. I imagine its me doing something wrong.
Click to expand...

Black is the most difficult color. It will get very deep but you have to get it dead level and get all the sanding scratches out when you do your wetsanding and buffing.

If Gene's bass would have been white your life would have been easier :D
 
#764
Hopkins said:
Black is the most difficult color. It will get very deep but you have to get it dead level and get all the sanding scratches out when you do your wetsanding and buffing.

If Gene's bass would have been white your life would have been easier :D
Click to expand...

Well, my suit is like a guitar finish cheese grater. I could go crazy, and do a super nice job. Unfortunately, after two shows, all that work would most likely be replaced by scratches O' plenty
 
#768
Ironfingers said:
So Hopkins, are you saying you don't use any kind of pore-filler or sanding sealer?
Just straight to the 1st clear coat?
Click to expand...

Depends on the wood, I do mostly solid color finishes now days, so I mostly build with alder, which is tight grained so no filling is needed. My natural finished basses usually have an alder back with a figured maple top.

If I am working with ash, or pecan I grain fill after the first sealer coat. I use a water based pore filler, so I always seal the wood first, because the grain filler will raise the grain of the wood. The I block sand it down with 220 grit and spray about 2 or three more coats of clear. I use the same clear as the top coat on a natural finish as the sealer coat. All one product so compatibility is never an issue.
 
#770
Ironfingers said:
Ok, thanks. I'm going to be getting there on my build sooner than I thought, so I'm trying to figure out what I want to do. My 1st build was Tru-oil, but I don't want to do that on this one. I want to shoot it.
Click to expand...

I would use something like Z-poxy to grain fill the woods on your build. Even a dark grain filler on something as dark as wenge will probably not look that great. So a clear epoxy is what I would use.

The Wenge, mahogany, and walnut will all need to be filled. The bubinga is pretty tight grained so it shouldn't need to be filled.
 
#771
I thought I'd share this slice of insane arrogance. Gene from Bass Player, 1996:
Genequote_zpsf666b657.jpg
 
#772
Hopkins said:
Wood is dead, it doesnt breath. And if it did that just means it can take in moisture just as well as letting it out
Click to expand...

Thank you! I've been saying this for years! The wood is as dry as it's going to get when the instrument is made.

Nitro is fairly soft which makes it easy to rub out. It also burns into the last coat so you don't get witness lines if you sand through a coat. These are why people like it. But it takes like a month to fully cure. Spay can lacquer is sometimes softer because it's made to flow better from a spray can.

I've used both nitro and acrylic (auto body) lacquer from spray cans with much success.

Builders started using poly finishes because they dry faster (especially the UV cured stuff) and create less air pollution. But then you have to spray them on thick so you won't have witness lines.

Another myth we might as well kill here is that the finish on your solid body bass does not change the tone. A thin nitro finish does not sound better or "organic" (stupid word to use for a tone). Glue lines also do not stop vibrations and this whole idea of vibration transference between parts is wrong.

If all the energy from your strings was transferred into the body, like everyone thinks is a good idea, then your bass would have zero sustain and sound like a banjo!

But the body has too much mass to vibrate like that. And a very thin later of paint has no affect on any of this.
 
#773
SGD Lutherie said:
Thank you! I've been saying this for years! The wood is as dry as it's going to get when the instrument is made.

Nitro is fairly soft which makes it easy to rub out. It also burns into the last coat so you don't get witness lines if you sand through a coat. These are why people like it. But it takes like a month to fully cure. Spay can lacquer is sometimes softer because it's made to flow better from a spray can.

I've used both nitro and acrylic (auto body) lacquer from spray cans with much success.

Builders started using poly finishes because they dry faster (especially the UV cured stuff) and create less air pollution. But then you have to spray them on thick so you won't have witness lines.

Another myth we might as well kill here is that the finish on your solid body bass does not change the tone. A thin nitro finish does not sound better or "organic" (stupid word to use for a tone). Glue lines also do not stop vibrations and this whole idea of vibration transference between parts is wrong.

If all the energy from your strings was transferred into the body, like everyone thinks is a good idea, then your bass would have zero sustain and sound like a banjo!

But the body has too much mass to vibrate like that. And a very thin later of paint has no affect on any of this.
Click to expand...

So considering that this bass will be subjected to some brutal usage, and I really don't want to wait a month to handle/finish assembling it, is it safe to say that I should look into poly?
 
#774
SGD Lutherie said:
Thank you! I've been saying this for years! The wood is as dry as it's going to get when the instrument is made.

Nitro is fairly soft which makes it easy to rub out. It also burns into the last coat so you don't get witness lines if you sand through a coat. These are why people like it. But it takes like a month to fully cure. Spay can lacquer is sometimes softer because it's made to flow better from a spray can.

I've used both nitro and acrylic (auto body) lacquer from spray cans with much success.

Builders started using poly finishes because they dry faster (especially the UV cured stuff) and create less air pollution. But then you have to spray them on thick so you won't have witness lines.

Another myth we might as well kill here is that the finish on your solid body bass does not change the tone. A thin nitro finish does not sound better or "organic" (stupid word to use for a tone). Glue lines also do not stop vibrations and this whole idea of vibration transference between parts is wrong.

If all the energy from your strings was transferred into the body, like everyone thinks is a good idea, then your bass would have zero sustain and sound like a banjo!

But the body has too much mass to vibrate like that. And a very thin later of paint has no affect on any of this.
Click to expand...

The 2k VOC urethane I use doesnt leave witness lines.
 
#778
Hopkins said:
There's an image that Ill never get out of my head :D
Click to expand...
Why would you want to? It's already my desktop image and I'm just in the middle of printing it poster sized to hang at work... :D


With the finish, since the original was always in various states of being beat to crap, I wouldn't fret to much over it. Might lend a little more authenticity to those who are true fans when they see a worn out Lobue...
 
#779
bassgod76 said:
So considering that this bass will be subjected to some brutal usage, and I really don't want to wait a month to handle/finish assembling it, is it safe to say that I should look into poly?
Click to expand...

Put a sheet of clear polycarbonate on the back to guard from scratches.

Like Vox used to put detachable cushions on the back of their guitars.
 
#780
I think I will roll with a urethane paint. I've been told it cures fast and is quite durable.

Tonight I routed the control plate. I had a slight router snafu, but its so slight and wood epoxy will cover it.
image_zpsc7357608.jpg

image_zps61c4385f.jpg

image_zps0ca23659.jpg

image_zps39d63015.jpg

image_zps7f26cc9d.jpg
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back