Geo's bass body weight-reduction program...

[JIO]

I really like the almost-black.

I'll second that.

The contrast in the black really makes it work. The cream is cool but I think it would need cream PU covers and brown grill cloth to make it work.

The base colour on my Teiscobird is a Krylon spray called "Oil-Rubbed Bronze Metallic" - I dusted it with another Krylon spray called "Golden Glow Glitter Blast" and shot Stew-Mac satin nitro clear on top. I unfortunately don't have a pic of it before the Glitter Blast. In low light it looks black, but in bright sunlight you can see it has a bronze-brown hue and very fine metallic particles. Krylon makes a colour called (burnt) "Orange Burst" Glitter Blast that would lean the ORBM hue into a rusty tint. It would be easy to keep under control by blending the two sprays to taste. I think it would look like what you are after and maintain the vibe you want.

 

[DDXdesign]

Lemme think on that with the orange glitterblast. I’m all for the bronze having a metallic particle effect but something about the glitter I dunno. We’ll chat though.

 

[JIO]

Lemme think on that with the orange glitterblast. I’m all for the bronze having a metallic particle effect but something about the glitter I dunno. We’ll chat though.

The word "glitter" may be throwing you off - it's not glitter as much as it's metal-flake, and fine metal flake at that. The ORBM 'flakes'/particles are very very fine - barely perceptible. What I'm proposing is once the base coat of ORBM covers the surface, I can dust it with the OG and then dust over that with ORBM. The result will be a hint of the OG colour to lean the ORBM toward a subtle rust hint. When I get time, I'll shoot a sample.

Will also need to know if you are still wanting a textured surface similar to the original.

 

[DDXdesign]

Oh sure, it’s just like on the Teiscobird you can see the individual speckles on top of the ORBM, which I assume is the glitter blast you did on that - I’m not into being able to see the individual flecks so much because it is a bit glittery, even if they’re not actual prismatic mirrored flakes. Your idea bout ORBM-orange-ORBM layered could be good though, love to see a sample.

I don’t need a texture like the original, though - if you think the combo you did on the teiscos feels good to the hand i’m good with that style.

 

[JIO]

This is a daylight flash pic and fairly representational of how it comes off. (can see particle with more light and under low light it looks dark brown/black) On this sample I dusted back & forth with both and top-coated w/satin clear nitro. After taking this pic, I divided it in half and wiped on a dark walnut stain over it to further enrich it. Once it cures, I'll mail you the sample.

 

[JIO]

Advantages and disadvantages of working with lightweight luan ply. Advantages are that it is relatively soft wood. Disadvantage is that it is ply-wood. Disadvantage because it splinters when attempting the detail required. (it's why god created Bondo) This is the only advantage of using MDF - it is a solid/dense material so it can be cut/routed in intricate detail. Not quite "like butter", but clean and accurate. However, it would be hard to actually cut. Luan ply is relatively easy to cut as I've done using a #11 Exacto pen-knife. My artist/designer background had me using this versatile tool since the early days and is on my personal list of must-have elements for success including; a new bike chain (on bicycle & motorcycle) new tyres (on all vehicles), new paint brushes, new strings on my bass, a good vacuum cleaner.., and a sharp #11 Exacto blade in my pen-knife. This part was not fun but will addressed the requested.

So, nearly done with the physical bass body and then some finishing prep before finishing.

 

[DDXdesign]

Alright, let me see. I’m hoping that getting the Lauan smooth and rounded over in the cutouts isn’t driving you too crazy but at least it’s easy to cut...

For the finish, I think the speckled nature of the blast is what I’m reacting to - like, it looks like a dense starfield. Something is just not grabbing me about it - I fretted about it all last night, feeling awful for all this extra work you’re putting in with the spray sample and all. I am pretty sold on the ORBM in general; just what to finish it off with... I’ll ping you when I have more thoughts.

 

[Haroldo]

Alright, let me see. I’m hoping that getting the Lauan smooth and rounded over in the cutouts isn’t driving you too crazy but at least it’s easy to cut...

For the finish, I think the speckled nature of the blast is what I’m reacting to - like, it looks like a dense starfield. Something is just not grabbing me about it - I fretted about it all last night, feeling awful for all this extra work you’re putting in with the spray sample and all. I am pretty sold on the ORBM in general; just what to finish it off with... I’ll ping you when I have more thoughts.

I've no right to chime in here, but I've been following this from the get-go and I gotta question: is it tradition and familiarity that is driving the fondness for the bumpy finish? I really like the overall design and the faux radio speaker grille especially, but those bumps do not give me bumps of the goose variety. Thanks.

 

[DDXdesign]

I've no right to chime in here, but I've been following this from the get-go and I gotta question: is it tradition and familiarity that is driving the fondness for the bumpy finish? I really like the overall design and the faux radio speaker grille especially, but those bumps do not give me bumps of the goose variety. Thanks.

Oh! No, I’m actually getting away from the chunky texture a bit with the new finish (though I do like the feel of the original); the new one is going to be satiny and far more uniform - what we’ve been looking at in the last few posts is just kind of adding a little metallic copper to the bronze since I had asked about doing something like that. It’s just the flecked look, I have found, isn’t wowing me (for this specific project; it’s not a bad look overall).

 

[Haroldo]

Oh! No, I’m actually getting away from the chunky texture a bit with the new finish (though I do like the feel of the original); the new one is going to be satiny and far more uniform - what we’ve been looking at in the last few posts is just kind of adding a little metallic copper to the bronze since I had asked about doing something like that. It’s just the flecked look, I have found, isn’t wowing me (for this specific project; it’s not a bad look overall).

Got it. Thanks.

 

[Reedt2000]

Can you paint the screws & washers the body color?

 

[JIO]

Alright, let me see. I’m hoping that getting the Lauan smooth and rounded over in the cutouts isn’t driving you too crazy but at least it’s easy to cut...

For the finish, I think the speckled nature of the blast is what I’m reacting to - like, it looks like a dense starfield. Something is just not grabbing me about it - I fretted about it all last night, feeling awful for all this extra work you’re putting in with the spray sample and all. I am pretty sold on the ORBM in general; just what to finish it off with... I’ll ping you when I have more thoughts.

The cut-outs are done being cut out and have been coated with a sanding sealer to stabilize the surface. Once cured it's a bit of Bondo and ready to finish. No worries about me making samples - it takes minutes and is only an aid to informing ideas. I make a sample like playing a few different bass lines to see what works best for a song. Personally I dig the way it came out and for sure will use it on a future project - the combination turned out as good as I imagined.

 

[JIO]

Always like to present options - as in, once sealed the wood looks pretty nice. Wanted to show it before using Bondo on the needed areas and basically skimmed over the whole surfaces of the top & back to fill the grain. Unless seeing the grain is something wanted. (another option) It's fine and even so would look good if stained ebony, or sprayed and sanded lightly.

 

[DDXdesign]

OK all, back from the land of barely-there connectivity! (seriously, it took me almost a full evening to download that last picture in the thread)

Man, those facings do look nice. That sort of grain would actually look fine if just stained and cleared in like a walnut shade to send it back toward the original color scheme - is there any way to show what that might look like, maybe just the ol' naphtha-wipe trick? I do still like the bronze too; just curious.

 

[JIO]

OK all, back from the land of barely-there connectivity! (seriously, it took me almost a full evening to download that last picture in the thread)

Man, those facings do look nice. That sort of grain would actually look fine if just stained and cleared in like a walnut shade to send it back toward the original color scheme - is there any way to show what that might look like, maybe just the ol' naphtha-wipe trick? I do still like the bronze too; just curious.

You won't see much difference using a naphtha-wipe now that it's sealed - that only works on raw wood where it can absorb. Brown, like any other colour is relative as it can go in a multitude of directions. "Walnut" is a bit more specific, but company-to-company will offer different shades of what they interpret as walnut and each will look different depending on the colour of the wood it's going over. A dark brown can also be 'ebony' which isn't black, but a very rich (bakers chocolate) brown. Something like that will still let the grain appear but will also look more uniformed in colour overall. A standard walnut stain will disclose more of the grain-pattern subtitles.

 

[DDXdesign]

You won't see much difference using a naphtha-wipe now that it's sealed - that only works on raw wood where it can absorb. Brown, like any other colour is relative as it can go in a multitude of directions. "Walnut" is a bit more specific, but company-to-company will offer different shades of what they interpret as walnut and each will look different depending on the colour of the wood it's going over. A dark brown can also be 'ebony' which isn't black, but a very rich (bakers chocolate) brown. Something like that will still let the grain appear but will also look more uniformed in colour overall. A standard walnut stain will disclose more of the grain-pattern subtitles.

Alrighty - decisions decisions, yet again! a good problem to have?

One other option I toyed with in my mind was a hammered-bronze type color since you were talking about different spray finishes. I've used that stuff for steampunk items plenty - problem is the hammered texture requires coats to be thicker than one would want on a guitar finish to get the texture to build, but mist coats yield a nice finish too, with a 'flatter' feel.

And while I haven't made any grillecloth discoveries just yet, I think I'm going to get knobs like this either in copper/amber or a gold color:

 

[DDXdesign]

So, @JIO - If we were to switch to a dark stain instead of a solid color, that doesn't screw your plans up like filling the little chips at the cutouts, right? I've seen that stain doesn't take to filler too well. I ask because I started going back through looking at inspiration in the form of great steampunk guitars (e.g. not the kind with random crap glued all over them) and I really dig this LP having just a dark brown stain on it, letting the hardware do the steaming. I'd want it to be more brown and less red, but you get the idea.

To finish it, I could make a new pickguard, maybe change the perimeter screw collars to brass instead of silver, that kind of thing.

Really, between a brown stain and the solid ORBM, I'm having a hard time deciding - partly because the *other* of my favorite basses is the Black Eagle - and I do like to have diversity in the ranks; the bronze might be too close to black perhaps.

 

[Jon Clegg]

So, @JIO - If we were to switch to a dark stain instead of a solid color, that doesn't screw your plans up like filling the little chips at the cutouts, right? I've seen that stain doesn't take to filler too well. I ask because I started going back through looking at inspiration in the form of great steampunk guitars (e.g. not the kind with random crap glued all over them) and I really dig this LP having just a dark brown stain on it, letting the hardware do the steaming. I'd want it to be more brown and less red, but you get the idea.
View attachment 3137766

To finish it, I could make a new pickguard, maybe change the perimeter screw collars to brass instead of silver, that kind of thing.

Really, between a brown stain and the solid ORBM, I'm having a hard time deciding - partly because the *other* of my favorite basses is the Black Eagle - and I do like to have diversity in the ranks; the bronze might be too close to black perhaps.

That's one of the nicest examples of steam-punking that I've seen. Just enough to make the statement without too much extraneous crap.

 

[JIO]

So, @JIO - If we were to switch to a dark stain instead of a solid color, that doesn't screw your plans up like filling the little chips at the cutouts, right? I've seen that stain doesn't take to filler too well. I ask because I started going back through looking at inspiration in the form of great steampunk guitars (e.g. not the kind with random crap glued all over them) and I really dig this LP having just a dark brown stain on it, letting the hardware do the steaming. I'd want it to be more brown and less red, but you get the idea.
View attachment 3137766

To finish it, I could make a new pickguard, maybe change the perimeter screw collars to brass instead of silver, that kind of thing.

Really, between a brown stain and the solid ORBM, I'm having a hard time deciding - partly because the *other* of my favorite basses is the Black Eagle - and I do like to have diversity in the ranks; the bronze might be too close to black perhaps.

I could make any filling blend in. For hardware, I think they make a bronze version of the rounded screw rings but I'd have to check next time I'm at Ace. If not there maybe they can be found on-line. For a Gildaxe pg option, an etched copper-leaf always felt pretty SP to me. In this regard the original pg could be used or a black one cut so any background (between leafing) would be black. (as in this example) The edges of the body core could also be done in this manor.

 

[Jon Clegg]

I For hardware, I think they make a bronze version of the rounded screw rings but I'd have to check next time I'm at Ace. If not there maybe they can be found on-line. For a Gildaxe pg option, an etched copper-leaf always felt pretty SP to me.

Indeed they do:
Finishing washers - Bolt Depot