Gibson bass rescue

[Dark Horse]

I traded a Vintera jazz bass for this Gibson five string EB-5 and 100 bucks. I’ve always liked these basses, but never owned one. They are super lightweight, play great, and the pickups sound awesome. But they are hard to find.

Anyway, the reason I got this one cheap was because it had been spray-painted over the original finish. And badly. But that really didn’t bother me, I just got to work….

A little while later with some elbow grease, I found this beautiful ash body underneath all that bad paint…..

I honestly was not sure what color I was going to refinish it originally, I just knew I had to get the old finish off of there. Figured I would make a plan afterward. But now seeing this beautiful piece of Ash, I’m thinking I may just do an Osmo oil finish on it and keep it natural.

What do you guys think?

 

[Level5wizard]

Clear ash looks great

 

[Dark Horse]

Clear ash looks great

I think so too. And the Osmo would be super easy and quick to apply. And I love the way it feels.

 

[Pilgrim]

I think that wood looks like a winner for a clear finish.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Whatdaya mean masking tape?

That would look really good with an ambered clear, something like what still appears to be in the pickup cavities.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

I traded a Vintera jazz bass for this Gibson five string EB-5 and 100 bucks. I’ve always liked these basses, but never owned one. They are super lightweight, play great, and the pickups sound awesome. But they are hard to find.

View attachment 7026242

Anyway, the reason I got this one cheap was because it had been spray-painted over the original finish. And badly. But that really didn’t bother me, I just got to work….

View attachment 7026243View attachment 7026244




A little while later with some elbow grease, I found this beautiful ash body underneath all that bad paint…..


View attachment 7026245View attachment 7026246



I honestly was not sure what color I was going to refinish it originally, I just knew I had to get the old finish off of there. Figured I would make a plan afterward. But now seeing this beautiful piece of Ash, I’m thinking I may just do an Osmo oil finish on it and keep it natural.

What do you guys think?

Oil finish would look amazing on that.

 

[Dark Horse]

Whatdaya mean masking tape?

That would look really good with an ambered clear, something like what still appears to be in the pickup cavities.

Yeah, I’m wondering if the Osmo clear will amber the wood at all. Otherwise I may have to amber stain it first if I’m going to go that way

 

[Drredplate]

Yeah, I’m wondering if the Osmo clear will amber the wood at all. Otherwise I may have to amber stain it first if I’m going to go that way

You can get tinted Osmo and blend your own tint. Yes osmo will amber the wood

 

[Barticus]

I played several of those at the Gibson factory in Memphis, back in 2017. Nice basses that were all in a natural ash finish.

Nice work, that looks way better than that silly red that they spray-painted even the pots with.

 

[Dark Horse]

You can get tinted Osmo and blend your own tint. Yes osmo will amber the wood

Thanks
Ive got the clear gloss here so I’d just use that. I know woodcraft carries the tints and such, but I think I’ll be cheap since I just bought a brand new can of this stuff

 

[Dark Horse]

I played several of those at the Gibson factory in Memphis, back in 2017. Nice basses that were all in a natural ash finish.

Nice work, that looks way better than that silly red that they spray-painted even the pots with.

Thanks !

Yeah, the overspray of the pots was, um…. “Special”.

 

[Dark Horse]

First coat of osmo

Color difference between raw wood and oil ….

And first coat applied…

 

[scottm]

Wow, way to go! That looks so much better.
I had one of these in the black finish and it was an amazing bass, and I really regret selling it.

The low weight and their amazing sounding pickups were just fantastic.

Congratulations on the new bass!

-ScottM

 

[Dark Horse]

Wow, way to go! That looks so much better.
I had one of these in the black finish and it was an amazing bass, and I really regret selling it.

The low weight and their amazing sounding pickups were just fantastic.

Congratulations on the new bass!

-ScottM

Thanks Scott !

 

[Barticus]

First coat of osmo

Color difference between raw wood and oil ….

View attachment 7026278

And first coat applied…


View attachment 7026277

Yep, that looks about right

 

[Matt Liebenau]

First coat of osmo

Color difference between raw wood and oil ….

View attachment 7026278

And first coat applied…


View attachment 7026277

Yep… that…

 

[MCF]

I traded a Vintera jazz bass for this Gibson five string EB-5 and 100 bucks. I’ve always liked these basses, but never owned one. They are super lightweight, play great, and the pickups sound awesome. But they are hard to find.

View attachment 7026242

Anyway, the reason I got this one cheap was because it had been spray-painted over the original finish. And badly. But that really didn’t bother me, I just got to work….

View attachment 7026243View attachment 7026244




A little while later with some elbow grease, I found this beautiful ash body underneath all that bad paint…..


View attachment 7026245View attachment 7026246



I honestly was not sure what color I was going to refinish it originally, I just knew I had to get the old finish off of there. Figured I would make a plan afterward. But now seeing this beautiful piece of Ash, I’m thinking I may just do an Osmo oil finish on it and keep it natural.

What do you guys think?

Wow! Great rescue. Well worth the effort. The DeCola tapped humbuckers with Alnico V magnets are special. A versatile tone monster.

 

[Dark Horse]

Wow! Great rescue. Well worth the effort. The DeCola tapped humbuckers with Alnico V magnets are special. A versatile tone monster.

I’d love to find more of these pickups…. Like you say, they’re special.

 

[Neon Blues]

I guess the real question is, can a Gibson bass ever be truly rescued?

 

[Dark Horse]

I guess the real question is, can a Gibson bass ever be truly rescued?

?