Guild B301

I am considering buying a B301 with the intention of refinishing it as well. I am wondering if Guild just put a poly or lacquer clearcoat on those basses, or if they put one of those damned, rock - hard, clear matte sealers on the wood - which are nearly impossible to remove. (I got into a mess like that with a natural finish Fender P bass, not realizing that Fender put a sealer on the wood before applying the final gloss coat - OMG!!!) If anyone has knowledge about these Guild B301 finishes, PLEASE let me know before I dive into this project. Thanks!

 

Finish is lacquer, no problem doing a refin.




'75 M-85 same year as my B-301, easier to tell it's lacquer.

 

Thanks for the info, Dadagoboi. I am hoping to strip the bass's natural finish, and STAIN it either to look more like the mahogany ones (with some form of a cherry, mahogany, or Sedona Red stain), unless I can find a nice wine red stain (similar to the color on some of Gibson's SGs), then try a spray - on lacquer (Mohawk?), maybe a satin instead of gloss?

 

@Mark Gastambide I use Mohawk 'red' Ultra Penetrating Stain for cherry with great results on ash, maple, mahogany, poplar, and cypress . That's it on my avatar bass.

 

Again - Thanks for your help. Is there some additive that is used to get a darker red (wine) color, (someone on a website suggested adding a touch of blue to cherry red stain to make wine.) or is that achieved by overcoating with a cherry - tinted lacquer or poly clearcoat? (Their "Oxblood" color on the online color chart looks very close to what I am looking for, unless that will be more purple than I am wanting.) I was reading that Gibson's SG color I was talking about is achieved this way, by spraying a tinted red clearcoat over an already reddish brown stain.

 

Well, I bought the bass. (It's an exact twin of your B301 - A, Dadagoboi.) It is in near - mint condition, except for some belt buckle rash on the back, and a weird little spot on the front of the upper horn (I swear it looks like someone tried to put a strap button on the front, then filled the hole!) Heck, the case is even in near - mint condition. The only mod is a nice set of Hipshot tuners, but the original tuners were in the case. Thought it was a good deal at G. C. for $600, especially since the action was SO sweet, and the neck so perfect. Can't wait to get acquainted with this bass I have wanted since I saw one a guy was playing in a High School jazz band back in the early 80's. Back then I thought it was THE sexiest bass body design I had ever seen (compared to my Fender P bass, anyway), until I saw the original Ned Steinberger design for the Spector (which I think was obviously influenced by the Guild, if you look at the rounded upper horn, and short, pointy lower horn - but maybe I'm nuts!) Either way, I just love the shape and feel of this bass.