I picked up a used 2013 Sterling Ray 34 with the Honeyburst finish. It was supposed to have a matching headstock but the previous owner decided to sand off the finish. I would like to get the headstock refinished back to the way it is supposed to be. Any suggestions on people that do this kind of work with professional results?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Headstock refinish.
- Thread starter Bushhog
- Start date
Plenty of pro refinishers out there that could do that job. Keep in mind that it may cost close to this bass's actual value once you factor in shipping. I had a headstock refinished before, and the refinisher had me send the entire bass to ensure the color matched perfectly.
It's your money but this sounds prohibitively expensive compared to the value of the bass. If the bass is a great player, I would just live with what you have. If not, I would sell it and get one with the matching headstock.
Bones
Bones
Yeah, as mentioned above, it's going to be pretty expensive in my opinion for such a small amount of real estate on the bass. Personally, I'd just try to DIY it myself if I really wanted it matching that bad. If you do try to DIY it, get some scrap wood (assuming maple) and practice first to get the colour right and the process of doing the burst. Since it's on the headstock it's far enough from the body that it doesn't have to be 100% exactly matching, I'd just try and get it as close as I can and live with it. For the headstock decal, you can make your own waterslide decals or maybe you can find a SBMM decal online.
Find a good auto body shop in your area and ask them if they would be interested in doing it, they will be able to match the color for you, and If you want the logo back on it, there are plenty of places online that can make waterslide decals to match whatever logo you want, and can even make custom logos if you wanted something unique. The shop will spray the color (basecoat), then put the waterslide decal on which are super thin, and when they spray the clearcoat, the decal will be under it and will look factory.
Ive been in the auto body field for years and have painted quite a few guitar and basses. The results will look flawless if done right.
Ive been in the auto body field for years and have painted quite a few guitar and basses. The results will look flawless if done right.
I'll definitely check the local body shops! Thanks for the suggestion.
Trying to match a burst finish sounds like something that could be an expensive way of looking no better
Agreed. I've been doing DIY refins for years, and bursts are still something I won't attempt. Especially with rattle cans. Only a pro could match that factory Honeyburst.
If I were going to DIY this job, I'd leave it natural and try to match the tint of the rest of the neck. This could potentially be done with a very light amber spray or wipe-on product. Add decal and a couple coats of clear to seal it, and done. Or paint it gloss black, add decal/clear, and done.
Your welcome. Just one more thing.....There are a lot of hack shops around that think, or will tell you they do good work, so definately check the reviews of whatever shops you contact. Last thing you want is for them to make a mess out of it!
It will be crazy expensive to have done the right way. It would probably be easier to just buy another bass w/ the matching headstock intact.
I haven't contacted EBMM yet. I figured since it's a SBMM, EBMM wouldn't touch it. I'll send them a message just to see what they say. Thank you for the suggestion.EBMM would do it , you will have to send the whole bass to them , it will take months to get it back and it will be expensive .
