Double Bass Help with re-fishing a bass neck

[David Potts]

What would you luthiers recommend that I use to re-coat a maple bass neck so that it is silky smooth? I have finished stripping a 1950s Saumer spruce and maple bass, bought cheaply after someone had poured alcohol down the front and wrecked the varnish.

Cheers....

DP

 

[timobee4]

Can't help you with that but I sure would love to know your method of stripping the old varnish off the whole bass! Cheers T.

 

[David Potts]

The varnish came off fairly easily using citrus stripper. There are two types, one in liquid form and one in gel form (that does not run on vertical surfaces). I used the former. Others on TB have said they have used this with success. Certainly it was quick and with no fumes but you still end up with a mess. Wearing long rubber gloves and applying the stripper with a 2 inch paint brush I worked thoroughly in small areas at a time.

I supported the bass on two saw horses to which I had taped plastic foam protective strips. A thick layer of newspaper on the concrete floor underneath caught the drips. After the varnish had softened I used a plastic plate scraper ( kitchen drawer type)
to remove the mess into a tin. I sponged off the stripped area with warm clean water containing a small amount of dish detergent. (here read the instructions on the product label!!). Sometimes I used a well worn Scotchbrite scourer very gently just in advance of the sponge (working with the grain, not across it).

I tried not to use a lot of water and accept that I will have raised some grain, especially on the spruce front, that will require careful sanding. Many small areas like the scroll had to be revisited more than once to ensure that last traces of varnish went. Corners where the plates meet the ribs are almost impossible to clean out. Generally speaking, the care taken now during surface preparation will directly impact on the end quality of re-finishing.

I have read in previous posts about people using orbital sanders or just sandpaper to remove varnish and have shuddered. For me citrus stripper on traditional oil or spirit varnishes acts quickly and is relatively odour-free and safe to handle, especially good for working indoors.

DP

 

[powerbass]

Do you mean the part of the neck where your hand comes in contact? If so a light oil finish such as tung oil is a good option. A thicker finish tends to get sticky when your hand starts to sweat whereas bare wood or the oil finish will not. If you do go with the oil finish the wood will darken with time - dirt/sweat from your hands etc

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

A search would yield you plenty of information. I would recommend a scraper, progressively finer sandpaper and either boiled linseed oil or Watco Danish oil rubbed in and smoothed with 0000 steel wool. I prefer the Watco myself.

 

[gjbassist]

Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil is a gun stock oil but it works great on bass necks and bodies too. It's easy to apply and gives a nice gloss finish. If you don't like the gloss you can go over it with some 0000 steel wool to dull it down a bit.

 

[timobee4]

The varnish came off fairly easily using citrus stripper. There are two types, one in liquid form and one in gel form (that does not run on vertical surfaces). I used the former. Others on TB have said they have used this with success. Certainly it was quick and with no fumes but you still end up with a mess. Wearing long rubber gloves and applying the stripper with a 2 inch paint brush I worked thoroughly in small areas at a time.

I supported the bass on two saw horses to which I had taped plastic foam protective strips. A thick layer of newspaper on the concrete floor underneath caught the drips. After the varnish had softened I used a plastic plate scraper ( kitchen drawer type)
to remove the mess into a tin. I sponged off the stripped area with warm clean water containing a small amount of dish detergent. (here read the instructions on the product label!!). Sometimes I used a well worn Scotchbrite scourer very gently just in advance of the sponge (working with the grain, not across it).

I tried not to use a lot of water and accept that I will have raised some grain, especially on the spruce front, that will require careful sanding. Many small areas like the scroll had to be revisited more than once to ensure that last traces of varnish went. Corners where the plates meet the ribs are almost impossible to clean out. Generally speaking, the care taken now during surface preparation will directly impact on the end quality of re-finishing.

I have read in previous posts about people using orbital sanders or just sandpaper to remove varnish and have shuddered. For me citrus stripper on traditional oil or spirit varnishes acts quickly and is relatively odour-free and safe to handle, especially good for working indoors.

DP

Thank you so much!!! Also its true that few coats of tung oil finnish is better than varnish, I went over the back of the neck with finest wet&dry (wet) wiped it off and an hour later applied tung oil, let it dry after 3 coats it looked beautiful as it really brought out the stripes, few months later turned darker and looked gorgeous. Smooth and never got sticky. I don't grip the neck at all and worked out real sweet!

 

[George700DL]

Thank you so much!!! Also its true that few coats of tung oil finnish is better than varnish, I went over the back of the neck with finest wet&dry (wet) wiped it off and an hour later applied tung oil, let it dry after 3 coats it looked beautiful as it really brought out the stripes, few months later turned darker and looked gorgeous. Smooth and never got sticky. I don't grip the neck at all and worked out real sweet!

Was it real tung oil or a "tung oil finish"? Most things that say "tung oil finish" have nothing to do with real tung oil, and are, in fact, varnishes.

George

 

[Jake deVilliers]

What would you luthiers recommend that I use to re-coat a maple bass neck so that it is silky smooth? I have finished stripping a 1950s Saumer spruce and maple bass, bought cheaply after someone had poured alcohol down the front and wrecked the varnish.

Cheers....

DP

I smooth the wood with 220 - 320 - 400 grit, then raise the grain with a damp cloth. Back with the 400, then 600, followed by a two or three coats of boiled linseed oil.

 

[David Potts]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Incidently, I have come across a source of pure tung oil. The recommendation is that I try sample strips of maple and spruce using this product thinned with Citrus Terpene for suitability as a re-finish. The claim is that I should have no fear of it not drying properly when thinned this way. I have also seen other claims in the literature about pure tung oil not drying out fully, remaining a bit soft and tacky. Have you had any experience of this , Jake?

DP

 

[timobee4]

Proper oil! Let me find a picture I am sure I had somewhere!!! It was was so smooth an absolute delight to handle! I also used boiled linseed oil and that was equally gorgeous! Yep I did find one although you cant really see the back of the neck real well!! This job was a linseed job and even though I sold the bass since to my friend he couldn't get over the sweet feel of the neck! Later it got a little darker bringing out the stripes even more! I just bought another carved bass and once my ebony peg heads and new A grade bridge installed I will do the neck myself as I did before!!!!

Was it real tung oil or a "tung oil finish"? Most things that say "tung oil finish" have nothing to do with real tung oil, and are, in fact, varnishes.

George

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Incidently, I have come across a source of pure tung oil. The recommendation is that I try sample strips of maple and spruce using this product thinned with Citrus Terpene for suitability as a re-finish. The claim is that I should have no fear of it not drying properly when thinned this way. I have also seen other claims in the literature about pure tung oil not drying out fully, remaining a bit soft and tacky. Have you had any experience of this , Jake?

DP

Tung oil, and linseed oil for that matter, need to be polymerised and blended with other ingredients in order to make a drying oil. Hence the term 'boiled' or 'double boiled'. The raw oils are fine for cutting boards, where the toxicity of prepared oils would be an issue but for your neck shaft or fingerboard you have different priorities.

I use a mixture of boiled linseed oil and polymerised tung oil on open pored mahogany necked guitars but boiled linseed does a great job on maple. YMMV

 

[powerbass]

I like tung oil because it holds up better on lighter woods like maple - it doesn't fade or discolor like linseed oil can. You can also build up a very nice, light sheen with tung oil that is still not thick or sticky. Jake is right, you do need polymerised tung oil so that it will dry properly. My favorite tung oil is made by Sutherland Welles Sutherland Welles | Polymerized Tung Oil – the sustainable, natural, earth-friendly choice for all of your finishing needs.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Incidently, I have come across a source of pure tung oil. The recommendation is that I try sample strips of maple and spruce using this product thinned with Citrus Terpene for suitability as a re-finish. The claim is that I should have no fear of it not drying properly when thinned this way. I have also seen other claims in the literature about pure tung oil not drying out fully, remaining a bit soft and tacky. Have you had any experience of this , Jake?

DP

I know I’m resurrecting another ancient thread...David — how were the results of your refinishing? I’m thinking of refinishing my Kay’s neck as the finish is flaking and has worn away to nothing in many places. It’s become a dull gray from the years of sweat and smoky bars. I don’t dig super slick lacquered finishes; so I was thinking about a tung oil or boiled linseed oil finish to spruce it up a bit.