How to Refinish Neck Through Bass

[mark1542]

Question for the more experienced Luthiers! I am working on refinishing a neck through bass guitar I purchased. The body is mahogany, and the neck is maple. I have it all sanded down, and am working on prep for painting. I will definitely be taping the fretboard up to protect it.

Here's my question. With a neck through, what do you typically do with the back of the neck? The body will be painted (most likely a Daphne Blue color), but didn't know if you all typically tape up the back of the neck to prevent painting and overspray.

Also, what do you typically do where the neck becomes the headstock. On my guitar, the mahogany is also on the "wings" of the headstock, so it is a two tone colored headstock as well.

Just wanting to make sure I make this thing not look ridiculous lol. Do most people just paint the back of the neck the same color as the body, or do they tape it off well and paint only the body and headstock, and leave the back of the neck a more "natural" color.

Thanks for the help!

 

[mapleglo]

Another Coat

• mapleglo
• Jan 24, 2018
• epoxy sealed

another epoxy coat

I tape off the fingerboard and paint everything else. I usually do clear.

Sealer

• mapleglo
• Nov 5, 2017
• epoxy

Coat of epoxy sealer

Though I have been known to do white.

White Devil Bass

• mapleglo
• Mar 14, 2018
• devil bass

White Devil Bass

But I do paint the back of the neck and headstock in any event.

 

[mark1542]

Another Coat

• mapleglo
• Jan 24, 2018
• epoxy sealed

another epoxy coat

I tape off the fingerboard and paint everything else. I usually do clear.

Sealer

• mapleglo
• Nov 5, 2017
• epoxy

Coat of epoxy sealer

Though I have been known to do white.

White Devil Bass

• mapleglo
• Mar 14, 2018
• devil bass

White Devil Bass

But I do paint the back of the neck and headstock in any event.

Got it, thanks for the info! I actually tried to stain it first, but really didn't like the color it came out, so I sanded it back down lol. Starting from scratch. So on the White Devil bass you pictured, you just painted the back of the neck white as well?

If you do paint it, do you have any recommendations for how to keep the back of the neck from getting sticky? Didn't know if there was a special process I need to do to keep that slick.

Thanks!

 

[mapleglo]

Got it, thanks for the info! I actually tried to stain it first, but really didn't like the color it came out, so I sanded it back down lol. Starting from scratch. So on the White Devil bass you pictured, you just painted the back of the neck white as well?

If you do paint it, do you have any recommendations for how to keep the back of the neck from getting sticky? Didn't know if there was a special process I need to do to keep that slick.

Thanks!

Yes, I painted everything but the fretboard. To prevent the back of the neck from getting sticky, I did not buff and polish it. Just sanded to 800 grit.

Did the same with this Ric clone:

Snowglo

• mapleglo
• Nov 19, 2017
• 4004 build copy

4004 copy

 

[mapleglo]

Here's the back:

 

[mark1542]

Awesome, ok thank you! That definitely helps!! I'll most likely do that as well.