Lefty Fretless Jazz Bass

[Gilmourisgod]

Brett,
I'm watching this thread like a hawk, hope to learn from your experiences, good and bad. Looks like you have mastered the learning curve on paint. My upcoming project will be a neck-through bass with painted finish, so I'll have to figure out some kind of a jig or armature to hold it, as there is no concealed area to bolt onto while painting. About all I'll have to work with is the rear straplock hole and the tuner holes. Did you have any problems with compatibility between Reranch and Deft? I've been anticipating the sticker shock of using Reranch or Stewmac, this sounds like a good chance to save some money. Too bad they don't make solid colors too. Anyone else out there know of other sources for reasonably priced rattlecan nitro laquer?

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

Brett,
I'm watching this thread like a hawk, hope to learn from your experiences, good and bad. Looks like you have mastered the learning curve on paint. My upcoming project will be a neck-through bass with painted finish, so I'll have to figure out some kind of a jig or armature to hold it, as there is no concealed area to bolt onto while painting. About all I'll have to work with is the rear straplock hole and the tuner holes. Did you have any problems with compatibility between Reranch and Deft? I've been anticipating the sticker shock of using Reranch or Stewmac, this sounds like a good chance to save some money. Too bad they don't make solid colors too. Anyone else out there know of other sources for reasonably priced rattlecan nitro laquer?

If I can inspire or help anyone in any way with my experiences, then this project will be more rewarding to me than I could possibly explain in a forum. I've been helped tremendously by a few forum members, so I owe a lot to them. I think with the number of messages I've sent to these people (you guys know who you are), I should probably consider them to be my sponsors like the ones you get when going through a 12-step program. Their support has been HUGE!

As far as compatibility, I have seen absolutely no issues at all. The Deft clear covers over the ReRanch without any problems. I just did a clear coat last night after repairing a couple areas with color (you may have seen the neck pocket paint chip), and it looks really dang good right now. I just need to touch-up one little area around the pot holes and then hopefully just give it a final clear coat, then be done with it until final polishing.

 

[tofit m.]

Hopkins and Dagobol have the right ideas. Let me add a caveat about compressor size: (I make my living finishing and have for over forty years) Like the bum who found the overcoat said " it can't never git too big!". don't skimp on compressor size! No matter what final delivery system you use, too small a compressor will give you grief and bad results (just my 2 cents...). I'm also a lefty, and currently working on a fretless. After having one built for me, I decided it's a LOT more fun to build my own... This is a great build, and I'm anxious to see the conclusion! Good luck, I'm sure you're on THE PATH! beej...

 

[Jonny5bass]

Cool. Thanks. That looks kind of like a standalone kit that doesn't require an air compressor, which is kind of nice.

What makes the ones I linked inferior as far as how they apply the paint? Are they used more to just cover large areas and not have fine control?

Are there any slightly more budget options that I could consider? It looks like Earlex has quite a few products in this vein, but I don't know what I'm looking for in terms of specifications.

I just got this in an email from Rockler.

Invalid Link Removed

Looks like a pretty good deal to be able to spray. Anybody have any experience with them? The reviews seem to be really good and numerous but I never really trust them.

 

[Hopkins]

I just got this in an email from Rockler.

Invalid Link Removed

Looks like a pretty good deal to be able to spray. Anybody have any experience with them? The reviews seem to be really good and numerous but I never really trust them.

If I wasn't set up to spray already, I would take a gamble on it.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

I just got this in an email from Rockler.

Invalid Link Removed

Looks like a pretty good deal to be able to spray. Anybody have any experience with them? The reviews seem to be really good and numerous but I never really trust them.

If I wasn't set up to spray already, I would take a gamble on it.

This looks like a good gamble. Is there anything you can see in that product that looks like it might not work for finishing of this nature (meaning: finishing guitars/basses)?

 

[Hopkins]

This looks like a good gamble. Is there anything you can see in that product that looks like it might not work for finishing of this nature (meaning: finishing guitars/basses)?

No not really, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work fine.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

I had some major (well, it's major to me, considering how many crappy things keep happening and how much hair I'm pulling out) issues the other day when I applied a clear coat. Prior to that, I was working out some nonsense with this perpetual blushing of the clear around the control cavity/pot hole area. I thought I had everything in line and taken care of when I started to spray clear, when all of a sudden…

FISH EYE — ALL OVER THE SURFACE!!! Check it:

This stuff was all over the body. Fortunately I only sprayed the top, so the back was relatively safe and unaffected. I never quite figured out what was the culprit, but it irritated me to say the absolute least.

Tonight I spent a couple hours sanding all that back (mostly wet-sand at 400-grit):

Hopefully tomorrow night I can apply clear again without any issues.

 

[jcanderson]

Brett, I had the same thing happen on my first body while spraying the last coat of clear.

VERY aggravating. Fortunately, it sanded out.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

Brett, I had the same thing happen on my first body while spraying the last coat of clear.

VERY aggravating. Fortunately, it sanded out.

Yes, very aggravating indeed. I'm hoping that my sanding from last night did the trick and I can progress toward a finished product here soon!

 

[Hopkins]

You obviously have enough finish on the bass by now, do you think you sanded into the color coat when you sanded the fish eyes out? If not I think I would go ahead and start final sanding up to 1500 wet, let it sit for a few weeks then finish it off with 2000 and polish.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

You obviously have enough finish on the bass by now, do you think you sanded into the color coat when you sanded the fish eyes out? If not I think I would go ahead and start final sanding up to 1500 wet, let it sit for a few weeks then finish it off with 2000 and polish.

I think I did sand into the color, but just a scosche. There is zero gloss left on that thing. I'm pretty positive it needs more clear.

 

[Hopkins]

I think I did sand into the color, but just a scosche. There is zero gloss left on that thing. I'm pretty positive it needs more clear.

There should be no gloss on it when you are finished with the final sanding

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

There should be no gloss on it when you are finished with the final sanding

Hmmmm...yeah, but it's pretty dull. I mean like really dull. I went at it pretty hard, and I don't see how something with a finish like this could actually polish to a shine.

I also don't know what I'm doing.

 

[Hopkins]

Hmmmm...yeah, but it's pretty dull. I mean like really dull. I went at it pretty hard, and I don't see how something with a finish like this could actually polish to a shine.

I also don't know what I'm doing.

One more coat could very well save you some work depending on what grit ypu used to get rid of the fish eyes. Its easier to sand out sanding scratches if you start with a finer grit.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

One more coat could very well save you some work depending on what grit ypu used to get rid of the fish eyes. Its easier to sand out sanding scratches if you start with a finer grit.

That is definitely the hope. I'm really looking forward to finishing this up and actually playing the thing.

I sanded the fish eye with 400-grit sandpaper, wet. The brand of sandpaper is just the typical Home Depot run of the mill stuff. The color of the face of the fabric/sand/pebbles/what-have-you is black.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

It's hard to "complain" about this weather...

...but when you're looking to spray, I don't think these are exactly optimum conditions.

Looks like I may have to exercise my best patience and skip that clear coat spraying tonight.

 

[Hopkins]

72 degrees at 69% humidity is better than what I usually have to contend with

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

72 degrees at 69% humidity is better than what I usually have to contend with

I'm sure it is. I've heard nightmare stories about humidity in Texas. I've got a buddy who is originally from the Houston area (and is actually a TB member as well).

I just want to be as safe as possible from this point on, so I'm eliminating all variables where I can. I've come so far and have had to undo and redo so many things that I'd really like to not do that anymore.

 

[Brett Zeppelin]

How about this?

Zoinks!