None More Black

[JimmyThunder]

Hey there y'all.

So I'm thinking of "blacking out" my Jazz Bass. I dig the look of the black pickguard on the black body...but then my imagination ran away with me and I'm going for a black control plate, black badass bridge, black tuners, them fancy black strings...even using a sharpie to fill in the lines on the knobs and darken the input jack nut. (no, I'm not in a metal band, just a fan of monochrome.) Still undecided on painting the headstock.

So my first question is...I've been checking out as many photos on these threads as I could find of people's Jazz Basses, and there are a few with black-on-black pickguards, but nobody seems to have gone "all the way" like this. Or have they?

And the second question is...the fingerboard is rosewood, which is certainly darker than maple but, especially when viewed against that much black, is more of a reddish-brown. Short of replacing the neck with ebony, is there any way to blacken it up? Staining with shoe polish, perhaps?

 

[ibanezcollector]

My KSD is almost there.. there is some fretboard dye you can buy from stewmac.com that will darken the rosewood but it will also darken the inlays as well.

Link Removed

 

[Dave Siff]

the fingerboard is rosewood, which is certainly darker than maple but, especially when viewed against that much black, is more of a reddish-brown. Short of replacing the neck with ebony, is there any way to blacken it up? Staining with shoe polish, perhaps?

There was an interview in Bass Player a while back with the guy from Bauhaus, he's got an all-black fretless Fender Precision. He said he had a friend spray-paint the fingerboard with automotive paint.

 

[FL Knifemaker]

I don't think a bass could be any more black that this, unless the back of the neck was painted.

Squier Active Jazz 5, Badass V bridge, Hipshot tuners, carbon fiber nut, string tree and neck plate. Hardware and knobs black powder coated.

 

[JimmyThunder]

Undoubtedly, that Jazz5 is superlatively black. What I meant, tho, is a traditional Jazz...the appeal to me is not just the overall blackness, but the fact that there are multiple layers of parts (such as pickguards, control plates, thumbrests, etc) that are unified.

That StewMac stain is EXACTLY what I was looking for...thanks. Darkening the inlays is a bonus.

 

[speedkills]

You need black strings on that beauty!!

I've ordered black dome knobs and the black Gotoh 201 for mine.
Once they're here and installed I'll post the pics here.

 

[fitbass3p]

Now, the question that must be begged...how can you black out the frets? THAT would be the ultimate in black basses.

 

[moomoocajoo]

Fretless!



Imagine that, ebony fretboard, no inlays, match black headstock etc...Ninja style!

 

[JimmyThunder]

I was thinking about that too...while I won't go as far as to go fretless, I did consider taking the sharpie to them. Of course it'd wear off pretty quick, but with quick re-application between gigs (or sets, even), it'd at least start out looking good.

 

[msquared]

If you can't do fretless, at least get a graphite replacement neck.

But you should really go graphite AND fretless.

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

Once you go black......

 

[JimmyThunder]

That's what I'm talkin'bout right there!

 

[Snakeman1066]

I think Mr. Valenti beat you to it....lol

 

[Pilgrim]

There was an interview in Bass Player a while back with the guy from Bauhaus, he's got an all-black fretless Fender Precision. He said he had a friend spray-paint the fingerboard with automotive paint.

UUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHH. Talk about a definition of how to make a fingerboard nassssty.....

I can just visualize how that would look if the paint started flaking. And auto paint is usually acrylic lacquer, which will not stand up to string wear.

 

[ibanezcollector]

I think Mr. Valenti beat you to it....lol

I really wish that picture would go away every time I see that I gas more and more for it.. Its a conspiracy made by Nino and Jim Carr to make me buy one..

 

[mellowgerman]

sounds groovy. but consider this. i think the perloid red pickguard would look pretty amazing on an all black bass, hardware and all. just a thought

 

[Mr.Bassie720]

That's what I'm talkin'bout right there![/Q

Thanks! Glad you like it. black Schaeller bridge and tuners, black control plate, bartolini pickups(nice matt black look)Moses neck only comes in black of course. black barrel knobs.I was thinking of getting an all black pickguard but opted for the BWB cause it contrated nicely with body.The body is warmoth and was painted by them in satin black.

 

[iamthebassman]

I just got one of these:

 

[Earwigger]

Why black? Why not Green it out?

 

[bigfatbass]

This is the stuff you need it coated in:

"The end result was a material with a total reflective index of 0.045 percent – more than three times darker than the previous record"

http://azooptics.com/Details.asp?NewsID=1575

Now THAT'S black!