Painting a bass

From the tone of your post, I'd have to say the answers are yes and yes.

 

Me and my friends just repainted 2 guitars (they are guitarists and had crappy guitars, so we thought "what the heck")

So, to tell you from a little experience, its a lot of work

Sanding (by hand is the only way to go, electric will kill the body, trust me) will take a few hours at best, probably 2 or so to get it lookin' and feelin' smooth and good

Then you have to make a painting booth (cardboard and duct tape will be your friends here) so paint doesn't go everywhere

Then you have to buy paint and primer and some sort of finish so it won't chip and so it looks shiny(spray paint works, its just a long process. It took about 2 weeks for us to finish one of the guitars)

Then, you actually have to do the painting, which is a hard, long process. Painting, sanding down a little, then more painting, repeat, until you get it lookin' good, not blotchy, full color, etc.
The same process goes for primer, so its fully covered

So, there is a little overview, might have forgotten some parts, but thats the basics

Its a lot of work, but it you want to do it, go for it
Its definitely do-able




Hope that helps in your decision

 

If the body currently is chipped, then taking down to wood is suggested. Otherwise just a wetsand with 600 grit should be good to prep for paint. You might take the body to an automotive body shop for the painting and buffing. Make sure you have the unwanted areas masked so no paint gets in there, such as the neck pocket.
Other areas of concern are the holes for screws. A hard finish will chip if the screw is put into a spot where there was once a decent hole for it. Right before spraying, insert a dummy screw or toothpicks and remove them carefully before the paint dries.
If resale value is of no concern, leave it alone. A new paint job is the quickest way to cutting it's value in half.
All this shouldn't affect the sound, unless you botch the reassembly and setup.
There are websites where you can get tips on this stuff such as http://home.flash.net/~guitars/ReRanch101.html

 

the resale value of a Getty is pretty nice. if you paint it, its' no longer a Getty. if you screw up, this bass could become worthless. think about repainting your car. it's the same process. "Don't try this at home, kids. these are trained professionals" . sound is everything. resale value second, and looks, are last.

 

OMG!!!

 

My thoughts exactly...

 

check out the reranch site. There's good information there. I say go for it. Make some mistakes. A botched paint job is not the end of the world. If it turns out well, great. If not, learn to live with a guitar no one else wants until you become famous. It's a win-win.

 

I feel you man. I LOVE my Geddy, but I do feel a bit unorigional with that bass. I would kill for mine to be vintage white with a tort PG. I love the look of 70's white with black blocks and a torg guard. I think I will just end up buying a finished body one day. It just seems like a lot less work, and it would retain the value.

 

Reranch is the way to go. However, stripping poly, from what I've heard, is a b*tch to strip. You would ruin the value of your guitar. If you are set on a color, buy an unfinished body and start from there.

 

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