poly and nitro

I cant really help you in terms of applying and what to do in that. But for the decision between poly and nitro dont get all worked up over people saying "nitro lets your wood breathe". Your wood is dead, period. If you leave your bass in the case a lot the nitro never really settles and will eventually start to take the color of your case lining. Poly stays looking new for a loooong time. If you want a road worn look on your bass, use nitro.

 

If you are applying with a brush, then poly is the only option between the two. Nitro is not a brush on type of finish.

 

Nitro sets up to fast to be applied with a brush. I am not saying it cant be done, but I have only seen nitro sprayed. I have never seen it applied with any other method.

 

You indicated that the bass was to be painted first. What base coat are you using? The best option is to use the clear coat that is compatible with that base coat paint. Short of that, if the clear coat and base coat use the same solvent, then you are probably OK. Mixing paints based on different solvents is generally not good idea. You might also consider Reranch nitro that comes in a spray can. They have detailed instructions on the site that can walk a beginner through the process.

 

Good catch, I missed the part about using a clear over a painted bass.

 

Nitro is softer, wears faster, and "feels better".
Poly is solid, tough as nails, very glossy always, and "feels like plastic"


I am bias, and I would recommend nitro or shellac. Shellac is nice but don't let anybody spill booze on it, and French polish is a beautiful art(labor intensive)

 

To be honest, your best chance for a great finished product is going to be Reranch nitro in rattle cans. There is a ton of great advice on their website as well.

 

Agreed. Nitro sets very quickly. Without a fair amount of retarder mixed in your brush will stick by the time you coat the entire body. If you want nitro you should consider the aerosol sprays as mentioned earlier. Poly is a much better brush finish as the.drying time is measured in hours, not minutes.

 

Why exactly do you want to brush it? You would probably end up with a better end result if you sprayed it with a rattle can.

 

Check out this build thread. http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/build-ii-paradox-mj5-new-design-749932/

He goes into pretty good detail about brushing poly.

 

Your best bet is probably rattle can nitro. Reranch should have whatever you need.

 

I wish I could be more helpful, but I have never used a brush on poly finish. If you were spraying it I could help.

Lonnybass has a really good thread on here that would probably help you with what you are trying to do.

Good Luck,
Paul.

 

First you want to be able to hang the guitar so you can get to both sides. Is it a bolt on, or a set neck / neck thru? A bolt on means you can do the body and neck separately. You'll want to tape off the fretboard while you are at it.

I ditto Reranch products. They have the Gibson Gold that may work for you. You can practice on another piece of wood to get the hang of spraying. Buy some extra and practice on scrap, part of your education.

I just got thru using Behlen water based poly on a table. Easy brush application and cleanup. Best advise is to apply thin coats and lots of them. Let it build till you're happy with it.

Here's a guitar I'm finishing with oil right now.


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