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Project: My first big build (Warmoth/Moses)
- Thread starter rojo412
- Start date
I'm holding off on picks until I get things more done, but here's what I've done so far:
BODY:
Drilled the hole for the bridge ground. That was fun, actually!
Primed it, sanded it down to smooth the primer down to even with the grain... still grainy.
Got more primer on it, but I don't like how poorly it covers (Krylon). I will be smoothing it again, but if it doesn't work, I'm gonna be angry.
NECK:
Same as body. It has tiny little dimples I keep chasing down. No luck though.
HARDWARE:
Got a used Hipshot bridge that was gold and worn. Took it apart and painted it black with chalkboard paint. Durable and sexy finish. Looks good so far.
Took the tuner buttons off and decided to do those to match. Look great as well, but I'd have to do the whole tuner to look great and I'd rather just buy Hipshots if that's the case.
PICKUPS:
Sadowskys are on the way (as stated). Gonna do Vol-Vol-Tone with a Series/Parallel switch and shielding.
BODY:
Drilled the hole for the bridge ground. That was fun, actually!
Primed it, sanded it down to smooth the primer down to even with the grain... still grainy.
Got more primer on it, but I don't like how poorly it covers (Krylon). I will be smoothing it again, but if it doesn't work, I'm gonna be angry.
NECK:
Same as body. It has tiny little dimples I keep chasing down. No luck though.
HARDWARE:
Got a used Hipshot bridge that was gold and worn. Took it apart and painted it black with chalkboard paint. Durable and sexy finish. Looks good so far.
Took the tuner buttons off and decided to do those to match. Look great as well, but I'd have to do the whole tuner to look great and I'd rather just buy Hipshots if that's the case.
PICKUPS:
Sadowskys are on the way (as stated). Gonna do Vol-Vol-Tone with a Series/Parallel switch and shielding.
Got the hardware done, did chalkboard paint over the Hipshot A Bridge and the no-name tuner buttons.
rojo412, I've never worked with chalkboard paint. I would have been skeptical about using it on hardware, as far as durability is concerned.
Do you think it will crape or chip off? Did you prepare the surfaces with etching or sanding?
Do you think it will crape or chip off? Did you prepare the surfaces with etching or sanding?
Sanded it. I figured that it would hold up, since it's meant to be worn on like a chalkboard.
We'll see how it goes. I've seen worse finishes on hardware.
We'll see how it goes. I've seen worse finishes on hardware.
More notes, still waiting for paint to dry... literally!
First:
I started with the Rustoleum Primer that was sitting around and I loved it. Covered well, easy to work with, low odor.
Switched to Krylon primer next and it SUCKED!!! Took a whole can to cover the grain that you could still see. Then, sanded it flat, it was okay, but I'd never buy it again.
Just used the Valspar primer and it covers GREAT! But it stinks. Oh well, we'll see how it looks once done.
Second:
I am thinking about color. I was dead-set on white because I've always liked it, but never had a white bass. Plus, the contrast of glossy white and matte black would look really cool. But then again, other colors would look cool as well... and even other whites!
Well, now I'm torn as to what to do. I know asking color opinions is not going to get me anywhere, so I'm just going to ask:
"Anyone see a problem with white?"
I have time to think, anyway, as I need to keep priming and smoothing.
Third:
The pickups came in and though they don't have "Sadowsky" embossed on them, I'm sure they are still the real deal. They look very well made.
The neck pickup didn't fit the routing, though. Had to bust out the ol' Dremel...
I'm not very good at making a dremel-job look super pro, but I got the pickup to fit. Plus, I'm probably going to put a pickguard on this. Gonna have to!
Pics to come once I get some more work done.
First:
I started with the Rustoleum Primer that was sitting around and I loved it. Covered well, easy to work with, low odor.
Switched to Krylon primer next and it SUCKED!!! Took a whole can to cover the grain that you could still see. Then, sanded it flat, it was okay, but I'd never buy it again.
Just used the Valspar primer and it covers GREAT! But it stinks. Oh well, we'll see how it looks once done.
Second:
I am thinking about color. I was dead-set on white because I've always liked it, but never had a white bass. Plus, the contrast of glossy white and matte black would look really cool. But then again, other colors would look cool as well... and even other whites!
Well, now I'm torn as to what to do. I know asking color opinions is not going to get me anywhere, so I'm just going to ask:
"Anyone see a problem with white?"
I have time to think, anyway, as I need to keep priming and smoothing.
Third:
The pickups came in and though they don't have "Sadowsky" embossed on them, I'm sure they are still the real deal. They look very well made.
The neck pickup didn't fit the routing, though. Had to bust out the ol' Dremel...
I'm not very good at making a dremel-job look super pro, but I got the pickup to fit. Plus, I'm probably going to put a pickguard on this. Gonna have to!
Pics to come once I get some more work done.
No problems with white at all. Maybe they sell a whiteboard version, you could use that to go with the chalkboard and write the set list on your bass.
The problem with white is that you shouldn't play a white bass between Labor Day and Easter. Or, at least that's what all the etiquette books say....
Got the hardware done, did chalkboard paint over the Hipshot A Bridge and the no-name tuner buttons.
You can see in my bass I got these same tuners installed, you get them on ebay by any chance? They hold tune very well and are very well constructed and light...
The white looks good btw...
Some recent pics. Primer freshly applied.
Also have to come up with a headstock logo decal. May just freeform paint it, then clear. I'd go with custom waterslide decals, but I just need 1.
Also have to come up with a headstock logo decal. May just freeform paint it, then clear. I'd go with custom waterslide decals, but I just need 1.
I am still in primer, but I think I'm ready to clear the headstock.
The body got the bridge holes drilled, but when I removed the neck plate, I gouged the primer and some of it also stuck to the plate itself. Had to sand and prime a lot and it still needs work.
If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now:
Priming and painting a bass body is HARD work (especially with limited tools)
I understand why it costs what it does and I'm taking it to a pro if I get this sort of project again.
A side note:
It took less time for me and 2 buddies to remove and install an entire engine in my old Civic. Not even counting dry time for that, either. I have put more effort into making this body look smooth and white than I did into extracting and installing a Civic engine.
Trying my best not to give up on this project!
The body got the bridge holes drilled, but when I removed the neck plate, I gouged the primer and some of it also stuck to the plate itself. Had to sand and prime a lot and it still needs work.
If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now:
Priming and painting a bass body is HARD work (especially with limited tools)
I understand why it costs what it does and I'm taking it to a pro if I get this sort of project again.
A side note:
It took less time for me and 2 buddies to remove and install an entire engine in my old Civic. Not even counting dry time for that, either. I have put more effort into making this body look smooth and white than I did into extracting and installing a Civic engine.
Trying my best not to give up on this project!
You must continue! If not, we will hunt you down and demonstrate the stiffness of birdseye maple!
Thankfully, that was already done. I tried doing neck inserts once... ONCE! (Johnny Dangerously, anyone?!?!)
It is not easy to do without a drill press. But these are all in there and ready to go.
I do have to slot the nut and I already dremeled around the tuner holes because those were a tad small.
I can never seem to make the primer 100% smooth and I don't want to clear it if the imperfections will show through. That's my biggest concern.
It is not easy to do without a drill press. But these are all in there and ready to go.
I do have to slot the nut and I already dremeled around the tuner holes because those were a tad small.
I can never seem to make the primer 100% smooth and I don't want to clear it if the imperfections will show through. That's my biggest concern.
Ah, the joys of ash.
If the grain filling wasn't 100%, no amount of primer is going to get you to a nice flat finish IME - it seems like the paint just keeps shrinking into the pores as it dries, and what seems nice and smooth at first will slowly creep up on you and BAM - pores.
If you are reaching your breaking point, I say paint it and play it. If you have some patience left in you, sand 'er back down to 220, grain fill and sand, repeat until it's perfect, and then do it one more time.
Then get to paint.I feel your pain though - my last ash body went white, silver, white, red... and got sanded back between each color when I saw that I didn't do a thorough grain fill job.
As an aside - I loved the Mary Kay look you had going for a while there - but I think the all-white looks great too!
