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Double Bass Rare Kay TV-1 Bass
- Thread starter MollyKay
- Start date
Let us know how it turns out after you've done your first bass with it.
don't plan on it
Who's "hating on" Kays? I'm just saying that Kays are the epitome of a "player grade," working instrument. To treat them as something much more exalted seems (to me) an odd perspective, that's all.
Thought I'd pile in here and cloud the issue even more. I am a graphic artist by trade and letter, pinstripe or airbrush 5 days a week. To brush or Beugler a double line that fine is a formidable task for the inexperienced. I personally have never been very good with the Beugler but have friends in the trade who are incredible. Most stripers would run a line of flexible tape around the project as a guide before brushing.
For anyone not that experienced, I would have a look at Finesse Striping stencil tape; a tape product that is available in many configurations normally used for repairing pinstripes after auto body repair. One may come close to the lines on the Kay. One possible drawback is that the surface must be fairly smooth or you must at least be able to burnish the tape down or paint will bleed out and spoil the job.
With the stencil tape the lines would remain consistent in width and distance from each other.
Speaking of bass striping, there's sure a lot of great hand work on some of the Rockabilly stuff.
Just a thought
Good luck
For anyone not that experienced, I would have a look at Finesse Striping stencil tape; a tape product that is available in many configurations normally used for repairing pinstripes after auto body repair. One may come close to the lines on the Kay. One possible drawback is that the surface must be fairly smooth or you must at least be able to burnish the tape down or paint will bleed out and spoil the job.
With the stencil tape the lines would remain consistent in width and distance from each other.
Speaking of bass striping, there's sure a lot of great hand work on some of the Rockabilly stuff.
Just a thought
Good luck
LOL…I found him in a bar shooting pool…but I don’t recommend you look for one this way!
It has all worked out real good!
I use Finesse stencil tape for the outside edges on the upper and lower bouts, but it doesn't work well for for the tighter curves of the C bouts or the corners on violin outlines. I use some tools and templates that I've made in my shop to get those tighter curves. Regardless of what method you use, chances are that there will be some delicate hand brush work involved before the job is completed.
LOL I found him in a bar shooting pool but I dont recommend your look for one this way!
It has all worked out real good!
Sounds like care and feeding might be more than I can handle
I can't wait to see your new "baby" finished...I just wish we could hear them as well!
Progress Report
there were different view points and opinions about refinishing this old Kay TV-1 bass... now the refinishing is completed, there are no regrets.
This old Kay bass has a new lease on life. The bass is beautiful enough for any uptown gig. Next step is the pin stripping. Ill be sure to post more pictures (just for Bob)
when they are completed.
This old Kay bass has a new lease on life. The bass is beautiful enough for any uptown gig. Next step is the pin stripping. Ill be sure to post more pictures (just for Bob) when they are completed.Attachments
There may be disagreements here but I know something for sure...you do a fabulous refinishing job!
I like the before picture.
The refinished bass is very pretty, but kind of boring.
The original finnish had character and a good story to go with it.
The refinished bass is very pretty, but kind of boring.
The original finnish had character and a good story to go with it.
I may be nuts but......
don't touch the fingerboard. I think I'd love to see that bass stay with the white fingerboard instead of black. And it would give some interesting character to it.
don't touch the fingerboard. I think I'd love to see that bass stay with the white fingerboard instead of black. And it would give some interesting character to it.
Let me start by saying that the new refinish looks great. You are doing a wonderful job with it.
And a thought about the idea of keeping the bass original. It was not original to begin with. A quote from your first post. ”At some point in the life of the bass it was coated with a brown stain to cut the brightness of the gold paint.”
So in my opinion this db was allready refinished when that brown stain was put in. The original gold paint was probably sanded to keep the stain from falling off. The choise was keeping the bad refinish or doing it properly again. It never was original vs. Refinish.
What I am trying to say is, that I absolutely think that you made the right choise making the bass as a usable instrument. It will be beautiful.
And a thought about the idea of keeping the bass original. It was not original to begin with. A quote from your first post. ”At some point in the life of the bass it was coated with a brown stain to cut the brightness of the gold paint.”
So in my opinion this db was allready refinished when that brown stain was put in. The original gold paint was probably sanded to keep the stain from falling off. The choise was keeping the bad refinish or doing it properly again. It never was original vs. Refinish.
What I am trying to say is, that I absolutely think that you made the right choise making the bass as a usable instrument. It will be beautiful.
I think it looks great and I'll bet it's a couple of pounds lighter as well without all that sludge on it.
Thanks for the support (or not) in doing what we feel is the right thing for this bass by bringing it back to a beautiful music making instrument.
Here is a picture of some of the poop that came off in stripping the bass yuck what a messy job! I have described this bass having been in a heavy winter coat of gold paint and brown stain. The bass Mona must feel like it is in a light weight spring jacket with this new light weight oil varnish. The finish has a really cool vintage mojo thing going on. My Bass Monkey was inspired by the vintage looking basses in the Lemur catalog. This bass does not look shiny, spanky new but rather vintage and jazzy.
Thanks again for the support (or not) and to clarify, we dont strip and refinish a bass just because we can. We give serious thought to what is best to keep a bass in good playing condition and attractive for years to come. We have a nice 1950 American Standard bass that is all original finish except for a big spot in the rear lower bout. Someone patched in with insulation foam spray
and then covered it in a bronze paint. For this bass we WILL NOT strip the finish but rather challenge ourselves to remove only the poor patch job and then try to spot in a good repair and color match. That should really be a challenge
but a fun challenge. Attachments
Thanks again for the support (or not)…and to clarify, we don’t strip and refinish a bass just because we can. We give serious thought to what is best to keep a bass in good playing condition and attractive for years to come. We have a nice 1950 American Standard bass that is all original finish except for a big spot in the rear lower bout. Someone patched in with insulation foam spray
Support... That was the word I was after. I am so frustrated with my vocabulary.
I forgot to mention, that all the pictures and other documenting about everything that you found from under the original gold paint is valued, at least by me. And I do believe allso by many others. Being a fourth year history student in the university, and a former furniture restorer I take personal interest in both the individual pieces (instruments in this case), and the method used in making them. Every detail that you find, will add to or confirm of our collective historical knowledge.
That is the way I see it.
Hopefully we get to see the same with the other db too.
