Rattle Can Refinish Club

[friskinator]

Thanks! The info on refin work on the interwebz is voluminous and self-contradictory Good to see such good results though. I have until mid-June, so time for at least one major screwup in the process. I have the bass arriving this week; will disassemble and see what I have to work with. I'm not going down to the wood; just scuffing and priming over the existing poly. Will probably start a new thread for advice and mockery of mistakes until I have pics to post in this one.

"Voluminous and self-contradictory" could not be more accurate. I nearly drove myself crazy researching before my first refin, but it luckily came out great. My father in law has some woodworking experience, and when I ran some of the advice by him I'd read about, he'd shoot back with "that's crazy!"

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I am in a similar indecision loop. 1000 websites yield 1000 opinions. I realize nitro seems to be most common, but I want something more durable, probably poly.

 

[marsbel]

Y'all have seen this one already but I've tricked it out with a Status graphite neck, Nordstrand guts and string through body mute bridge. Sorry, you gotta look at it again

So where did you find a Stingray style string trough mute bridge?
It doesn't appear to have Music Man engraved on it.
Mark

 

[Dark Horse]

Rattlecan .... Mohawk color with Watco nitro

 

[nervous]

Yes. I had to take it down to bare wood. I used a heat gun and a scraper. The finish on it was so bad there was no way to paint over it. For the area around the jack I used a structural wood epoxy. Pretty sure the stuff I used was made by Elmers. I built up the area around the jack with the epoxy, I put a straw on the input jack so it would be easy to relocate the hole and let it cure for a week. Then I recontoured the area and smoothed it back out. I was concerned that it may shrink so I let it set for 6 months before I went back to it just in case. Proved to be unnecessary. Did not shrink at all. On the minor surface problems I just used some of the finish bondo. Then it was just sanding and doing the finish.

Good stuff and thank you. The epoxy is a sound idea. One of my failed attempts was a neck through Spector that actually has a large neck gouge that had been repaired with a hard epoxy liek material that was invisible under the black polyester neck finish. I used a heat gun on that one and found it a tricky skill to loosen but not burn. Goy lots off, what a mess. Not so lucky in the finer or thinner areas.

 

[maxschrek]

So where did you find a Stingray style string trough mute bridge?
It doesn't appear to have Music Man engraved on it.
Mark

Somebody had it in their parts box and I traded a Sabre neck for it. It came off a late 70's Stingray, back before they engraved the logo or a serial # on them.

 

[TinIndian]

Those are great basses! Where'd you find that white pickup cover?

It's actually painted.

 

[TinIndian]

Rattlecan .... Mohawk color with Watco nitro

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That is awesome! Love it!

 

[marsbel]

Somebody had it in their parts box and I traded a Sabre neck for it. It came off a late 70's Stingray, back before they engraved the logo or a serial # on them.

Too bad... (Good for you though)
I was hoping someone finally made a copy of the right Stingray bridge.

 

[Tim Hall]

I've started a thread on my Jag SS refin project here if anyone wants to follow along and offer tips, tricks, critiques or mockery. Here's a pic of work in progress, prepping the headstock for its new decals ...

 

[girhen]

This is my Normandy Bass. It's based off American WWII aircraft designs with a lot of look in particular from one P-51 Mustang called Excalibur. I have a gallery dedicated to the refinish, but haven't made a post detailing it. Maybe I should. I made a few mistakes learned a few thing from this one.

[Edited to add 'P-51 Mustang' to the above to clarify what aircraft. Also, am I able to get a member Rattlecan member #? Looks like the OP hasn't stopped by in a few years]

Normandy Bass parts

• girhen
• Apr 22, 2017
• normandy bass project rattlecan

$50 for all this. Owner wasn't sure what brand anything was, he guessed maybe Eden necks. I...

The Whole Bass

• girhen
• Apr 22, 2017
• normandy bass project rattlecan

Carefully chosen strap and everything.

Better shot of the back

• girhen
• Apr 22, 2017
• normandy bass project rattlecan

Pinup girl is easier to see

 

[markoc]

Just got this back together. Originally black, then white. I purposely left the paint a little thin and kinda sloppy as I'm going to do some light relicing to it.

 

[JIO]

 

[reddog]

View attachment 1135122 Just got this back together. Originally black, then white. I purposely left the paint a little thin and kinda sloppy as I'm going to do some light relicing to it.

Nice!
Give me that in Fiesta Red or Flea Pink . . . that's my next project.

 

[9mmMike]

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Very neat.

 

[VaughnstaMaunsta]

Here it is hanging up in our old practice room. Color looks a bit more blue in the pic.

View attachment 1103089

I'm curious what preamp you ended up using. Isn't this a Seymour Duncan pickup in the picture?

 

[TinIndian]

I'm curious what preamp you ended up using. Isn't this a Seymour Duncan pickup in the picture?

It's actually a Nordstrand pickup. Cover is painted white. The preamp is a custom preamp built by a guy that used to be here in the forums, Awesome Sauce. It is based on a 2 band MusicMan preamp with a push/pull passive tone control. That brings it to a whole other level. I basically have it set so when I want to mellow out the tone for a song I just activate the passive tone control and it settles right down. Really cool preamp!

 

[Dark Horse]

 

[markoc]

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The checking on that looks awesome.

 

[DerekW]

How did you accomplish the crackling?