Refinishing your fender p bass ??

[MobileHolmes]

That's a good option.warmoth has some nice stuff,but my bass is my bass.i want my body of my bass that I have now.

I get that, but I will say, all of my "fender" stuff is warmoth

 

[friskinator]

Also what kind of paint is that old school vintage paint that fender used back in the day that is highly desirable? The paint that fades,chips,wears,scratches,dings and dents easy. Is that nitro or what is it?

Correct - that is nitrocellulose. Also keep in mind that if you send a pro your body as it is, you're going to spend at least $350-400 on a refinish after shipping is factored in. Unless you absolutely love your existing P body (or for some reason it's sentimental), it may be best to buy a finished body from Warmoth or MJT and sell your old body.

 

[descendent22]

Correct - that is nitrocellulose. Also keep in mind that if you send a pro your body as it is, you're going to spend at least $350-400 on a refinish after shipping is factored in. Unless you absolutely love your existing P body (or for some reason it's sentimental), it may be best to buy a finished body from Warmoth or MJT and sell your old body.

$$ isn't an issue, and yes I love my p bass body.its the whole character of the bass.the work being done, the sanding a new paint. The refinish.the things it's been through. I wouldn't give that up for a new body

 

[NoBlackTShirts]

You know, I've been using a heat gun on & off on a 96 MIM P body for months now and that shizzz takes forever to come off! On mine, there's like 5 layers of paint, some sort of sealer, and a clear layer that is almost like super glue near the edges of the body. It's super frustrating. I'm debating switching to a chemical stripper for the rest!!!

Yeah, people say it's easy but it's not easy. There's like half a degree between the poly sitting there grinning at you, and the wood entering combustion. But forget chemicals. People say "aircraft stripper" because people want to sound smart but it has no effect on poly at all. You want my can of it? You can have it.

But discipline is good for you, you know. Plug away at it, sooner or later it'll be done.

 

[bassestkkm]

Also what kind of paint is that old school vintage paint that fender used back in the day that is highly desirable? The paint that fades,chips,wears,scratches,dings and dents easy. Is that nitro or what is it?

It is indeed nitro. That is referring to the clear coat which is made of nitrocellulose lacquer and as it ages chips and yellows. MJT is probably the best known for this and at a price will refinish and even age the body you have now. They do charge extra to strip and prep the body, and neck if you so choose. But from what I've seen, played, and heard from folks around here and across the other music forums, they're the best in the business.

Mark Jenny - (something with a T) is the company. you can see their work at Home - MJT Custom Aged Guitars

I'm no affiliate, but I know I'm wanting to send my next build to them for a dark green over sunburst finish!

 

[basspraiser]

That looks very well done judging the picture. With that said, who is pat Williams?

Pat Wilkins.....

Pat Wilkins Guitars and Finishing

Talented finisher...refinisher and builder of basses.

He does quite a bit of work for lakland and sadowsky as well as doing his own thing.

I have had him do several things for me and they were all the best Wiley work....

He is also a great guy to deal with.... Which is a plus.. ..

I would recommend him very highly

 

[JoeWPgh]

I think that if you aren't willing to do it yourself, it will cost you about what it would cost to get a Fender body in the color you want. This would also leave you somewhere to put the spare parts you accumulate

 

[spaz21387]

I just recently stripped an mim p bass it came off easily with a heat gun.

 

[bassmeknik]

My first bass was/is a 1975 Fender Fretless Precision. Within 5 years (1980) of steady playing it needed paint and I hated to cover the natural wood but it was ugly so stripper and sand paper and rattle can and it was beautiful again. I did however start a trend where I would get bored with the color and changed it often, like 4 times in 5 years after the initial repaint. During this time I installed every imaginable pick-up into it before deciding Leo got it right to begin with and put everything back stock. One evening I had painted it to close to performance and had a friend drive me to the gig while I held the bass out the window to help speed drying, nearly hit a mailbox on the way. Ah, to be 23 again...


Today it is white and has been for a couple of decades. I wouldn't hesitate to repaint a bass again but would now use my spray gun and compressor to get better results.

 

[JoeWPgh]

I've refinned or fresh painted 15 or so basses and guitars by now. I started out with the reranch tutorial and their "rules of 3s". It's not a terribly difficult task, if you stay close to the instructions. It's a terrific how to, especially for people who have never attempted painting an instrument with nitro. The end result is very rewarding, almost magical, at that final polish stage when it turns into a mirror and you can read the label of your beverage in the reflection

 

[Munjibunga]

Just a quick thought and more or less just wondering about this... An idea has run through my head to have my black fender p bass sanded down and painted a different color. I won't won't be attempting to do this myself, I'm going to hire a professional. I know people have had their instruments refinished with a different color. I kinda would like a different color but I most likely won't have it done. Can anyone share their stories/experience refinishing and painted/changing the color. And can someone explain the whole process

I just had my Fender American Jazz Deluxe FMT refinished by Marty Bell. He does impeccable work (as does Pat Wilkins). It's least expensive if you take everything (yes everything) off the bass yourself. Then, since most modern mass-produced finishes are polyester for which there is no solvent, the finish has to be sanded off. There may be an upcharge for this. Then the refinishing can commence - sealer, color coats, clear coat, with sanding in between each coat. I did a thread on my recent refinish (I just got it back and reassembled it yesterday), but here are before and after pics.

Before:

After:

 

[KohanMike]

I bought this mini P-bass ($150) a couple of weeks ago specifically to paint it sea foam green after I was pushed over the edge when seeing the color on a Les Paul, then later that day reading a thread here on sea foam green basses, then later watching a car restore program of a sea foam green 50s truck. Too many coincidences to let it go. I thought I would do it myself until I watched a YouTube video and realized I did not want to take that on. My luthier recommended Pat Wilkins and after I saw his web site, I immediately took it over to him in the Los Angeles valley. It will be about $270 and take about 2-3 weeks. Pat said I timed it well to be done quickly. (Good guy, had a nice conversation about the small basses I play.) I'm going to make a pearl pickguard and add pearl block fret markers.

 

[devnulljp]

I had Gord Miller of GMRestorations do a refin on this 64 P Bass I got cheap because of the hideous yellow spiderweb/varicose vein overspray

It looks like this now

 

[StevieMac]

Looks great devnulljp! Glad to see that one looking like it should again.

 

[Munjibunga]

I bought this mini P-bass ($150) a couple of weeks ago specifically to paint it sea foam green after I was pushed over the edge when seeing the color on a Les Paul, then later that day reading a thread here on sea foam green basses, then later watching a car restore program of a sea foam green 50s truck. Too many coincidences to let it go. I thought I would do it myself until I watched a YouTube video and realized I did not want to take that on. My luthier recommended Pat Wilkins and after I saw his web site, I immediately took it over to him in the Los Angeles valley. It will be about $270 and take about 2-3 weeks. Pat said I timed it well to be done quickly. (Good guy, had a nice conversation about the small basses I play.) I'm going to make a pearl pickguard and add pearl block fret markers.

View attachment 709475

I don't know of anyone out there better than Pat - but Marty's just as good. Since you live in L.A. Pat's good for you. I used Marty because he's local to me. I have several basses that Pat put the finish on, including the pink Lakland. Mine took just under two weeks.

 

[KohanMike]

I have several basses that Pat put the finish on, including the pink Lakland. Mine took just under two weeks.

He originally said 5 weeks, but after he saw how small it is, it he emailed me that it might be 2-3 weeks, and it went into the spray booth last Tuesday.

 

[Blankandson]

I did my own refinish last spring because I had the time (two months) and the spring weather was nice for working outdoors. I took my bass to a local mandolin builder and he gave me lots of advice which I wrote down and followed. I waited 8 days between each coat of poly and after two coats I stopped - it really looks good with just two coats. Sanded it about 8 or 9 times total. Smooth and I get a kick when anyone comments on how nice it looks.

 

[descendent22]

I did my own refinish last spring because I had the time (two months) and the spring weather was nice for working outdoors. I took my bass to a local mandolin builder and he gave me lots of advice which I wrote down and followed. I waited 8 days between each coat of poly and after two coats I stopped - it really looks good with just two coats. Sanded it about 8 or 9 times total. Smooth and I get a kick when anyone comments on how nice it looks.

Why did you choose poly instead of nitro if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Blankandson]

I play a Warwick which as far as I know has never used Nitro. Sorry I didn't notice that this post is only for Fenders, so that is why no Nitro. Anyway I spent about 8 weeks working about two hours a day every day, then about one hour every 8 days. My neck and fingerboard are Wenge, and the body is Swamp Ash, and it was originally a matt finish of the wood - no color or sheen. It was very dirty when I purchased it back in 2005 but I'd never done a good cleaning. I have seen several re-do's of old Warwicks where they put on a color finish, then covered it with poly, so that's what I did. The builder down the street said the 'wood marks' go deep so I'd never get them all out. I'm just a beginner in all of this but I'm happy with the results. I added a few photos. Bass is a 1994 Warwick Fortress One 5-string, both active and passive. Maybe someone will begin with what I did and do a much better job themselves - with their Fender!
Here is a quick description of the process: Howards' Feed and Wax on neck, Brasso on frets. Cleaned body with Tru Oil and paper towel, then with acetone and paper towel. Then began sanding with 320 grit and moving to 600 grit. (wet slightly w/mineral spirits). Then cleaned again with denatured alcohol. Sanded again. Cleaned again w/naptha. Sanded again. Began putting Danish Oil finish on, letting dry, then sanding a lot! After about 4 coats of Danish Oil I put on two coats of poly finish, letting it dry 8 days and sanding a lot with the 600 or 800 grit. I should have sanded more but I'm happy with the results. Total time in it is maybe 50 - 60 hours.

 

[JoeWPgh]

That's a nice job, from anyone's hands. If that's your first crack at it, very impressive.

View attachment 712495 View attachment 712497 I play a Warwick which as far as I know has never used Nitro. Sorry I didn't notice that this post is only for Fenders, so that is why no Nitro. Anyway I spent about 8 weeks working about two hours a day every day, then about one hour every 8 days. My neck and fingerboard are Wenge, and the body is Swamp Ash, and it was originally a matt finish of the wood - no color or sheen. It was very dirty when I purchased it back in 2005 but I'd never done a good cleaning. I have seen several re-do's of old Warwicks where they put on a color finish, then covered it with poly, so that's what I did. The builder down the street said the 'wood marks' go deep so I'd never get them all out. I'm just a beginner in all of this but I'm happy with the results. I added a few photos. Bass is a 1994 Warwick Fortress One 5-string, both active and passive. Maybe someone will begin with what I did and do a much better job themselves - with their Fender!
Here is a quick description of the process: Howards' Feed and Wax on neck, Brasso on frets. Cleaned body with Tru Oil and paper towel, then with acetone and paper towel. Then began sanding with 320 grit and moving to 600 grit. (wet slightly w/mineral spirits). Then cleaned again with denatured alcohol. Sanded again. Cleaned again w/naptha. Sanded again. Began putting Danish Oil finish on, letting dry, then sanding a lot! After about 4 coats of Danish Oil I put on two coats of poly finish, letting it dry 8 days and sanding a lot with the 600 or 800 grit. I should have sanded more but I'm happy with the results. Total time in it is maybe 50 - 60 hours.View attachment 712495 View attachment 712497
View attachment 712495 View attachment 712497