Double Bass Remove lacquer?

[Dr. Jake]

I have a German plywood bass (probably from the 1930s) whose sides (and the sides of the fingerboard) are covered in nasty black lacquer of some sort. The instrument has become my outdoor bass - but in the hot sun, the lacquer gets soft and gums up my fingers. What would be the safest and/or luthier-recommended method for removing it?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Jake

 

[Jake deVilliers]

I use cabinet scrapers to peel off unwanted finishes. You can use strippers but I'm not interested in breathing in any more toxic vapours.

 

[powerbass]

if the finish is lacquer, lacquer thinner will soften the finish. Yes it is toxic, you will need chemical resistant gloves and a chemical respirator. a heat gun will work, I haven't tried nontoxic strippers on lacquer

 

[james condino]

I use cabinet scrapers to peel off unwanted finishes. You can use strippers but I'm not interested in breathing in any more toxic vapours.

+1!!!

 

[Matthew Tucker]

Well, sometimes the lacquer is so thick scrapers are useless. I use a citrus oil based stripper. I try not to inhale the stuff. careful not to spatter any on the varnish. mask it off well and thoroughly. How do I know this?

 

[Jazzdogg]

OP, have you verified that the finish is nitrocellulose lacquer?

 

[bassphase]

Citrus stripper works great on lacquer and the fumes are minimal. Work on small area at a time.

bob

 

[Jazzdogg]

Soy stripper also works well on nitrocellulose lacquer, and it's fairly benign.

 

[james condino]

I try not to inhale the stuff....

'Heard that one before.....

Have you landed over here yet for the nerdfest? I'll see you on Friday night ...maybee a few pints after driving 10 hours?

j.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Well, sometimes the lacquer is so thick scrapers are useless. I use a citrus oil based stripper. I try not to inhale the stuff. careful not to spatter any on the varnish. mask it off well and thoroughly. How do I know this?

That's the other great benefit of using a scraper - no accidental finish removal!

 

[Matthew Tucker]

james i arrive friday night at Hopkins. not sure whether im staying over in cleveland or going stright to oberlin.

 

[Dr. Jake]

OP, have you verified that the finish is nitrocellulose lacquer?

I don't know for certain what it is - lacquer was my best guess. It's thick, black, glossy, and gets soft in the sun.

 

[Jazzdogg]

I don't know for certain what it is - lacquer was my best guess. It's thick, black, glossy, and gets soft in the sun.

If rubbing it with a rag dampened with denatured alcohol softens or removes the finish, it's shellac. Lacquer thinner will soften/remove shellac, lacquer, and some water-borne finishes.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Lacquer thinner will soften/remove shellac, lacquer, and some water-borne finishes.

Not to mention soft tissue in brains, livers and kidneys.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Not to mention soft tissue in brains, livers and kidneys.

I'm not a fan of nitrocelluose lacquer for furniture or musical instruments; it's nasty stuff, and as a finish it satisfies very few of my needs. I use very little lacquer thinner when testing to determine what a finish is. I prefer to know what the existing finish is, because it enables me to choose the least harmful stripper that will get the job done; don't want to use methylene chloride if I don't have to.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

I'm not a fan of nitrocelluose lacquer for furniture or musical instruments; it's nasty stuff, and as a finish it satisfies very few of my needs. I use very little lacquer thinner when testing to determine what a finish is. I prefer to know what the existing finish is, because it enables me to choose the least harmful stripper that will get the job done; don't want to use methylene chloride if I don't have to.

Well, I like it a lot as a guitar & mandolin finish but I'm really trying to limit my exposure...

The problem with the new finishes is that they don't repair very nicely - not like lacquer or spirit varnish. If I ever finish the two guitars I started 5 years ago I might just go ahead and shellac them, with a French polish topcoat!

 

[Jazzdogg]

Well, I like it a lot as a guitar & mandolin finish but I'm really trying to limit my exposure...

The problem with the new finishes is that they don't repair very nicely - not like lacquer or spirit varnish. If I ever finish the two guitars I started 5 years ago I might just go ahead and shellac them, with a French polish topcoat!

I've shellaced and French-polished a lot of furniture, and I've French polished a few guitars and electric basses using shellac flakes and Qualisol. In southern California, where VOCs are heavily regulated, water-borne products have displaced lacquer as predominant furniture finishes. Spending time in the booth spraying nitrocellulose lacquer isn't my idea of a good time.