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RW Fender Flea Jazz Makeover
- Thread starter bassistjoe93
- Start date
The pink underneath on that relic is perfect. Relics aren't my thing, but that one's got the mojo. I like the parchment, fits the whole thing.
Thank you! My dad has a lot of experience with finishing and refinishing guitars. So we did it together.
We sanded the original pink down just a little to scuff it up and try and flatten some of the relic spots on the bass.
Then we built up probably 5-6 coats of finish on the body over a few days making sure to give each coat time to dry. After the 6th coat, we let it cure for a week and then simply polished the body with sandpaper starting at 800 and going up to 2000 grit. No clear coat or anything, I wanted the wear to look as natural as possible so it’s a thin refin.
We also polished the tort guard to bring back some depth to it. My dad has a ‘69 jazz with a great bright red/yellow tort that I wish this bass had.
The relic work I did with a thin, flat metal binding scraper. It’s not aggressive so it doesn’t leave tool marks like a lot of relic jobs can look.
That was my only gripe with the bass. Neck is flawless, love the tone, but I didn’t really care for the pink/relic job. I felt like it was over the top. I know they are basing it on his ‘61, but the color came out just a little flat imo.
It was between fiesta red or all black with matching headstock, but fiesta red won out!
That refin looks beautiful. Great idea and execution! For the pickguards, of your 2 options I’d go with the parchment, but personally, I’d look for a good quality mint pickguard if it was my bass. It just looks correct with Fiesta Red, imo.
Here’s a few more full shots. I don’t have the covers installed currently, but I like how they look. It is also period correct, but VERY annoying, that I have to take the neck off for any truss rod adjustment. 
I’ve got a spray bomb refinished MIM J body that’s satin navy blue with red underneath, for the same reason. One day i’m going to get around to making a functioning bass out of it.
At first when I read your thread I was thinking "Nooooooooo"... but now as I look at the finished bass I'm thinking "Ohhhhhh Yeeaaaaaa".
Seriously though, looks great... especially with the pink coming through in spots.
Seriously though, looks great... especially with the pink coming through in spots.
Looks great.Here’s a few more full shots. I don’t have the covers installed currently, but I like how they look. It is also period correct, but VERY annoying, that I have to take the neck off for any truss rod adjustment.
View attachment 3985374 View attachment 3985375 View attachment 3985376
No need to take off the neck to adjust the truss rod...I take off the pickguard and use this tool.
Attachments
Here’s a few more full shots. I don’t have the covers installed currently, but I like how they look. It is also period correct, but VERY annoying, that I have to take the neck off for any truss rod adjustment.
View attachment 3985374 View attachment 3985375 View attachment 3985376
You may need to enlarge the TR notch a bit... but I use *this* for my Geddy Lee neck... no removal required! Actually used it on a few other ‘vintage-style’ necks I’ve had.
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acc...uss-rod-driver?rNtt=vintage truss rod&index=3
About two weeks total. I left it alone to cure for about 7 days after all the coats were sprayed. I’d spray 2 coats a day and then leave it to dry for a day in between.
Thanks! We just used a buffer wheel and some buffing compound.
I think they just scuff them with fine grit paper at the Fender plant to dull the sheen. You can still see some of the random surface scratches from the factory but it gave the guard all new life!
Awesome great idea! My Flea RW is stock and it’s been keeping all my other Jazz basses in the closet, everything from my Elite to MIA have sat while I take my Flea instead. The pink has grown on me and most people think it’s some sort of old white. It’s my second RW and not letting this one ever go
Nice, thanks for sharing! I am a tort guy but that parchment looks great...
Looks Great! I've played a couple of those with the intention of picking one up, Stack knob Jazz in Shell Pink - Hello!
I loved the way they played and felt but the relic job on the thing turned me off too much. I do like reliced basses but the little "pock marks" that were all over the thing just drove me nuts. They just don't seem natural to me. You respraying that solves the problem to me. Like everyone else I love that you left the Pink underneath and sprayed the Red over it. Fantastic!
I loved the way they played and felt but the relic job on the thing turned me off too much. I do like reliced basses but the little "pock marks" that were all over the thing just drove me nuts. They just don't seem natural to me. You respraying that solves the problem to me. Like everyone else I love that you left the Pink underneath and sprayed the Red over it. Fantastic!
Nice job, Joe! Great decision to finish over the Shell Pink so it shows through as the Fiesta Red wears. Since you are right down the road from me, I may try to convince you to let me hire you to refinish one of my basses at some point. 
P.S. - I’m enjoying the Fury.
Let me know what you think of the pick when you get a chance.
P.S. - I’m enjoying the Fury.
Let me know what you think of the pick when you get a chance.
