I'm going to be serious here -- it's a dumb idea and even if you get it on ok (doubtful), it will wear off almost immediately! Hey it's your bass, though, so go for it.
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Sharpie Question
- Thread starter Beast_Within
- Start date
Appreciate the honesty man, haha. I'm perfectly fine with the possibility of having the sharpie come off. I guess the main question now, is whether or not I'm likely to do any real damage in my attempt?
Rubbing alcohol should take the Sharpie off of the poly without damaging it -- should you need to go that route.
Sounds good. Thanks man. Odds are I will need to go that route, but I'm banking on that slight chance that thiss will work out the way I want it to, haha
Maybe try a test spot first and make sure I'm right about the rubbing alcohol and that particular finish
Oh and good luck!
Maybe try a test spot first and make sure I'm right about the rubbing alcohol and that particular finish
Will do. Thanks. I'll probably need all the luck I can get, haha
Well, everyone who's trying to give you honest feedback has told you not to do it. So, you're going to do it anyway.
Why did you even bother asking?
No, it will NOT work yo your satisfaction, It will not cover evenly, so it will look amateurish as all heck to begin with, then it will look even worse as it wears off, which will start about ten minutes after you start playing it.
So, yeah, go ahead, then come back and tell us how it goes.
Why did you even bother asking?
No, it will NOT work yo your satisfaction, It will not cover evenly, so it will look amateurish as all heck to begin with, then it will look even worse as it wears off, which will start about ten minutes after you start playing it.
So, yeah, go ahead, then come back and tell us how it goes.
Come on man, don't take it that way. I came here asking the question mainly in an attempt to see if I was gonna be doing any permanent damage to the finish or the actual fretboard wood. It seems like I won't be, so I'm going ahead with the project. Also, as I stated before this is for a punk gig, so it's not like the thing has to be pretty, haha. I just want a black and white bass and I don't have the cash to do it properly so this is my alternative.
Well, I will say this... DO NOT try to clear coat it after you apply it. Anytime I have used a sharpie (black for example) on anything, and then either painted or clear coated over it, the sharpie has "dissolved" and made a mess. Just sayin...
BnB
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Thanks for the info man. I wouldn't have had any idea. I'll keep that in mind. What have you sharpied and then clearcoated in the past?
You wanna do the whole neck, or just the fingerboard?
I'd recommend spray paint and spray polyurethane as a clear coat. The only problem would be sanding and spraying in between the frets, but if you're any good with painters tape and a razor blade, I'd suggest that to cover the frets that way the paint doesn't gunk the whole thing up. I used polyurethane when I defretted my Precision bass and it really turned out nice and smooth and very even looking.
Just don't get Wal Mart spray products. Yea, they're 99 cents, but they're garbage. Go to an Ace Hardware or something like that and spend about $3 on both the paint (go for an enamel) and the polyurethane (which comes in gloss, semi-gloss, and satin). Then get painters tape (like $3) and an exacto knife.
Whole thing would maybe cost you $15, and i think you'll be much happier with the results. Will it be "pretty"? Not as much as Larry Grahams. Will it be punk? Definitely.
I'd recommend spray paint and spray polyurethane as a clear coat. The only problem would be sanding and spraying in between the frets, but if you're any good with painters tape and a razor blade, I'd suggest that to cover the frets that way the paint doesn't gunk the whole thing up. I used polyurethane when I defretted my Precision bass and it really turned out nice and smooth and very even looking.
Just don't get Wal Mart spray products. Yea, they're 99 cents, but they're garbage. Go to an Ace Hardware or something like that and spend about $3 on both the paint (go for an enamel) and the polyurethane (which comes in gloss, semi-gloss, and satin). Then get painters tape (like $3) and an exacto knife.
Whole thing would maybe cost you $15, and i think you'll be much happier with the results. Will it be "pretty"? Not as much as Larry Grahams. Will it be punk? Definitely.
Painting a bound & blocked maple SX old headstock neck? I'm jonesn' for one of those & I bet a bunch of other people are as well. You could probably trade the bass for a new ursa one straight up with some extra cash here on TB. FWIW.
Thanks a lot for the suggestion man. I may still make an effort with the sharpie thing, just to see if I'm definitely gonna like the looks of a white fretboard on this bass, but if I decide to go permanent this is probably the route I'll take. Definitely gonna take some precise work with the painters tape to avoid the blocks and binding, but it's definitely doable. Any chance of getting some pics of your Precision if it's not too much trouble?
I don't plan on covering the blocks or binding plus the neck is a lefty and I'm diggin' the reverse headstock look right now. Also, I'm completely down with the feel of this bass and I have no interest in trading for a different SX. Right now I'm just interested in making a few electronics mods and changing the appearance a bit.
Sure thing man. I just have a phone to take pictures with, so it's not the best quality.
In person, the fretboard looks like a Warwick's body would, I don't know if this picture best represents that. If I wanted to I could probably add an extra layer of polyurethane, but I wanted a shiny look without the feeling of something plastic over the fingerboards. I get a super woody tone out of the 2 layers of poly that I sprayed.
Mind you, I am far from being a handy man.
Edit: my computer's not getting along with the upload feature. Let me post it on my facebook and link you to it.
In person, the fretboard looks like a Warwick's body would, I don't know if this picture best represents that. If I wanted to I could probably add an extra layer of polyurethane, but I wanted a shiny look without the feeling of something plastic over the fingerboards. I get a super woody tone out of the 2 layers of poly that I sprayed.
Mind you, I am far from being a handy man.
Edit: my computer's not getting along with the upload feature. Let me post it on my facebook and link you to it.
Sounds like you've been sniffing the fumes off that sharpie.
Sure, go for it. The "How I ****ed Up My Bass's Finish With A Sharpie" thread has got to be more entertaining than this one.
BTW you were given the solution: Colored Epoxy.
