Supernova Bass project : Ovular content

[JIO]

thanks @SirMjac28

 

[pedrodelawasp]

I just spent a wee bit of time trying to find this thread again (searching for gold and Delano and contrast contour as those were the main things I remembered).

Cannot believe just how long ago it started!

What a bass, @JIO - is it still in action? Any thoughts all these years later?

 

[JIO]

I just spent a wee bit of time trying to find this thread again (searching for gold and Delano and contrast contour as those were the main things I remembered).

Cannot believe just how long ago it started!

What a bass, @JIO - is it still in action? Any thoughts all these years later?

Yes - time sure is fun when you're having flies! The Supernova is still 'in the house' but has not seen action - a long story. It sold years ago (2018) but was damaged in transit. It was sent in a HSC with plenty of internal padding, but was manhandled and the elbow bout edge slammed into the padded case wall causing a piece of the clear-coat to dislodge. Understandably the buyer canceled the sale and sent it back on my dime. It was insured but regardless it took forever getting the carrier to reimburse me for their employees damaging it - which they finally did.

Luckily the dislodged piece came off intact so I was able to glue it back on. Unfortunately it's not a seamless repair visually. I have considered sending it to Pat Wilkins to do an opaque hallo on the body perimeter to hide the repair but just haven't got around to doing it yet. It's still for sale but currently not listed. One of these days...

I know I have a pic of the repair but couldn't find it. (I have thousands of Gildaxe related pics~) I'll have to dig the bass out of storage. The repair is smooth to the touch but is visually apparent.

It's not that big - but it's there.

 

[JIO]

Visually hard to tell from these pics - it comes down to feeling it with your fingers. When you can't feel the transition, it'll disappear coated with an opaque finish.

So random circumstances have informed me what I can do with this finish post repair. I laid the bass on my kilim and noticed that the reflection on the belly-bevel looked like a tobacco brown-burst. A trans brown-burst over-finish would richen the gold-leaf, hide the repair, and de-emphasis the lower horn seam. And at the end of the day I think it will make for a more exotic looking finish.

The final-finish gestalt would be somewhat similar to one of my early Gildaxe builds. This was the 1st final-finish Pat did for me over 10yrs ago.

"Shatter-Burst"- variegated gold-leaf over spalted maple w/3TSB by Pat. The tobacco halo would be less deep on the top & back and no red on the Supernova.

 

[JIO]

Now that I've been reminded about this bass, I might as well strike while the iron's hot! Moon gold is sorta understated as far as gold-leaf goes - the re-re-finish will activate it visually and reinforce the specialness of the gilding.

Interestingly, small green patina spots have appeared on various areas of the body under the clear-coat. It's something gold does exposed to the environment. Kinda cool actually - a feature not a bug. Can also see the joined lower horn line. No matter how well you try to hide/blend such - with paint and ultra thin gold-leaf + time - it will re-appear. The brown-burst will de-emphasis it.

2014 - eleven years ago. Gotta get this tone-monster back in the world!

Light always plays well with gilding -

 

[zuma]

The resurrection has begun!

 

[JIO]

The resurrection has begun!

Re-Re-Resurection!

 

[JIO]

Update : So I sent the Supernova body & neck to Pat Wilkins to do a tobacco-burst that would hide the repaired section. While prepping it the gilding separated in a central section. (like a bubble) The ultra-thin gold-leaf/gilding with a thin poly clear-coat lifted from the surface size/glue, which was also very thin. Not common but one of those things that can happen, possibly when using a strong vacuum to remove sanding dust. Sooo... plan B. Pat removed/stripped off the gilding and prepped the body & hs face for a new finish.

Around that time I saw this lovely purple-burst Kubicki Ex-Factor and asked Pat if he could do this finish. He said that yes, he definitely can do it because he actually did that finish! (he's been doing custom finishes for Kubicki) ! So it will be here tomorrow. I can't wait to see it!

I sent him this guide for the burst -

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I was going to say I’d love to see his process for a reverse burst (dark in the center) as I’d like to try one but it looks like you’re going dark on the edges, which should look fantastic also.

 

[JIO]

I was going to say I’d love to see his process for a reverse burst (dark in the center) as I’d like to try one but it looks like you’re going dark on the edges, which should look fantastic also.

Actually it will be like the Kubicki - I stipulated the "burst" on my drawing to Pat as the purple. I'm pretty sure the bass is first sprayed black, and then the purple burst is applied.

 

[zuma]

@JIO You're making me wanna send in my charcoal grey Kubicki to Pat for that purpleburst finish! I wonder if Pat has any FACTOR decals in stock.

 

[JIO]

@JIO You're making me wanna send in my charcoal grey Kubicki to Pat for that purpleburst finish! I wonder if Pat has any FACTOR decals in stock.

If he's doing finishes for Kubicki, he most likely has decals. It is a lovely colour/finish isn't it?

 

[zuma]

If he's doing finishes for Kubicki, he most likely has decals. It is a lovely colour/finish isn't it?

It's soooo nice. The only finish I like as much is the "flip-flop" one. It would be tough for me to decide which purple variation to go with.

 

[JIO]

It's soooo nice. The only finish I like as much is the "flip-flop" one. It would be tough for me to decide which purple variation to go with.

I asked Pat about a flip-flop finish and he told me the paint is very expensive. He's done them but apparently it would increase the cost more than a little.

 

[zuma]

I asked Pat about a flip-flop finish and he told me the paint is very expensive. He's done them but apparently it would increase the cost more than a little.

Then I guess we'll leave that finish to Stu Hamm.

 

[JIO]

Body arrived late in the day yesterday but the neck will arrive today (hopefully). Both were shipped the same day so should have arrived together which causes concern. Finish looks beautiful. It has fine metallic flakes which you couldn't see in the pics of the Kubicki Ex-Factor. I need to wait for the sun to come out to get some better pics. For now this is a flash shot. This parchment pearloid pg was on the original version and may work better than the mirror one that was last on it. This poor bass has been through a lot! This is the third rendition and hopefully the last.

 

[zuma]

Crossing my fingers the neck comes through safely

 

[JIO]

Crossing my fingers the neck comes through safely

It arrived late tonight - all is well!

 

[JIO]

For now, the Supernova re-assembly is 'on hold'. The Audere 9v pre that was in it originally has long had issues and I can't rescue it. So I looked on Reverb and low & behold a newer version of the one I have was for sale, so I bought it. Audere recently folded so these are all the Audere pre's currently available. I just have to figure out how to dislodge the tiny light which I did unsuccessfully on the original I had installed. The pre worked - but the light didn't. The one I just bought is from 2022 - my JZ3 VB 3B which looks to be the same other than the numbers, is pretty old. I bought it new years ago and it's been in a couple basses. I have one (same model) in a J I built and have always liked their pre - lots of tone options including passive, and massive low end which the Delano's are known for. If you are interested in an Audere pre (they made many versions) - best start looking now as there will be a time when they won't be available.

 

[JIO]

Got and installed the Audere pre - which looks brand new. Set it up and it plays "like purple butter" Took these inside & outside pics this overcast morning. I needed to do a bit of tweaking to get it to look like it looks in person (I got it close) and will take better pics later. The hs "upersonic" is too small - Irv is making me a larger version.