Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
The "Praguar" refinish and upgrade.
- Thread starter Habilis
- Start date
Re: second pickguard...I didn't do a great job photoshopping it. Imagine a smoother curve on the top half, more like a telecaster pickguard. I'm also trying to make it a very "me" bass, and I am a ham-fisted pick user, so I thought any pickguard I put on the bass should actually cover the part of the bass I am likely to hit with the pick...y'know, like a... whatd'yacallit... pickguard...
But, it's academic anyway, as I do not have the wherewithal at the moment to make a custom pickguard.
So, liking the color-matched tele-headstock idea. It won't cost me anything, and is just nuts enough for me to try it... Here's yet another very rough Photoshop mockup of the idea.
So, liking the color-matched tele-headstock idea. It won't cost me anything, and is just nuts enough for me to try it... Here's yet another very rough Photoshop mockup of the idea.
I like this mockup. Take your time with reshaping the headstock.
Also, another vote for the regular Jag pickguard.
Given that I do not own a bandsaw or a belt sander, any recommendations for a reshaping technique? I DO have lots of clamps, vises, etc., as well as a handheld jigsaw, various coping saws, and an orbital sander, if that helps...
At this stage of the game I am trying to make progress in ways that don't cost money, and so I have moved into the headstock reshaping part of the playground. And in the trademark "fools rush in" style that characterizes my work, I took all the metal junk off the headstock, and drew an outline on the headstock using some old French curve rulers that the creepy former owners of our house left behind--they were custom clothes designers living in some sort of man-harem/zoo complete with ferrets, bulldogs and rabbits.
I am posting the result below, followed by my rough plans for further sand-vandalism...
and yet ANOTHER rough Photoshop mockup of further "Improvements:"
I am posting the result below, followed by my rough plans for further sand-vandalism...
and yet ANOTHER rough Photoshop mockup of further "Improvements:"
By the way, as I have mentioned, my intent is to use Reranch's "Ice Blue Metallic" as my paint color (Link Removed) and so here is a mockup I made where I copied the color chip from their site and "Painted" the bass with it. Obviously, the scale is all wrong, and the color will not exactly look like this (I doubt it's this purplish), but anyhoo....
OK, well, I "finished" the headstock. I put finished in quotes because it looks a lot like a tele bass headstock until you actually look at a real one. Anyway, close enough for me, and if I want to reduce the size of the "knob" later, which I feel is maybe still a little big, I can still do that after it's painted and so on. I need to put sanding sealer on the edges, and then after I'm done painting I will spray those edges with the same clearcoat I'll be using over the painted face. Here it is, unprimed and primed:
Sorry for the crap picture quality, I'm using my iPhone for these, which is now 3? iterations out of date, plus I'm not a very good photographer. I am pretty sure that the variation in color is just the shadow of the overhanging tree, not varying thickness of primer--at least I hope so! THe wrinkly edges are due to the masking tape.
Sorry for the crap picture quality, I'm using my iPhone for these, which is now 3? iterations out of date, plus I'm not a very good photographer. I am pretty sure that the variation in color is just the shadow of the overhanging tree, not varying thickness of primer--at least I hope so! THe wrinkly edges are due to the masking tape.
First two coats of primer: I used the B.I.N. lacquer-based stuff that Reranch recommends. I have to say, even from a distance of two feet away, that stuff is gloopy. There's some drippiness and there will definitely be some "orange peel" once it's dried. Needless to say, MORE SANDING!
And of course, like a bright spotlight, priming displays the numerous errors I have made to date with this bass. Divots and scratches I thought I had filled are still a little rough in spots, and where I *thought* I had done a pretty good job filling in the jazz bass bridge pickup you can still see the difference between the fill and the rest of the bass. I don't think there's much I can do about it at this stage, because I don't want to go back to the raw wood stage again. So, I will soldier on, drawing consolation from Voltaire: "The Perfect is the enemy of the Good."
And of course, like a bright spotlight, priming displays the numerous errors I have made to date with this bass. Divots and scratches I thought I had filled are still a little rough in spots, and where I *thought* I had done a pretty good job filling in the jazz bass bridge pickup you can still see the difference between the fill and the rest of the bass. I don't think there's much I can do about it at this stage, because I don't want to go back to the raw wood stage again. So, I will soldier on, drawing consolation from Voltaire: "The Perfect is the enemy of the Good."
Hopkins
Commercial User
Keep filling those low spots. You dont have to go back to bare wood, you can use bondo right on top of the primer. Sand it with a hard block, and 120 grit, If you dont block sand you will never get it even.
can't wait to see the finished bass.
you're doing great so far. i did a few of those "budget refinish projects" myself, and i know what it means to not have the power tools one usually would use, but do it all by hand. a pain in the ass, but you will be pretty proud of the finished bass.... !
you're doing great so far. i did a few of those "budget refinish projects" myself, and i know what it means to not have the power tools one usually would use, but do it all by hand. a pain in the ass, but you will be pretty proud of the finished bass.... !
OK, well, I did a bit more Bondo/sanding/priming, and managed to make some improvements, although as you will see I did NOT manage to get it perfectly smooth. And then I sold a Roland ME-50B I had sitting around, never being used, and used the money to buy the paint, clear-coat, polishing compound, and wiring harness. Got the paint today, and immediately dove right in. It's a metallic color, which Reranch does not recommend sanding, so after I get 2-3 coats on it, it will be on to clear coat!
The fancy outside painting station.
Front--still some ripples and lumps in the body--oh, well.
Ditto.
I forgot to take pictures of the back, will do so tomorrow. The one piece I am missing is the pickguard, which I could buy on eBay for $56 (!!!) but that seems a little high to me. But I'll probably end up caving and doing it anyway... >Sigh<
The fancy outside painting station.
Front--still some ripples and lumps in the body--oh, well.
Ditto.
I forgot to take pictures of the back, will do so tomorrow. The one piece I am missing is the pickguard, which I could buy on eBay for $56 (!!!) but that seems a little high to me. But I'll probably end up caving and doing it anyway... >Sigh<
Thanks! I'm an admirer of your work! I have come very close to buying a couple of your refinished p-basses, but then my wallet bites my fingers off. I know this is going to end up looking a little bumpy but hopefully my skills will improve, having made these mistakes.
Hopkins
Commercial User
Its going to turn out ok, especially for your first time. It looks like the worst uneven spots will be covered up by the pick guard anyway. You will be amazed how much better it will look when all the hardware is on it. That first time you get one looking great before the hardware is on it is a good feeling, you know that its going to look killer when its complete.
In the future you will know that striping the body in the first place is unnecessary. Also, you need a long, hard sanding block, it will be your best friend as far as getting every thing level before finishing.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I wonder if you could get a Squier Decal online, it would be pretty cool to put an original decal on it.
Oh, no, never ever. I have all sorts of moral and aesthetic objections to that kind of thing. Besides, no one in their right mind will be able to mistake it for an actual production model Fender after I get through with it. I'm kind of tempted to get a "Squire" (YES I KNOW IT'S WRONG) decal just because I HATE it when people misspell Squier. especially in for sale ads; it's like "C'mon, the f*ckin bass is right in front of you! How hard is it to look at the name???"
I'll probably leave it blank until I come up with something at least two people find amusing (myself counts as 1).
