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Double Bass The "right way" to paint a bass?

#21
zenrad said:
Varnish is certainly a traditional finish for a DB, but if the OP is going to use varnish then he needs to use a good violin spirit varnish and not marine or spar varnish. He's not going to be playing basketball on it or storing it in the marina. :)
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If this is a junk bass for outdoor use then I think it's ridiculous to think about nitro or spirit varnish. I think they'd be abou the last things an experienced wood finisher would use in this situation. I agree with Arnold absolutely: spar varnish all the way. Don't get thrown by the marine nomenclature here: spar varnish is just an ordinary oil varnish except the resins are more flexible (to accomodate movement) and it's got some UV protection in it (to deal with the being outside aspect.) It's simple to use, easy to obtain, and it will do the job admirably.
 
#23
Hey, I've got over 30 years (not instruments, though -- just wood items in general.) Finish is one of those areas where woodworkers have legitimate differences of opinion -- based on experience, based on knowledge, based on what we're familiar with.

Spar varnish isn't something you're going to see recommended in many luthiery textbooks, that's for sure. I just think that, given the situation, it's about the most practical thing I can think of. Inexpensive, easy to obtain, easy to apply, durable, effective, tintable. What's not to like, especially if you're not an experienced woodworker or wood finisher? It's great stuff -- I use it for any kind of outdoor application.

And, as always when the issue is wood finishing, I can't give enough praise to Bob Flexner's Understanding Wood Finishing. It's everything I thought I knew but didn't.
 
#25
zenrad said:
If you are planning on subjecting a DB to very extreme heat, humidity, cold, then it's going to crack and fall apart on its own anyway, especially if it's made with hide glue. In fact, a few hours in the Florida Summer sun and you might be able to get that top off by hand :D
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Haha, I do hear that, but I'll be mostly in the midwest during the summer, so the bass will only have to deal with standard temp/humidity fluctuations common to that area; and only during the summer. I remember the Jaco story well, and thus I'll be renting a bass if I go anywhere that humid. ;) As for the glue situation, I know that there's really no good sounding alternative to hide glue, so I don't plan on using anything else. You have permission to tackle me if you see me running with it to Lake Superior.


zenrad said:
Yeah, what do I know. I've only been finishing instruments and other handmade wood items for 20 years.
I also have no idea whether the OP is going to just play it outside or go swimming with it.
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I think I've explained this a couple times now. ;) However, swimming with a bass sounds like an interesting prospect... :D (remember what I said about Lake Superior)


Damon Rondeau said:
Spar varnish isn't something you're going to see recommended in many luthiery textbooks, that's for sure. I just think that, given the situation, it's about the most practical thing I can think of. Inexpensive, easy to obtain, easy to apply, durable, effective, tintable. What's not to like, especially if you're not an experienced woodworker or wood finisher? It's great stuff -- I use it for any kind of outdoor application.

And, as always when the issue is wood finishing, I can't give enough praise to Bob Flexner's Understanding Wood Finishing. It's everything I thought I knew but didn't.
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I especially like the "easy to apply" part. :D I'll have to grab that book - I've done some basic finishing of decorative wooden things (little boxes, furniture, etc.) and stained my deck, but that's about it. :help:
 
#28
You know, so many times I type up a response to a post only to wait, take a breath and then delete it. I should have done that in this thread.

My "20 years" comment was because of the reply to my post stating "they'd be about the last things an experienced wood finisher would use in this situation", implying that I was not experienced. My ego got involved I suppose, and I posted my comments.

I realize that there are very many great builders whose skills far surpass mine. If I had been familiar with the work that some of you do and the basses you build I wouldn't have even offered an opinion, but I don't recall saying that anyone else was wrong and I was trying to be helpful. I'll leave this now to those more qualified.
 
#30
zenrad said:
My "20 years" comment was because of the reply to my post stating "they'd be about the last things an experienced wood finisher would use in this situation", implying that I was not experienced. My ego got involved I suppose, and I posted my comments.
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Sounds like I set you off. I'm sorry about that -- nothing personal intended. I should follow my own advice and not say things on the net I wouldn't say face-to-face in a bar. I'm sure in real life we could talk wood finishing just like decent folk. Sorry for the hangup and, please, don't stand back on account of it.
 
#31
Damon Rondeau said:
Sounds like I set you off. I'm sorry about that -- nothing personal intended. I should follow my own advice and not say things on the net I wouldn't say face-to-face in a bar. I'm sure in real life we could talk wood finishing just like decent folk. Sorry for the hangup and, please, don't stand back on account of it.
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No worries. I don't like to indulge my ego and I shouldn't have been bothered by it. My own shortcomings...

Who knows, maybe if I didn't despise the smell of varnish so much I'd like it better :D
 
#32
zenrad said:
No worries. I don't like to indulge my ego and I shouldn't have been bothered by it. My own shortcomings...

Who knows, maybe if I didn't despise the smell of varnish so much I'd like it better :D
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This is screwed up, but I actually like the smell of varnish. I know it's not the best thing to inhale... but I'll take that any time over the smell of lacquer.

George
 
#33
FritoBandito said:
No offense mate, but thats alot of work and it's not going to be cheap either. Go to Rondomusic.com, pick out an SX for about $100-$150 and use it until it falls apart.
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Oh dear, it looks like another one of our BG friends has wandered over to the DB side. I guess they missed me too much. :D And just for the record, I think there's a host of other problems that would happen to an electric instrument outside in variable weather before the finish became a concern. ;)
 
#34
zenrad said:
You know, so many times I type up a response to a post only to wait, take a breath and then delete it. I should have done that in this thread.

My "20 years" comment was because of the reply to my post stating "they'd be about the last things an experienced wood finisher would use in this situation", implying that I was not experienced. My ego got involved I suppose, and I posted my comments.

I realize that there are very many great builders whose skills far surpass mine. If I had been familiar with the work that some of you do and the basses you build I wouldn't have even offered an opinion, but I don't recall saying that anyone else was wrong and I was trying to be helpful. I'll leave this now to those more qualified.
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Zenrad, that was really well said. We all need to make an attempt to check our egos from time to time. I am no exception! Kudos for the self-admonishment, but please don't butt out. This forum needs participants who are knowledgeable and reasonable.
 
#35
I have the solution. Take the bass to an auto body shop they will put any color you want on the bass and it will stand up to any weather - downpours, wind storms, sleet etc. Better yet powder coating will produce an absolutely bomb proof finish, this finish would actually make the bass more durable to dents and scratches. I don't know if the bass could handle the baking oven for powder coating but it is worth a try. As for spar varnish, a nice amber tinted spar varnish, 4-5 coats rubbed out to a nice soft gloss would be stunning! Check out Norton Custom Basses, these guys know how to paint a bass Invalid Link Removed
 
#36
powerbass said:
I have the solution. Take the bass to an auto body shop they will put any color you want on the bass and it will stand up to any weather - downpours, wind storms, sleet etc. Better yet powder coating will produce an absolutely bomb proof finish, this finish would actually make the bass more durable to dents and scratches. I don't know if the bass could handle the baking oven for powder coating but it is worth a try. As for spar varnish, a nice amber tinted spar varnish, 4-5 coats rubbed out to a nice soft gloss would be stunning! Check out Norton Custom Basses, these guys know how to paint a bass Invalid Link Removed
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I like this idea. What could be more durable than a finish that can handle rain, asphalt and petroleum for years? Even the best spar varnish with moderate sun exposure needs to be recoated after a couple of years. If you really want to make it an outdoors bass you should take the top or back off and have the inside finished as well. Obviously sound is already out the window with some of the finishes we have considered but this might combat the humidity and rain more effectively.
 

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