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Turning a High Gloss Finish into a Matte Finish?

Matthew_84

Matthew_84

Nov 7, 2010
6,497
5,101
Greater Toronto Area, Canada
#1
Hey all,

My awesome fiancée is *hopefully* buying me a brand new 4-string Warwick Rockbass Streamer LX with active electronics... I played it in a shop on the weekend and I am so pumped to get it. Plus, it will be a bit sentimental for numerous reasons.

Since I started shopping for basses, I've always loved Warwicks and especially how they look: a lot of them have great natural finishes, or creative stains on top of some beautiful wood. I've seen so many of them that I think it's impacting how I feel about how this bass looks.


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She's a beauty in all accounts, but when you compare the high gloss finish to other Warwicks, it makes it not quite look like a Warwick to me, almost like some Warwick-copy... I know it's a Rockbass, but I've seen many Rockbasses with great finishes, but for some reason the Streamer LX line seems to all solid colours (black, red, or blue) with a high gloss finish.

I've debated getting rid of the paint altogether and staining and finishing it, but I am of course unsure about how the natural wood looks under the paint. I wouldn't mind mismatched grains of 2 or 3 slabs of wood, but if there were knots or drastically different colours, then I'd mind. The body is "Carolena" which I've read is basically pine.

I think I like the idea of taking some green and blue scotch pads and buffing off some of the finish. However, I do know that a matte finished body will adhere fingerprints fairly easy and they'll be a pig to get off. Is there some sort of finish I can put on that will protect it, but keep the matte finish?

Also, I'd take off the strings, hardware, and neck to do this, but do I have to take out the pickups? I've never used a soldering iron before, and once I looked into it, all of that equipment seems a bit costly for me right now. Could I just put some tape over the pick-ups, and be careful when I'm near them?

Thanks,

Matthew
 
#2
You can always take some 0000 steel wool to it. That'll knock off the gloss.

BUT, you have to be sure you get a neat dullness all around, otherwise you'll get a spotty finish (glossy spots with matte surrounding) and that looks like bad "orange peel".
 
#4
Take all the electronics and hardware off and wet sand with 2000 grit untill the gloss is gone and you have an even finish. Steel wool will work, but it will be more difficult to get an even finish.
 
#5
bassingeorge said:
You can always take some 0000 steel wool to it. That'll knock off the gloss.

BUT, you have to be sure you get a neat dullness all around, otherwise you'll get a spotty finish (glossy spots with matte surrounding) and that looks like bad "orange peel".
Click to expand...

That's what I'd suggest as well. You will find that you'll get steel wool debris gravitating towards your pickups though unless you take them out. fine steel wool is easy to use to get the finish you want - you just need to persevere.
 
#6
Both 0000 steel wool and 2000 grit will leave sanding marks and will not look right. I'll see if I can find the link for where I got the idea to try it, but here's what I reccomend.

1. A small random/orbital sander. I have a Mouse I think it's called.
2. Green AND blue scotchbrite pads.
3. Start with the green and with almost no pressure (basically the weight of the sander) just go over the whole thing. Do it a couple times then switch to the Blue pad and do it again.

If its too dull then take a scratch remover and gently go over it by hand until its brightened back up to where you like it.

Edit: Found the link. Great pictures too.

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