Winter 2017 Build Off - Speak of the Devil

[Indiedog]

Thanks! Heh, do I play drums? I'll say this. The first instrument I ever had formal lessons was for drums, in the 2nd grade. That was back when our culture actually put a value on musical instruction, and it was included in the curriculum for America's youth. No extra cost for music lessons in those days, offered in public grade school.

For several years in the late 70's and early 80's, we practiced at my house, so I had the drums set up there. I very much enjoyed playing for an hour or so, a few times a week. It was a great workout, and I feel it helped me as a musician.

These days, I do not consider myself a drummer. But I do find it easier to bang out a drum track manually on the Roland set, than programming a drum track on any of these DAW's I have. So, yes, I guess I play, just not very well.

When people ask me which instrument is the hardest, I always say the drums. Each appendage is doing something completely independent of the others. To play drums well, is the highest achievement, in my mind, more difficult than piano I think.

In other news, the color arrived:

View attachment 1058261

I had the red, and ordered black and medium brown. I'm laying down the last several coats of "sealer" clear, and will start on the color tomorrow. What specific color, and in what pattern, I do not yet know. I'm still tending toward tobacco burst, but I'll see if I'm inspired in the interim.

Thanks for the reply! I too feel that playing the drums is a wonderful way to improve as a musician. I also agree that to play the drums well is quite difficult. The standard for great playing has gotten so high in the last 30 years. Drums are wonderfully satisfying.

And you are so right: musical education is hugely beneficial to our society and should be offered to every student.

I look forward to what you choose to do for the color.

 

[Spectrum]

I thought your husband was dressed as Edgar Winter in that pic.

 

[cdlynch]

GREAT costumes! I'm pretty sure more adults like Adventure Time than kids.

What specific color, and in what pattern, I do not yet know.

Tobacco burst with blood splatter? Red inside the "eye" walls?

 

[mapleglo]

I thought your husband was dressed as Edgar Winter in that pic.

Wow! I'll have to show him that picture. Funnily enough, without the costume, many people have come up to him saying he looks exactly like Stephen King.

 

[mapleglo]

GREAT costumes! I'm pretty sure more adults like Adventure Time than kids.



Tobacco burst with blood splatter? Red inside the "eye" walls?

Thanks! My Husband and I are big fans. Unfortunately, I think there's only one more season

I'll admit, I'm having trouble with the color. The bass has a lot of standout features as is - the flame fretboard, goat head truss rod cover, and frankly, the entire body. I'd like to find a balance between that and the paint. I'm fairly confident I can do a burst, but adding a third color may be troublesome. And that's why I keep going back to tobacco burst. Or maybe natural fading to medium brown...

 

[Beej]

I really like the idea of natural fading to medium brown - in my mind that looks great. But it also may help meet your preference of natural finishes too...

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Here's the Tobacco Sunburst AMUB-2 that I built last fall. I really like this color scheme, going from transparent golden brown in the center to black around the edges. It's in between the harsh '60's Rock red/black sunburst and an all-wood finish. It's woody and earthy, but with a rock edge. I've never seen a Devil Bass done in Tobacco Sunburst, but I think it would look great. The black edging would add a little nastiness to the horns and the flame inlay.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I like the tobacco burst. My thought, for whatever it's worth, would be to try the natural to brown, maybe with some amber on the natural part to "vintage" it. Then, if that didn't work out or didn't look right, you should be able to keep spraying and make it a tobacco burst. Just an idea.

 

[Hopkins]

Its supposed to be Lucifer's own creation. How could it not have red in it?

 

[PDX Rich]

Very cool!

 

[mapleglo]

Well, the rubber is about to meet the road.

I've got the neck prepped for color, masking tape on the fretboard, a coat of clear down to help prevent the color from leaking through the tape. I'll wait about a half hour, and then mix up some color. What color you may ask? I still don't know.

Heh, the suspense is killing me

 

[mapleglo]

Well, 5 drops to 2 oz didn't do anything, and neither did 15 drops of color to 2 oz of clear.

I'll let that dry for a half hour and go full commando on the color.

 

[mapleglo]

Burst finishes are hard

I guess I laid on a bit too much. I'll have to let that dry and sand it off.

*sigh*

 

[Jon Clegg]

You might consider making a template for the burst out of posterboard; draw the outline of the bass on posterboard then cut 2" inside of the outline. Support the template with 2" screws. Spray from the inside out. Supporting the body on a lazy suzan helps.

 

[Rôckhewer]

You might consider making a template for the burst out of posterboard; draw the outline of the bass on posterboard then cut 2" inside of the outline. Support the template with 2" screws. Spray from the inside out. Supporting the body on a lazy suzan helps.

Won't that have the effect of creating a "hard" line no matter how light/fine the application of color is "misted/fogged" on...(I don't claim to be a painter by the furthest stretch of the term...so I'm not hip to the vernacular)
And I am just asking....again...not a painter.

But what I do pretty much know for sure...is that I would not be successful trying to do a burst with the cheapo HF paint guns I buy. The atomization is just not fine enough. Now...could that be a set-up issue? Possibly but I am doubtful.
(I don't remember what type of gun YOU are using Nexy....so....??

Neither have I ever attempted a burst myself but I pretty much get the idea.

I would think that I would be way more successful applying the outer color, with the $15 AIR BRUSH, I got from HF ....as far as cheap guns are concerned.
It will shoot about a 1.25" pattern with a fairly fine atomization...if I increase the distance...
But then you have to worry about it going on too dry??
IDK
Don't listen to me for advise...haha

 

[Hopkins]

I can usually offer advice on a finish, but I have never attempted a burst before.

 

[MPU]

I used air brush on the black burst. I found it a nice way of doing burst. Easily controllable and quite narrow (around 1"-1,5") spray.

 

[cdlynch]

Regarding the Ampeg Devil and AMUB-2, is it just me, or was Ampeg pickguard crazy? I feel like those PG designs step on the body details rather than accentuate them by going right up to the edges. I certainly don't mind big pickguards, but those two seem like outliers.

 

[Jon Clegg]

Won't that have the effect of creating a "hard" line no matter how light/fine the application of color is "misted/fogged" on...(I don't claim to be a painter by the furthest stretch of the term...so I'm not hip to the vernacular)
And I am just asking....again...not a painter.

But what I do pretty much know for sure...is that I would not be successful trying to do a burst with the cheapo HF paint guns I buy. The atomization is just not fine enough. Now...could that be a set-up issue? Possibly but I am doubtful.
(I don't remember what type of gun YOU are using Nexy....so....??

Neither have I ever attempted a burst myself but I pretty much get the idea.

I would think that I would be way more successful applying the outer color, with the $15 AIR BRUSH, I got from HF ....as far as cheap guns are concerned.
It will shoot about a 1.25" pattern with a fairly fine atomization...if I increase the distance...
But then you have to worry about it going on too dry??
IDK
Don't listen to me for advise...haha

If the template's close to the surface it will, at 2" and shooting at a 45 deg angle from the inside out it gives a nice transition:

You can do similar with an airbrush, this is a bit less nerve racking, even with a rattle-can.

 

[mapleglo]

Getting there.