Winter Build Off 2022 - Star-Crossed-Caster

[2groggy]

Are you painting a solid color?

I really haven't decided. The sides will need an opaque cover like paint or tolex. The front and back are maple, not bad, but not so interesting that I'd regret covering them.

The edges of the laminated panels will either need binding or rounding-filling-painting. There is enough meat around the edged for either.

I don't have a spray booth, so any paint would come from a rattle can

 

[RichterScale]

I'm not sure what specifically would work, but my first thought was something that shows off the curve of the front and back. So, probably a darker color, maybe hi gloss?
I know white would hide the shape.

 

[RichterScale]

I had to go back and make sure this wasn't the one with birdseye.
I don't really like covering up nice wood, even if it's just "plain" maple.
So, I vote for whatever shows off the contour of the body.
If you can leave the grain and still pull that off, that would be awesome.
But I'm not helping at all. I'm doing what they do to me at work all the time.
"I have no idea how this happens, but I want this and make it happen. "

 

[dwizum]

For this body style I feel like it really needs to be a classy solid color (black, dark red) or a translucent red an opaque black burst.

 

[2groggy]

Do I route cavities and binding channel before or after I paint?

Do I bind before or after I paint?

 

[Jeff Siddall]

Conventional wisdom is do everything before paint.

Also, I am going to be contrarian and say that a plain maple arched top is a pretty awesome look. Ex:

 

[Beej]

Do I route cavities and binding channel before or after I paint?

Do I bind before or after I paint?

I do near everything before applying finish.

 

[NKBassman]

In my mind, large-bodied hollowbody basses are transparent red.
(Not my bass, but daaaaang )

 

[2groggy]

In my mind, large-bodied hollowbody basses are transparent red.
(Not my bass, but daaaaang )
View attachment 4569440

Any hints on how to achieve that?

 

[NKBassman]

Any hints on how to achieve that?

Oh no, I don't have a clue! I'm just along for the ride.
Hopefully someone else here can shove us in the right direction.

 

[Reedt2000]

Any hints on how to achieve that?

I'd suspect it's a tinted clear?

I like plain maple top archtops, it is a classic look. I also like the idea of routing binding channels to hide the edge of vinyl that wraps the sides.

Image and idea credit go to @Max Bogosity

Brown tolex would be pretty slick,, though you can get vinyl wrap in just about any pattern you can imagine, wood grain, camo, chrome, gold, flames...

If you address the sides like that you could stain the top any color(s) you like

 

[funkinbottom]

Any hints on how to achieve that?

I'm not a professional finisher, but have done a fair bit of finishing on my own basses/projects. There are a couple ways to go about a trans finish. You can use stain/tint/wood dye and clear coat over that. You can also leave the wood natural and spray a tinted clear coat. Either way, use a scrap and experiment a little with some stains/tints to see what works/looks good to you. Have fun.

 

[2groggy]

Here's what I have handy. BTW, I'm not so frugal that I won't buy what I want, so let's not limit ourselves for no reason

• bold water based stains in emerald, raspberry and navy
• tung oil from the same supplier in natural and slightly (very slightly) tinted with black
• tan coloured tolex
• potential bindings in light coloured wood or aluminium (spelled the British way to tick off the @RichterScale)

 

[dwizum]

That red would do it for me, with black sides and a very narrow black burst on the top.

Although, that blue is super cool too and would be pretty unique. You don't see that color every day but it's still nice and classy.

 

[RichterScale]

You people waste a lot of vowels.
Don't come begging us for some when you run out.

 

[2groggy]

You people waste a lot of vowels.
Don't come begging us for some when you run out.

Hey neighbour, I've run out of vowels and Vanna White isn't returning my calls. Can you spare a few EIEIOs? I promise to pay you back with maple syrup and umlauts.

 

[Reedt2000]

That navy with the aluminum binding would be a cool look.

 

[dwizum]

@2groggy somehow I had missed that you're... one of them.

 

[Beej]

Navy with shiny and cream is always fantastic. Mmm I want to do that combo on something now...

I saw a navy Pacer years ago with a cream interior, fully restored and gleaming and it looked fantastic. Not that I'm comparing your bass to a Pacer.

 

[2groggy]

That navy with the aluminum binding would be a cool look.

I was actually thinking that I should test if the navy was dark enough to hide the sins on the sides. If no, then I cover it with tolex anyways - nothing to lose.