# Bass guitar refurb



## Drago (3 May 2021)

Wasn't sure whether to put this in here as it is a DIY project of sorts, orminto hobvies and interests. Mods feel free to fiddle as appropriate.

My late 70's G&L jazz was looking pretty beaten up. I know that the relic look is in, but this had gone beyond the event horizon and into post apocalyptic. They're nice instruments, but not as expensive as Fender branded items and nowhere near as valuable as they age, so it was hardly worth the expense of getting a pro involved when a new one would cost less than 400 sniffters.

So time for a DIY repaint, a rewire, and possibly a new pickguard.

I neglected to take a before pic and thus document the project from its nadir to its apex, so you'll just have to use your imagination.

So stripped, rubbed down, damage filled, rubbed down again, and now waiting for the hi build primer to arrive.







That fretboard needs some work! 

I always thought the body was ash, but it seems very light indeed compared to my P bass so I'm not so sure.

Undecided on the final colour. I've narrowed it down to cherry red with a plain black or dark grey tort pickguard, or the classic China blue with a more typical red tort pickguard. Feel free to opine on the subject.

So lots of priming and rubbing down ahead to achieve a surgically smooth surface before paint goes anywhere near it. I'll be using acrylic and finishing with a 2 pack polyurethane clear lacquer.


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## MontyVeda (3 May 2021)

fretless... nice!

Were you not tempted to just remove the paint completely and let the wood show?

I tried that once with a Marlin strat copy... turned out to be plywood and looked sh!te.


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## Drago (3 May 2021)

I did consider it. However, the existing finish is poly so wont come off as cleanly as nitro would. That and I don't have a heat gun.


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## numbnuts (3 May 2021)

Get yourself a 3 string, one less to worry about


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## raleighnut (3 May 2021)

It's a Bass. who cares what colour it is


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## Drago (3 May 2021)

raleighnut said:


> It's a Bass. who cares what colour it is


Heresy!


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## raleighnut (3 May 2021)

Drago said:


> Heresy!


The nicest guitars are just wood, this is Steve's 'plank 'a 1967 Telecaster he's had since about 74


View: https://youtu.be/5KRABaCgxIM


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## raleighnut (3 May 2021)

BTW Steve Walwyn plays with Dr Feelgood these days but in the late 80's Steve Marriot joined the band


View: https://youtu.be/JTavoGJsgeg


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## Drago (3 May 2021)

My Precision is a natual ash finish, and my Ibanez is a sunburst. My Hofner is gloss black, and my Harley Benton is satin black, even the bridge and tuners.

I like natural, but im also a fan of the 50's Fender palate and need some colour in my studio.


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## Drago (5 May 2021)

First coat of U-Pol hi build primer.


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## Badger_Boom (5 May 2021)

Drago said:


> Wasn't sure whether to put this in here as it is a DIY project of sorts, orminto hobvies and interests. Mods feel free to fiddle as appropriate.
> 
> My late 70's G&L jazz was looking pretty beaten up. I know that the relic look is in, but this had gone beyond the event horizon and into post apocalyptic. They're nice instruments, but not as expensive as Fender branded items and nowhere near as valuable as they age, so it was hardly worth the expense of getting a pro involved when a new one would cost less than 400 sniffters.
> 
> ...


So you're not going full Betsy and spraying it Burgundy MIst?


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## MontyVeda (5 May 2021)

Drago said:


> First coat of U-Pol hi build primer.
> 
> View attachment 587268


Mrs D's gonna go nuts when she sees what you've done to her dining chairs!


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## Drago (5 May 2021)

She's partially sighted, she'll never know


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## Drago (6 May 2021)

Been laying down coats of hi build primer, rubbed down with 400 grit between coats.

Last night I laid on a primer coat, and while it was still wet laid on a coat of the final colour. A bit heavier than a mist coat, but lighter than a full coat.

That's a guide coat, so when I rubbed or down the morning any imperfections, peaks or follows would stand out. All rubbed down now and looking pretty decent.






Will now clean, degrease and allow to dry for a few days before laying the first few colour coats.


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## Drago (9 May 2021)

Four full coats, a full 400ml can of paint. Will allow to dry for a few days before another wet sand and more coats.


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## Drago (10 May 2021)

Rubbed down again with 400 grit wet. As well as smoothing things out the removal of the shiny surface helps promote outgassing, which speeds the cure time and makes microblisters and the like less likely.

Will leave it a few more days, then another 2 or 3 colour coats, then more rubbing down. Ad nauseum.


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## Drago (13 May 2021)

There are now an obscene number of coats of paint on the body.some tiny imperfections have been filled with stopper, and the whole lot rubbed back. Will allow it to cure of a few days and then apply the final 10 or so coats of colour.


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## MontyVeda (13 May 2021)

Drago said:


> She's partially sighted, she'll never know


I used to live with a partially sighted person. she couldn't see the town hall clock but she could see when I hadn't hoovered up properly


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## Drago (13 May 2021)

I do the housework because Mrs D struggles to see cobwebs etc, but she can spot a £20 note on the floor from 400 paces.


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## Drago (21 May 2021)

Rubbed down, but not too finely. T Cut, but deliberately not to a total mirror shine. This gives it a fairly convincing worn nitro look.

Pickguard held over a flame, just enough to brown some of the edges slightly and heat the plastic enough that the smoke penetrated the surface and wont rub off. This gives it a nice, hrubby, aged and worn look.






As is often the case, the photos dont give the full effect justice, but as it stands it does give a careworn look.

The ashtrays were strategically rubbed down with very fine wet and dry, rolled around in salt and left outdoors for 2 weeks. They've been brought in, cleaned, and lightly polished and look lovely. Not so the tuners - the chrome was just too good, and other than some very slight tarnishing they didn't really age.


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