The Last Bass Outpost

I've never had much interest in Flying V's, guitar or bass models. Don't get me wrong, I like them as a fun novelty but I have never considered owning one, but man, this thing is perfect, Kudos!

https://www.amazon.com/Geddy-Lees-Beautiful-Book-Bass/dp/0062747835

That's the NSFW feature in case you post a photo of a bass with boobies painted on it.

Ha ha ha!!! I like this answer too.

Not exactly sure why, but, sometimes I can see pictures that people post and sometimes I can't. Does anyone else have this problem? It's weird, sometimes it will happen within the same thread. Someone will post a photo and I'll see it and someone else will respond with a photo and I won't see that one for some reason. I know there's suppose to be a photo there because other people will respond and make comments about that mystery photo but it doesn't appear for me. Anyone know what that is? I've tried to copy and paste it in another browser but nothing. Suggestions?

Hello guys, I thought Id sign up for the forum  and answer a couple of those questions  that were asked about the finishing on Jeff's BaCH. 

 I DID shoot the Nitro  over top of the poly  on this one in order to keep the cost down a little bit.  stripping poly finish is a long and laborous task  ESPECIALLY on a set neck instrument where you have to work around the neck joint and such.  I Always prefer to spray  a FULLY Nitro finish  whe doing a vintage restoration, refin, or even a new finish, but the cost  was a prohibitive factor on this one. and  to the Bach's credit, the Poly finish that it had wasnt too terribly thick so what wee did here was treat the existing poly finish much like a poly base coat that fender has been using since 1968. Which brings me to the question about checking.

Somone asked why their '62 reissue would check, even tho it was nitro over poly.  well the answer is that many companies including  gibson and fender  ad a hardening agent to their lacquer to prevent unwanted cracking and makes the  lacquer much harder and more durable.

the down side.... It also makes it much like a Poly finish in that it chokes the life out of the wood if applied to thick.  Under the right conditions this hardened  lacquer  can also crack or "check"  but many times the outcome is  not the desire asthetic, so  many "relic" guy  use a razor blade to apply checking cracks.   I PERSONALLY DO NOT.  I have seen many people try this blade checking tecnique and  have seen many people fail miserably at mking a believable  and authentic looking instrument.  In fact the Only person Ive seen  achieve any measure of success with this is TOM MURPHY of Gibson, and he is credited for creating the whol relic process for Gibson.


(Stepping down from my soapbox now....)
I hope tis answers any of the questions you may or may not have had  about  the BaCH finish we applied.


 JOHN SCOTT
Bluesman Vintage Guitars (and Basses)

John,
Thanks a lot for all the helpful info. You did an excellent looking job on the bass. It's got me thinking about getting another Bachbird and having you do the refinish work on it. Love that color. I need to wait a bit so I can save up some money first though.

Thought so. It looked great with that black pg! Can you repost the photos, please?

Yup, here's a few.





I must say, I am still totally thrilled with this bass. I have always been a Fender guy but I have always wanted an NR Bird to just mess around with from time to time but it has definitely become my main bass at this point. Don't get me wrong, I still love and use Fender basses but the NR bird is getting way more use than I thought it would.

I refinished my own bachbird in black and I love it but I originally wanted to do it in Pelham and seeing yours has really got me thinking.

It cost me around 250.00 for the relic job.Bluesman vintage did it for me.There is none better at the relic job than John.Im not sure if he did and entire strip or not. I think he did because he had to put a tummy cut in it.

That's actually a really good deal. I wonder if that's his going rate or if that was a "friend deal"?

John just told me that he layed the nitro over the poly. He said Fender has done that since the 60's.

I'm surprised he got it to check like that. The whole poly undercoat thing on Fender has always confused me. I have had a few of the U.S. 62 reissue Fenders which are nitro over a poly undercoat and I cannot get those finishes to check at all and I've been told that it's because of the poly undercoat. But then I have also been told that Fender always used a poly undercoat even in the 60's but all the vintage Fenders I have seen have checked over time. I have also done a few 100% nitro refinishes over the years with the Reranch stuff and those check easily too so clearly the poly undercoat has something to do with it.