The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Andrew on February 14, 2014, 03:13:29 PM
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I came across a lefty EB bass in a store today. I'm not in love with the look but I hadn't seen a lefty before so I gave it a try. To my surprise, it's a very nice bass. Plays nice, sounds quite good plugged in and weighs 7.45 lbs. on my digital scale. Very comfy. It a satin finish sunburst.
I'm wondering if anyone has done any mods to their EB basses to tweak their looks?
Elephant ear tuners, chrome pickup covers, different knobs, etc.
Also how much work would it be to turn the satin finish into a typical gloss finish?
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Look out for the ' can't polish a turd ' comments :mrgreen:
Chrome pickups, some might even want a three point!
My friend just got one, sunburst, and I must say I like the 'new' bass look as is. I like metal pups, and elephants as well,
but the overall look of a new design leaves me with the impression that this looks best as is.
If it were were mine I'd maybe change the vol/tone knobs, nothing more.
If I decided to keep it, I'd give it a new finish (gloss) because I dont like the way thin satin finishes age, but that's me..
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I'm not a fan of the satin finish either. Can the satin finish be clear sprayed over to gloss or does it need to be stripped off and started from bare wood?
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I'm not a fan of the satin finish either. Can the satin finish be clear sprayed over to gloss or does it need to be stripped off and started from bare wood?
how much work would it be to turn the satin finish into a typical gloss finish?
You can spray right over it after making sure it's cleaned of any oil or wax, mostly due to handling.
You can also easily gloss it up with some polishing compound or car wax. It wouldn't take more than a 2 hours by hand.
Satin paint is simply gloss paint with flatting paste added. It's more difficult to keep it uniformly satin over time than it is to bring it to an even gloss. It will reveal any bad prep work once it's shined up though. That shouldn't be a problem with a sunburst.
Satin sunburst. Does that mean it was foggy that morning?
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Is the grain sealed?
If not it will look like a granny that was been waxed and shined.
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Does anyone know if these Hipshot tuners can direct replace the Grover tuners on the EB basses?
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tuners/Bass_tuners/Hipshot_Ultralite_Bass_Tuner_with_Fender-style_Knob.html
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Is the grain sealed?
If not it will look like a granny that was been waxed and shined.
It will, indeed!
The best would be a new finish, with grain filler, sealer and the whole lot. But that's not something you usually do on a new axe.
I guess I would at least use some clear sealer and sand it level if the grain pores weren't too deep - and then clearcoat it.
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It will, indeed!
The best would be a new finish, with grain filler, sealer and the whole lot. But that's not something you usually do on a new axe.
I guess I would at least use some clear sealer and sand it level if the grain pores weren't too deep - and then clearcoat it.
If the woodworking was good enough to do a sunburst it should be good enough to bring out the gloss on a properly done satin finish. Just my opinion, of course.
Also my opinion: Wipe on grain filler is a modern myth promoted by companies like Reranch to sell their amateur oriented products. It's too slow a technique to use in a production factory and unnecessary if you know what you're doing and have decent wood to work with. Preparation is key. There's a reason sandpaper is made in so many different grades and types.
Honduras mahogany. No grain filler. 2 straight nitro coats over 2 sealer coats and 1 toner coat. All shot in a 48 hour period. Minimal sanding after first sealer coat, none after that. No sealer on maple neck, only toner and 2 nitro coats.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/0050/P1050574-001_zps3b5f3125.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/0050/P1050574-001_zps3b5f3125.jpg.html)
practice, practice, practice
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Show-off... ;)
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Show-off... ;)
I've shot a lot of paint over the years. Can't fix an amp worth a damn.
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I've shot a lot of paint over the years. Can't fix an amp worth a damn.
That is, as most of the finishes I've seen that you have done, great... I guess I was just thinking out loud, what I would have done if I got an EB bass and decided to keep it. I forgot to mention it would take me 48 weeks!
But I think finishing is a fun hobby, really. I'm thinking of 'investing' in a spray gun, actually. I have a good compressor and bought a real shitty cheap gun - a spray can is way better. I see now that a 'starter series' DeVilbiss gun doesn't cost that much. (I was recomended
that brand) Is that OK to start shooting with?
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I had a shop teacher who showed us that you can make a gloss finish using sand paper and nothing else. Turned out like glass, if you sand enough with higher grades.
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Aah, sandpaper.. the painter's oscilloscope :mrgreen:
Agree to that, but I guess it will be difficult if the finish is not plane (level) to begin with, as is the case with many of these new gibbys.
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Aah, sandpaper.. the painter's oscilloscope :mrgreen:
Agree to that, but I guess it will be difficult if the finish is not plane (level) to begin with, as is the case with many of these new gibbys.
Good analogy! Re not being level: That's why they make 50 grit sandpaper and sanding blocks. My finish schedule is 50 (if necessary)/80/120/180/240. Then sealer. 320 then topcoat twice. Wet sand with 400 then micromesh 1500-12000. Buff with Meguiar's Ultimate compound. Probably total 2 hours sanding time in the entire process. A stationary drum or belt sander would speed up the process.
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Good analogy! Re not being level: That's why they make 50 grit sandpaper and sanding blocks. My finish schedule is 50 (if necessary)/80/120/180/240. Then sealer. 320 then topcoat twice. Wet sand with 400 then micromesh 1500-12000. Buff with Meguiar's Ultimate compound. Probably total 2 hours sanding time in the entire process. A stationary drum or belt sander would speed up the process.
But do you have a tip on what kind of gun to 'start out' with? I'm not going to offer finishing in my shop, but I have a bunch of old basses and guitars messed up by kids (including myself) so I'll be doing many projects the next couple of years..
Is the DeVilbiss i mentioned good enough? Or are there other good starter guns(!) ??
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But do you have a tip on what kind of gun to 'start out' with? I'm not going to offer finishing in my shop, but I have a bunch of old basses and guitars messed up by kids (including myself) so I'll be doing many projects the next couple of years..
Is the DeVilbiss i mentioned good enough? Or are there other good starter guns(!) ??
Devilbiss makes good guns, I don't remember seeing your post on the model but it should be fine. I had a half dozen $200-$400 USA guns when I had my furniture business in the 80s, Devilbiss and Binks. These days I use Chinese copies of Binks 2001 guns. They cost around $25 at Harbor Freight in the USA. Suction feed, old school, what I learned on. I'm sure there are decent quality gravity feed guns out there at a reasonable price. Most important is keeping them clean and properly adjusted.
I taught myself to spray paint using a Binks autobody repair manual. A compressor that has adequate CFM is important but truth is you can spray lacquer at 25 psi, get good coverage and not blow paint all over your shop. So you can work with a small compressor in bursts with your eye on the regulator. When you get it right, it's really satisfying!
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And I wondered whether you guys might be talking about the actual thing ("guns") ... :o Relieved. :)
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Thanks for the tips, looking forward to spray some...
Uwe: I'm a pacifist. I shoot from the hip! (AC/DC again)
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Don't panic, Uwe, he's talking blow jobs...
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Devilbiss makes good guns, I don't remember seeing your post on the model but it should be fine. I had a half dozen $200-$400 USA guns when I had my furniture business in the 80s, Devilbiss and Binks. These days I use Chinese copies of Binks 2001 guns. They cost around $25 at Harbor Freight in the USA. Suction feed, old school, what I learned on. I'm sure there are decent quality gravity feed guns out there at a reasonable price. Most important is keeping them clean and properly adjusted.
I taught myself to spray paint using a Binks autobody repair manual. A compressor that has adequate CFM is important but truth is you can spray lacquer at 25 psi, get good coverage and not blow paint all over your shop. So you can work with a small compressor in bursts with your eye on the regulator. When you get it right, it's really satisfying!
What about the HF HVLP guns? I thought you were using these and not the gravity guns? I've been looking for an excuse to buy one but haven't had the project to use it on. I've heard some decent stuff about them in the past.
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the only project I shot, I used an auto detail gun from Harbor Freight. I learned not to set the nozzle too open because the result was a somewhat bumpy lacquer coat which required more sanding.
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Don't panic, Uwe, he's talking blow jobs...
As usual, I had fears of not just decorum going down. Thanks for the relief, Kenny.
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As usual, I had fears of not just decorum going down. Thanks for the relief, Kenny.
Ah... two puns hidden in there...?
Sorry Sir, not those kind of extras at this establishment... :mrgreen:
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Swapped the Gotoh's for Hipshots. I think they look much better.
Managed that nice circular scratch around the E tuner not paying attention. String end popped out when I was restringing it.
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Devilbiss makes good guns, I don't remember seeing your post on the model but it should be fine. I had a half dozen $200-$400 USA guns when I had my furniture business in the 80s, Devilbiss and Binks. These days I use Chinese copies of Binks 2001 guns. They cost around $25 at Harbor Freight in the USA. Suction feed, old school, what I learned on. I'm sure there are decent quality gravity feed guns out there at a reasonable price. Most important is keeping them clean and properly adjusted.
I taught myself to spray paint using a Binks autobody repair manual. A compressor that has adequate CFM is important but truth is you can spray lacquer at 25 psi, get good coverage and not blow paint all over your shop. So you can work with a small compressor in bursts with your eye on the regulator. When you get it right, it's really satisfying!
So do you have a spray booth?
That was the on thing I found being a problem finishing basses is a dust free, moisture free place.
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Much better! I can't see the scratch from here. :)
What about the HF HVLP guns? I thought you were using these and not the gravity guns? I've been looking for an excuse to buy one but haven't had the project to use it on. I've heard some decent stuff about them in the past.
I bought one of their cheaper HVLP, didn't work well for me. Need a stand for the guns and too much cleaning and wasted material for small jobs. Their more expensive HVLP stuff looks good.
Plus I'm used to siphon feed. I use 16 oz mason jars to hold paint, it's easy to see if there's enough paint left for another coat. Also eliminates a lot of cleaning and wasted material. Just unscrew the jar from the gun, put a lid on it, done with that. Wipe off the siphon tube and run a couple of ounces of lacquer thinner through the gun.
I've found that if I hang a gun and don't pull the trigger when it's disconnected from the air supply paint stays in the tube all the way to the nozzle. It doesn't dry out and you can come back a week later and shoot again. Pull the trigger which lets the paint flow back into the jar. Unscrew the jar, stir paint. Screw the jar back on. Make sure the nozzle doesn't have any paint on it (lac thinner and a brush will take care of that) and fire away.
So do you have a spray booth?
That was the on thing I found being a problem finishing basses is a dust free, moisture free place.
Difficult to get away from moisture around here. I do have a temp/humidity thermometer. I try not to shoot unless the humidity is below 65% and I use No Blush and Flow Out additives when necessary. Afternoon is usually when the humidity is the lowest. It does keep the dust down but it's not really a problem with lacquer. After at the most 5 minutes it's dry to the touch.
This is my "booth". Lately I haven't bothered setting it up. Overspray is another thing that's not usually a problem with lacquer if you're careful and get air pressure/paint viscosity/ gun settings right. What doesn't hit the bass is dry before it lands on anything that matters.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/ME/P1020633_zpsad68eb6e.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/ME/P1020633_zpsad68eb6e.jpg.html)
Sorry for hijacking your thread, Andrew.