Thanks kindly...but it may help make the point - the final finish is only as good as what's underneath. I spent many hours stripping, sanding and sealing, then sanding again, before applying a base coat, then the silver, then the rest. If you want a good looking finish on your instrument, I really think that you will need to strip it down and do it right. I only spent $60 on that bass originally - bought it in a pawn shop covered with black runny spray paint and with half its hardware missing. I'd guess that 40 or 50 hours of labor later....there it is.