xilddx

I've often wondered that, it seems very odd.

I never expect, or feel I deserve, compliments, appreciative audiences, record deals, money, or an easy life. All I feel is great privilege to be able to play some good music with some really good musicians who, for some reason trust me with their music and, I think, like me as a person. I want to enjoy myself, feel friendship and rapport with the other band members while on stage and off, and get to express myself occasionally as a musician, and more importantly as a PERSON, within a musical context. The primary thing is doing something of "quality" but that is highly subjective, I only like playing with bands that produce good songs, with good musicianship and who look good on stage. I have met musicians in the past who are really up their own arses and come across like they are going to save the world with their music, and they DESERVE to be heard because they are GOOD and INNOVATIVE. Bollocks. They don't appreciate what a gift it is for someone to lend you their ears for a hour and derive some enjoyment from it, let alone some inspiration.

I've just been a right tart and ordered the new Warwick Brass JAN III £80-odd quid for a top nut. Why did I just do that?

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='902431' date='Jul 22 2010, 10:21 PM']Not supporting any one aspect of this discussion, but I would like to present the difference in acoustic sound between a strat and a les paul as evidence M'Lud T[/quote] But that's an electric guitar played without an amp, so the electric pert of it is not engaged. The electric parts are the most important part of the sound when amplified, ie. it's purpose. I don't believe the woods and finish have much effect on the electrically amplified tone.

[quote name='bumnote' post='902024' date='Jul 22 2010, 03:34 PM']That storys been around for a while, Theres a great article here all about paints and custom colours [url="http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fenderc.html"]http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fenderc.html[/url][/quote] Thanks for that link.

[quote name='acidbass' post='901944' date='Jul 22 2010, 02:20 PM']I've heard of the Fullerplast method being used a lot for Ash bodies, as the nitro tended to sink into the grain and make the finishing more difficult and time consuming. I think they finished some Alder bodies in all-nitro however. [b]Re: your thoughts on tone - it's all in the fingers eh? [/b][/quote] Nope, it's all in the POD X3

I have just ordered the hardware. Gold Hipshot Ultralite GB7 Tuners Gold Hipshot Bass D-Tuner Black (to match the pickups) Hipshot Rickenbacker Brass Bridge Gold Warwick Knobs x 4 Black knob for the Villex Rotary Booster Black mini toggle switches x 2 Gold Warwick Barrel Jack Gold Warwick Straplocks It's going to be strung with DR Black Beauties so I reckon I have a perfect balance of black and gold on a white body with a black headstock. It's going to look sick!

I never believed that Nitro let the wood breathe and give you a real woody tone, in fact I don't believe a lot of the sh*t people say about wood, paint and tone, or neck joints for that matter. If you get the latest copy of Guitar & Bass Magazine, there is a great article on relicing that blows a few daft myths away. Your lovely old nitro finished Fender has a load of crap underneath the finish to seal the wood and stuff. The magic "Fullerplast"! I am glad in a way that my thoughts are somewhat vindicated, but sort of sad too.

[quote name='OldGit' post='901189' date='Jul 21 2010, 07:13 PM']Jon No one will think any the less of a JV jazz for having screw holes where a proper Fender pickup cover was fitted. It's not like sticking an extra thumb rest on or strap peg in the wrong place or routing it for a different bridge. [b]In fact sell it with the covers and it will probably be worth £20 more. [/b] [/quote] Exactly what I have done in the past.

[quote name='JMT3781' post='901185' date='Jul 21 2010, 07:11 PM']missus lol! although she is missing... been at home in norway all summer [/quote] Christ, that's even worse

Just screw it on. No-one except a right pain in the arse will give a sh*t when you come to sell it.

[quote name='JMT3781' post='901182' date='Jul 21 2010, 07:05 PM']Haha thats the missing dicking about lol[/quote] She's gone missing, James?

[quote name='Doddy' post='901116' date='Jul 21 2010, 06:03 PM']Oooohhhh..... How could I have forgotten to mention Alain Caron?[/quote] May I suggest it is because that is what any sane person with intact genitalia and a love of music would have done?

Right, everything is with my mate now, he's going to make the body and grain fill it for me and give it a coat of sealer. Then he's going to cut the mirror pickguard. I am rather excited

Excellent advice, Wes, thank you

[quote name='BigRedX' post='900328' date='Jul 20 2010, 06:10 PM']I believed that Fender used to spray their maple boards after the frets had been fitted and then scrape the finish off the frets.[/quote] And Rickenbacker.

[quote name='wesfinn' post='900258' date='Jul 20 2010, 04:59 PM']Of course its not. I will be showing the rest of the stages of the finishing on here when I get round to it. heres a brief run down of how this body has been finished -Final sanding with 400 grit then give body a blast over with an airline to clear the pores out -slightly thinned nitro sanding sealer -then sand back to bare wood -grain filler(clear) is then applied using a credit card to take off the excessleaving the grain filled (available from www.tonetechluthiersupplies) -sand back again and repeat grain filling stage and then sand back again -good wipe over with panel wipe -apply blonde finish to face of instrument, fast misty coat..flip onto nails adn then fast misty coat for back and sides -if applied evenly and thinnly theres no need to sand between coats -second coat to face and back, fast misty passes again. then the sides need to be more opaque so these are sprayed slower at a 45 degree angle to get a smooth transition from sides to face (much like a burst)..repeat till you have desired depth. -then a couple of clear coats and leave to dry for a few weeks before flatting and buffing. hope that helps[/quote] Super! Thank you Wes! All Nitro from Tone Tech? I'm planning on finishing with their aerosol nitro pre-cat with the aerosol adapter gun. Do you reckon that's the right approach?

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='900207' date='Jul 20 2010, 04:04 PM']Good luck with the frets already in place!![/quote] Mask the 'board, paint PVA on the frets, remove masking, spray the board, remove PVA before paint dries. Lacquer the 'board and remove the lacquer from the fret tops when dry. That's how I'd probably do it.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='899979' date='Jul 20 2010, 01:30 PM']If it was me I'd match the whole neck too. But I'm weird like that![/quote] I quite like that look too, but not on a bolt on. I actually like the idea of a painted fingerboard.

That body really does look gorgeous! I would really like to know the fine details of the grain filling, sealer coating, and finishing, including the materials, equipment and methods, and where to get the materials, if it's not too much to ask

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='899699' date='Jul 20 2010, 08:36 AM']I remembered seeing the lacework trick on Pimp My Ride! Ha ha. I was disgusted in myself that I actually thought to myself... "now thats cool". It would certainly make for a unique bass. I don't think I have ever seen a satin/gloss mix on a bass though... that could be the business. Eitherway, as I say, food for thought to make the project a bit different. I'd certainly match up the headstock too.[/quote] I once used fishnet stocking over a guitar body to get a snakeskin effect when spraying. Worked brilliantly! I am not a fan of matched headstocks, except on the occasional Fender. But I'll see how things take shape. Cheers.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='898999' date='Jul 19 2010, 02:42 PM']Or the HB is pretty weak. What was the characteristics of the SC? Treble shy/mid heavy?[/quote] Could of course be that too. The SC (while on the Rockbass) was very throaty, deep and with a snarly high end, I reckon a bit of mid-scoop. Seemed powerful, even compared to my active Warwick $$. It sounds great to my ears.

Good call, EBS! I used to be a calligrapher and I have books full of beautiful medieval patterns and designs. I particularly adore William Morris acanthus patterns. I could sort something out along those lines. Great food for thought, thank you!