Repainting a bass - will it really change the sound?

[KingBollock]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1323456484' post='1463671']
Why? Fender never used to:

[url="http://www.curtisnovak.com/vintage/JazzBass59/"]http://www.curtisnov...age/JazzBass59/[/url]

If the existing finish is sound, all it needs is a light sand to key the surface, a thorough degrease & then go straight over with the new colour. Black will obliterate any underlying colour very quickly - possibly in one pass.

Pete.
[/quote]
Cool, that answers a question I've been meaning to get around to asking. I've got a Bass that's a pearlescent white and I was thinking of refinishing it to Piano white. I was hoping I would be able to get away with not having to take it all the way back to wood.

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1323747708' post='1466543']
Cool, that answers a question I've been meaning to get around to asking. I've got a Bass that's a pearlescent white and I was thinking of refinishing it to Piano white. I was hoping I would be able to get away with not having to take it all the way back to wood.
[/quote]
It *should* be fine - but Ou7shined makes a very valid point about compatibility of different finishes. If your Pearly has a scratchplate, hoy it off & mask up everywhere else, then use the bit you'll never see as a test bed.

For degreasing, pop to your local cornershop & grab a can of Zippo-style Lighter Fluid. Apply with a sheet of kitchen towel folded into 4 - it'll evaporate almost as soon as you wipe over. After each wipe, use a new bit of the towel, that way any grease or yuk stays on the towel & doesn't get spread back on the bass.

P.

[StraightSix]

Use a small section of the back of the bass as a test to make sure the old and new paint finishes don't react.

Is lighter fluid really the best thing for degreasing...I thought it left a film behind...?

It is a petrochemical concoction along with most oil and grease products...I would just wash it gently in a mild soap and water solution and dry thoroughly.

[KingBollock]

The Bass doesn't have a pick guard. I shall try somewhere on the back. Assuming I ever actually get around to it.

I do use lighter fluid for cleaning stuff* but I would have thought acetone would have been more appropriate for this, or am I very wrong?

*Sometimes, when I've had to take a lot of my painkillers... I get obsessed with cleaning things, especially metal things. So I have a lot of cleaning fluids and equipment. One of the best cleaning fluids I've got is made up of the dregs left over from soak baths using various noxious substances. Just walking past the shelf where the jar of it sits makes my eyes water!

[4-string-thing]

I can't tell the difference between my basses, let alone paint finishes!

I wouldn't worry too much....

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1323903036' post='1468643']
The Bass doesn't have a pick guard. I shall try somewhere on the back. Assuming I ever actually get around to it.

I do use lighter fluid for cleaning stuff* but I would have thought acetone would have been more appropriate for this, or am I very wrong?

*Sometimes, when I've had to take a lot of my painkillers... I get obsessed with cleaning things, especially metal things. So I have a lot of cleaning fluids and equipment. One of the best cleaning fluids I've got is made up of the dregs left over from soak baths using various noxious substances. Just walking past the shelf where the jar of it sits makes my eyes water!
[/quote]
Wouldn't risk Acetone... It might well degrease the finish right the way down to bare wood, & that would be bad.

Assuming there's some overspray in the control compartment and pickup routs, you could do worse than to experiment with various solvents on the end of a cotton bud - if there's transfer, you know not to use that one (and get a clue as to what finish will be safe to use for the re-spray).

[KingBollock]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1323915327' post='1468713']
Wouldn't risk Acetone... It might well degrease the finish right the way down to bare wood, & that would be bad.

Assuming there's some overspray in the control compartment and pickup routs, you could do worse than to experiment with various solvents on the end of a cotton bud - if there's transfer, you know not to use that one (and get a clue as to what finish will be safe to use for the re-spray).
[/quote]
Good point about the acetone. What about alcohol?

I had thought of the cavities but I shielded them all not long ago. Not to worry for now anyway, I shall do some proper research when/if I actually get around to it. I'm rubbish with paint of any kind and I think such a finish would require skills I don't possess. But, it is only a cheapo Bass (Aria Pro II, MAB 20/5, Magna Series) and if I were to just go for it and experiment, it's the one to do it on. We'll see.

[xgsjx]

Where Black is a good colour for killing a lot of colours, certain colours will overpower it (such as green, which is a hard colour to get rid of) & also black is a crap undercoat unless you're painting the thing black*.
Best primer colours are Grey which will kill all colours in a few thin coats or if you're going for yellow, gold or orange - Maroon (red led to be exact, but not sure if that's what you want to spray your bass with).
Google what sort of paint you're priming over & find out what's fine with it. I tend to find that as long as there's no wax or oil on the surface then you should be fine (again, do check before commencing).

*Edited to say, the OP does want a black bass, I'd still prime in grey & then finish in black.

Edited December 15, 2011 by xgsjx

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1323919905' post='1468719']
Good point about the acetone. What about alcohol?

I had thought of the cavities but I shielded them all not long ago. Not to worry for now anyway, I shall do some proper research when/if I actually get around to it. I'm rubbish with paint of any kind and I think such a finish would require skills I don't possess. But, it is only a cheapo Bass (Aria Pro II, MAB 20/5, Magna Series) and if I were to just go for it and experiment, it's the one to do it on. We'll see.
[/quote]
I'll bet you never shielded out the neck pocket though.

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1323915327' post='1468713']
Wouldn't risk Acetone... It might well degrease the finish right the way down to bare wood, & that would be bad.
[/quote]

I definitely would risk acetone...if the finish on the guitar at the moment is acetone soluble then it would be risky spraying over it anyway, due to the compatibility reasons outlined by Ou7shined.
However since it's most likely chemically cured 2-pack polyurethane, acetone won't do a thing to it.

[pete.young]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1317042959' post='1385820']

That "luthier" who told you never to take the neck off... never have anything to do with him again. From his arse, he doth speak.
[/quote]

*applause*

I'd put this into the 'quotes' thread if I could work out how.

[Highfox]

lol, I have a white P that sounds better but a black P that plays better and they both look great imo.

[Billy Apple]

Back in '86 I bought a plain wood (P style) finish bass from a plumber that my Dad knew. It was a bit beat-up, and the head-stock had been painted black. After playing her for a while, I took her to a guitar shop on High-bridge Street in Newcastle, called Chris and Andy's. They were very interested, dismantling the bass completely. It was their opinion that she was a 1962 Fender Precision in Fiesta Red. The original colour could still be seen in the Pup routing, and although the date stamp had been removed from the neck-heel, they could date from the alloy gasket under the scratch plate and the pots and wiring. The serial number concurred on the neck plate, but I was told these could be spurious, as they often laid around the Fender workshops for a while after stamping. But, she sounded great, very bright and punchy, but a hand-full to play due to the width of the slab neck. I kept her, as is, right up until '98, when I had her re-finned in Fiesta Red by Overwater, by the very same Chris May who had inspected her back in '86. And after the work, guess what? She didn't sound a damn bit different. still brilliant.

I think much has to do with how the bass is stripped down, and the care taken in the re-build, making sure everything is put back and re-wired as was.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Johngh

[neepheid]

I hope you're joking. If you are then say so, laugh it off and move on because a silly face at the end of such a statement doesn't really negate it for me.

If not - have you any evidence of this actually happening? I'm only asking because I DO have evidence of this NOT happening and in the interests of fairness and not wishing to see someone's livelihood jeopardised by malicious libel I am quite willing to cite it in rebuttal to your ridiculous statement.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Johngh
Quote removal from previous post

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1324210241' post='1471769']
I hope you're joking. If you are then say so, laugh it off and move on because a silly face at the end of such a statement doesn't really negate it for me.

If not - have you any evidence of this actually happening? I'm only asking because I DO have evidence of this NOT happening and in the interests of fairness and not wishing to see someone's livelihood jeopardised by malicious libel I am quite willing to cite it in rebuttal to your ridiculous statement.
[/quote]

Oh dear, someone got out of bed on the not-funny side today! It's just a jokey ref to another thread - made me laugh anyway, obv not meant to be taken seriously.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1324210241' post='1471769']
I hope you're joking. If you are then say so, laugh it off and move on because a silly face at the end of such a statement doesn't really negate it for me.

If not - have you any evidence of this actually happening? I'm only asking because I DO have evidence of this NOT happening and in the interests of fairness and not wishing to see someone's livelihood jeopardised by malicious libel I am quite willing to cite it in rebuttal to your ridiculous statement.
[/quote]

Yes, it was clearly meant to be a joke, but I'm sorry you are so upset about it. No offence intended.

[Johngh]

Can we all be a little more careful in future making jokey references of this kind as it may affect someones, business/reputation. I'm editing the comments out.

Case closed.

Back on topic please.