DogHammer Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 My old Ibanez SR500 has been sat gathering dust for way over a year now. Haven't played it once since i got my Corvette. the neck feels real grainy on the back and it the electrics seem a bit dodgy... So I had 2 choices in my mind. Clean it up and sell it, or bastardize it..... I chose the latter, as I have never done anything more than restring, intonation and action before. Would be nice to learn a lot more about the instrument I play. I have been reading everyone's build diaries and projects on here and i'm inspired, I will be sanding it down all nice and leaving a natural finish, try to defret and see how it goes. If I mess it up its no biggy. Any advice or help along the way will be greatly appreciated! [attachment=113023:DSCN1243.JPG][attachment=113024:DSCN1244.JPG][attachment=113025:DSCN1247.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Good luck mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 What finish is on it now? If it's glossy and hard you will have a hell of a job trying to sand it down. Modern finishes are designed to withstand nuclear blasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 [quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1342188000' post='1731185'] What finish is on it now? If it's glossy and hard you will have a hell of a job trying to sand it down. Modern finishes are designed to withstand nuclear blasts. [/quote] Hmmmm well its a little glossy, but not majorly... Its just some kind of stain i think. Anyone had any experience of sanding down this sort of finish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 (edited) arrghhhhhh I have that bass & I winced when I saw it in bits...... .................make it a real monster bass !!! These basses are so over looked it's criminal I love mine with a passion. i will be watching this with great interest. what are your plans ? Edited July 13, 2012 by fumps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 [quote name='fumps' timestamp='1342190138' post='1731252'] arrghhhhhh I have that bass & I winced when I saw it in bits...... .................make it a real monster bass !!! These basses are so over looked it's criminal I love mine with a passion. i will be watching this with great interest. what are your plans ? [/quote] Ha, yeah I did wince a bit when i was taking it apart, but it been sat with a big layer of dust on it for a long time now, and I kind of have an emotional attachment to it so don't wanna get rid of it. It was my second bass, but always felt so comfortable on it. The action was always really low and it plays so fast. Made me feel better than I was! I knew I had to take it to bits and look at the electrics as it likes to cut out now and then, and sometimes cuts when the vol knob is turned. I will keep the Bartolini MK1 pickups as they are pretty well rated, but I am going to sand it down to a natural finish (Hopefully) and defret it. Im not expecting it to go to well though as its my first project, but we will see, learning as I go! I will also take suggestions on what to do to it, electrics, finish, whatever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I'm no expert mate unfortunately but my love for this bass is going to be my primary reason to follow this story. I have often thought about the day I may look at an upgrade but to be honest I'd rather do this & mod my bass than change to something else . Good luck with this mate I am happy to see someone do what I've often considered myself in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 Right, sanding has started. Haven't had much time to work on this between playing and gigging... I used 80 grade sandpaper to start with, the dark stain has come off pretty easily. I will be going down to 1000. I have managed to source some Maple veneer from a friend of mine who is doing some building at the moment too. He has also given me free reign to use his home workshop with a full range of tools. The wood seems very blonde. I may give it an oil kind of finish, but I don't know yet. Will get the sanding done and take it from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 Its been a few weeks and have had some time for some sanding. Gone all the way down to... or up to?...... 1200 Sandpaper. The result was a nearly glass like finish! really really nice. But... the colour kind of bothered me. Seemed to look really light blonde colour, and it looked like it needed some kind of character to it. So I decided to give it a few coates of Tru-Oil..... Now I dont really know if this is the kind of stuff that I should be using or whatever, as its actually oil for treating Gun Stocks. But it seems to have come up a really nice colour, and is now showing some nice grains and rings in the wood. I have left the jack cutout unsanded, and it looks ok I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Looks good mate. I believe the body wood on those is mahogany. Tru oil is exactly the right stuff to use for a nice simple natural finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Couple of coats of beeswax will make it look real good. Should add some real depth to the finish and will protect the oil finish too. Imperfections in the wax finish can always be remedied with another coat. Looks great already though! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 [quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1344283169' post='1762304'] Couple of coats of beeswax will make it look real good. Should add some real depth to the finish and will protect the oil finish too. Imperfections in the wax finish can always be remedied with another coat. Looks great already though! Truckstop [/quote] Ah excellent. I shall use my Warwick Beeswax on it then. What kind of thing do i need to do to the fret board once the veneers are in? I presume i need to be oiling it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 or epoxy it a la jaco. I did similar once using ronseal diamond hard floor varnish. Recommend you don't use that as it was too hard to sand the radius back into it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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