Is it possible to remove a finish IE sunburst from an instrument to have the natural wood finish?

[AinsleyWalker]

This may be a dumb question.. I have a sunburst Stingray and through a few chips I can see the wood finish underneath, is there any way to remove a finish like this?

[gary mac]

It's hard graft but yes, it can be done. You might be disappointed if it's not an attractive piece(s) of timber under that finish though.

[AinsleyWalker]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1458769731' post='3010807']
It's hard graft but yes, it can be done. You might be disappointed if it's not an attractive piece(s) of timber under that finish though.
[/quote]

This could be another dumb question, but the translucent parts of a sunburst finish that show wood grain, is that the actual wood underneath or just part of the print?

[3below]

Resist the temptation. There are two things to do: Sell your stingray, find and purchase a natural finish one. Which way you do this depends on your circumstances, of which you are the best judge. In other related news I brought another bass in today and divorce proceedings not started - yet.

[Manton Customs]

Yes, that's the wood you can see. But the opaque parts (ie the edge of the burst) could hide joins or other unsightly defects as mentioned above.

If you decided to go ahead and strip it, a heat gun would be your best bet, but take great care to not scorch the wood or overheat the glue holding the body together as it's likely a 2 or more piece body. If it's an actual EBMM Stingray as opposed to a copy then it'd be better to either sell it or get a pro to do the work, as it'd destroy the resale value and most likely come out less than perfect.

[AinsleyWalker]

Thanks for the all the tips and advice, I think I'll probably leave it.

To those who suggested I sell it, I would like to actually but from being gigged the bass has a few chips and marks around the edges, around 10-15 bits and I feel like that would decrease the value to the point where it's not worth it. The chips etc aren't massive they're just small bits of average road wear. (I'd probably swap it for a Jazz though if anyone wants pics..)

Edited March 23, 2016 by AinsleyWalker

[RhysP]

The chips wouldn't devalue the bass anywhere near the same amount that stripping it would.
Have a look on Ebay & check out the condition of the Stingrays on there & what they are going for.

[Grangur]

I know I'm being a cynical old git here, but am I right here?
You're fed up with your old bass because you've managed to chip it 15 times when gigging. I you change your bass, how long before you're fed up of that because its chipped just like your Ray?
Have you sorted out how you handle the bass at gigs to avoid damage?

[AinsleyWalker]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1458804309' post='3010945']
I know I'm being a cynical old git here, but am I right here?
You're fed up with your old bass because you've managed to chip it 15 times when gigging. I you change your bass, how long before you're fed up of that because its chipped just like your Ray?
Have you sorted out how you handle the bass at gigs to avoid damage?
[/quote]

Haha I can understand your viewpoint of this situation but that's not it. Let me explain. I bought the Ray for a very specific sound I wanted when I was 18, and five years later I prefer a rounder sound at times, that's all. So a Jazz Bass, for example, would suit my need for versatility. It's how I've felt for a fair portion of the time I've owned my Ray to be honest. To play standalone, Stingrays are probably my favourite bass tone, but in band situations they can be limited. My desire to change it isn't based on the chips, they just prevent me from actively seeking to sell it, the chips were done around 3 years ago and I haven't put any more in since then. They were done through just not using the hardcase in certain situations and it getting knocked while in a softer case. Oh, and I've gone off of sunburst a bit.

Edited March 25, 2016 by AinsleyWalker

[Grangur]

Fair point you make there. This juror totally accepts the defence plea.

In which case I'd say, if you like the bass for playing off stage for enjoyment and you'd prefer it another colour, why not go for it, or sell and buy another similar bass.
Something I find frustrating with MM Rays is that some many of them are I great finishes and look great, but I can't get to like that sound myself. But each to their own.

As others have said though, be prepared for a naf piece of wood if you do it.

Actually, I remember a member of this parish having a GW Ibanez in black. He stripped it and the wood was less then exciting. It had a big knott in the wood. He continued to enjoy the bass himself but when he came to sell it took forever to find a buyer.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Grangur

[AinsleyWalker]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1458875001' post='3011795']
Fair point you make there. This juror totally accepts the defence plea.

In which case I'd say, if you like the bass for playing off stage for enjoyment and you'd prefer it another colour, why not go for it, or sell and buy another similar bass.
Something I find frustrating with MM Rays is that some many of them are I great finishes and look great, but I can't get to like that sound myself. But each to their own.

As others have said though, be prepared for a naf piece of wood if you do it.

Actually, I remember a member of this parish having a GW Ibanez in black. He stripped it and the wood was less then exciting. It had a big knott in the wood. He continued to enjoy the bass himself but when he came to sell it took forever to find a buyer.
[/quote]

Yeah, I think I'm definitely against the idea of stripping it now. If I ruined it, it'd be a real shame.

I get what you mean about the stingray sound though, it's not for everyone. A lot of stingray players use too much treble in an attempt to try and cut through more but it just makes the bass 'clack'. I tend to roll the treble knob almost totally off if I'm playing something on the lower strings .
I've gotten used to it though and can get quite a good range of tones, including a fairly round sound but not [i]quite[/i] as warm as I'd ideally like. I like to write a lot of ambient/spacey melodies up the fretboard, so the clarity of the Ray's sound and the ability to really shape/scoop the high end is good for that.

I think really what I'll do is just keep my Ray as it is, I'm not in any bands currently so it's more than good enough for home use/practice. It'd also be a shame to get rid of it as it's my first high quality bass and I've had it a long time, plus what I'd get for it probably wouldn't make selling it worth while. As I said the chips are very minor, but will of course affect re-sale price.

So I think I'll keep it, and if at a later date I find myself in a situation where I can financially justify buying a Jazz for a specific application, I probably will.
Cheers

Edited March 25, 2016 by AinsleyWalker