Painting

[stewblack]

I've had a quixotic plan to buy a black and gold bass for no other reason than a band I dep for have it as their colour scheme and I thought it would amuse them if I turn up not just dressed appropriately but also sporting a gold bass with black scratch plate. The bass centre Blockhead bass was my first choice then I spotted a gorgeous Matzcxzr Mazsursck Polish made bass here but dithered and was pipped at the post. 

Sober reflection has made me realise that I was about to spend silly money on what is really a bit of fun. So it dawned on me - how about I paint one of my crappy old basses myself? Which of course brought me here to ask the advice of the expert bass hive mind. I know literally nothing about preparing or painting an instrument so don't be afraid of insulting my intelligence. That really would be difficult to do. I'm after a glitzy shiny ott gold.

[bertbass]

How about covering it in good leaf?

[Maude]

How permanent/well done do you need it? 

If just for a bit of a giggle and the back doesn't matter the get on ebay and buy some gold vinyl wrap. Should get a 500x1500mm sheet for about a tenner. Read a 'how to' and crack on. Put it on the front, stretch and shrink it around the sides and trim the back off neatly. 

It'll look like C3PO

[stewblack]

I like the idea of the gold leaf it carries the right message but vinyl is an interesting alternative. I am however still keen to learn how folk paint their planks.

[yorks5stringer]

2 options, poly or nitro, both sprayed and from rattle cans. You can spray nitro over poly, as I've done it. Need to prep the surface (scuff coat) and get a proper mask if nitro. Lots of stuff on youtube.

You can also spray poly over poly. It pays to practice  your spray technique as easy to mess up, again as I've found out myself.

 

After spraying need to leave to dry ( nitro takes longer), lightly flat and polish up.

I'll have the Bass i sprayed with me at the Bash and happy to talk you through it, mind there will be others there also who are much more knowledgeable than me on this too!

Edited January 28, 2018 by yorks5stringer

[stewblack]

7 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

2 options, poly or nitro, both sprayed and from rattle cans. You can spray nitro over poly, as I've done it. Need to prep the surface (scuff coat) and get a proper mask if nitro. Lots of stuff on youtube.

You can also spray poly over poly. It pays to practice  your spray technique as easy to mess up, again as I've found out myself.

 

After spraying need to leave to dry ( nitro takes longer), lightly flat and polish up.

I'll have the Bass i sprayed with me at the Bash and happy to talk you through it, mind there will be others there also who are much more knowledgeable than me on this too!

Brilliant, thank you.

[TheGreek]

On 27/01/2018 at 12:44, bertbass said:

How about covering it in good leaf?

You don't have to use real gold leaf. As a boredom killer we used to use the foil from cigarette packets and rub them onto other objects with the back of your finger nail. Dead easy to do.

Mind you with the price of fags now it may be cheaper to use real gold.