Cost to paint a body?

[slowTwitch]

By a luthier/specialist; just looking for a ballpark figure. Assume entire instrument sent rather than body only.
Nothing fancy, a solid colour, perhaps a light metallic fleck.

Any recommendations of people who are particularly well regarded for this type of work?

Cheers,

Rich

Edited yesterday at 11:49 by slowTwitch

[JJMotown]

Best go to a car garage that does panel painting, it'll be as good, maybe better, and cheaper.

[slowTwitch]

It's an option to consider if a luthier proves too expensive, but I initially want to explore the lazy, one-stop-shop option, of handing the entire instrument to one person. 

[Silky999]

A car place would need the body only so you would have to take the bass apart. It’s also depends what type of finish you would want. A car sprayer would probably use 2k type paint, so paint and a hardener. It’s quicker to apply and also doesn’t need cure off for as long before polishing in the same way nitrocellulose or 1k poly would. 2k is also quite toxic hence they should use proper air fed respirators and decent extraction. They may not do nitrocellulose if that’s what you wanted. 
 

So from a luthier perspective, you are looking at stripping the bass to body, taking any existing clear coat off, prepping the colour already on, priming, new colour then clear coat, cure, polish, reassembly and set up. As a rough estimate, I allow poly clear coat 7-14 days to cure and nitro 14-30 days before polishing. 

 

Poly consumables - £140-215

 

Nitro consumables- £150-260

Total

 

Polyurethane Refinish:

£350 – £450

(Primer, colour, poly clear, materials, and labour included.)

 

Nitrocellulose Refinish:

£400 – £550

(More coats, more labour, longer cure — hence the higher price.)

 

I hope that helps. 

 

 

[Geek99]

Could you buy a ready made and painted  body cheaper ? Just a thought 

[slowTwitch]

That's great - thanks Silky 👍