Guitar Info

The Project: Short-scale bass guitar - Pt 3: Changing my mind

I've decided that I really don't like this turquoise finish, and in a mad moment tonight I took the whole lot off the neck using good ol' Nitro Mors once again.



I'm still in two minds about whether or not to re-strip the body too. The problem is that this stain/varnish is nothing like I envisaged. I really wanted a translucent coloured stain, but this turquoise stuff is opaque and the consistency of paint. I may as well just have splashed emulsion all over it. The other problem is that is will not go smooth. There are little lumps and bubbles in it, and drips and brush marks everywhere. Sure, if I coat the whole thing in polyurathane afterwards, and sand that down after several layers I could achieve a nice glossy finish, but will the lumpy surface beneath be hidden beneath the layers of polyurathane or will it be magnified and be made to look worse?



I've bought some sandpaper that is supposed to be good for sanding down between layers of applied paint on a project. I'll try this first and see if I can repair the awful sloppy varnishing. But if it looks bad, or starts taking chunks out back to the wood again, then I'm going to re-strip the whole thing. Again.



And then - after more sanding - I would apply good old Ronseal All In One finish for an oiled natural wood look. Just apply it with a cloth. No fuss, no lumps; just nice and smooth.



I'm certainly going to use All In One for the neck.



This is turning out to be an expensive project, but I may as well get it right, and I should just look at these set-backs as part of a learning curve. Next time I'll know better!



More later.