The (Cheap as Chips) Bass Project

jimi_t

Right so, I got a cheap ass Rockson bass off boards for the whopping sum of 40 lids about a month and a half ago. It's well battered, paint flaking, dents, electronics are mostly shot but it's structurally pretty sound.

Now last weekend there was a beer spillage on my (equally battered) table. There's feck all varnish left on it and, not having the necessary motivation to clean it within two days, it had dyed part of the table a deep (dutch) golden brown.

So then I got the idea - if I'm going to be replacing all the strings, electrics and Pick-ups, why not strip the crappy paint job off it, sand it down and treat it to a glorious beer-stain before varnishing it over? Unorthodox, certainly, but it's a pocket money bass and I think it would look pretty well

So basically, I've a bit of cash set aside for the project (and a LOT of time on my hands with college), and I'm wondering where do I begin? How do I go about stripping the paint and undercoat off, is there any special varnish I need to use, is it a completely mad idea to do it in the first place?

Doctor J

The very last thing you want to do before applying a finish is adding moisture like that to the wood, I would think. Just strip it, vernish it and apply some brown boot polish into the varnish.

jimi_t

But if I stained it in beer and left it dry for a good 3 or 4 days before putting the varnish on would it not be allright?
Any good resources regarding stripping the paintwork off guitars and basses?

Doctor J

I wouldn't think so. Sometimes wood is left for years to dry before it gets made into an instrument. Surely the organisms and residue left by the beer would make ****e out of it over time.

There is a reason it isn't a used technique, if you know what I mean

Anyway, for stripping, get some sandpaper and get to work.

jimi_t

Heheh, fair enough - my poor bloody table

Anything interesting I can do with the woodstaining/varnishing then? Something unique?

MagnumForce

Sure if its only a cheap ass fun project thing, i say go for it, whats the worst that could happen really. maybe if your too concerned then use some wood stainer instead of beer, get one with a real light colour and then just spill it onto it like youd just knocked over a beer can or apply it so it looks like it was spilt so you dont end up with just a big puddle of wood stainer on your bass which you dont know what to do with. then let it dry in and varnish it up good and yer away. post a picture when your done, id love to see how it looks.

jimi_t

I'm thinking that I might get the full body painted in some sort of motif by my mate... How would I finish and prime it for painting, and what sort of paints should he use?