carlsim

Thank you - I will say the pick up covers are the stock Xotic ones - one of the reasons a like the bass! I am now rethinking the back control cover to match the pup covers, will be a better contrast and look cooler I think!

Good point - will get on that!

So... last post from me with updates - it's finished! Re-assembled today and it's a banger! I'm never confident when it comes to electrics but all re-soldered and working and playing lovely. Thanks again to all who commented and especially to @Andyjr1515 with all his advice and countless replies to my messages. It's been an interesting experience and not something I want to repeat any time soon! However, anyone reading this, don't be put off by something of this ilk. I was worried given the fact it wasn't a budget bass that I could pink torpedo it up but a careful and softly softly approach with the wood paid dividends! I think it looks great and I am sure that this one will be sticking around for a while! Anyway.... a few more final pics: Control cavity fully shielded Battery box and control cover added - I hated the stock black plastic battery cover Xotic out in so I added the Gotah double battery box - much better! I am really pleased with the control cover as well - I may have mentioned that! Pups are in, bridge in place and all electronics soldered in and finalised. I added some extra earthing just to be sure! Scratchplate and knobs added: And a few of the final assembly! That's it for this one. I wonder what's next? A 'from scratch' build maybe? Possibly... I am intrigued...

I must admit, I am adding some wax to the tru-oil finish and it really does give it a final sheen and evenness to the finish. I couldn't get the Birchwood Casey one but I got a CCL fine wax and it goes on lovely... it's a gun stock wax and really finishes it off!

A quick mock up today of how it is going to look… really please so far. Assembly and final touches tomorrow!

So, no need for wire wool. Gave it a buff this morning after a weekend of it hanging up and it looks great. I'm really chuffed with the end result. I am going to apply some wax to the final finish for a final buff and some extra shine so it will be ready for a reassemble on Friday when I have some spare time. New strings are ready. Will post some final pics of the bass back together. Thanks to everyone who commented and followed and especially to @Andyjr1515 who furnished with me with some excellent advice, recommendations and guidance. Without Basschat - who knows where I would be with this! What a great resource. Carl.

So… 800 w&d today this morning with a further light coating of tru-oil and getting close to completion. A few minor dust bunnies, swirls and minor irritations so on Monday I plan to wire wool down with 0000 wire wool and then apply a couple more light coats for a final finish. I will then decide as to whether to apply the poly finish or not. As it stands, im leaning more towards not to bother, and possibly look at a finishing wax or something for a bit of extra protection, will decide once it’s finished and the tru oil has had at least a week to cure. I’m really chuffed as to how it has come out so far… thanks again to @Andyjr1515 for all his good advice! the home straight beckons!!

It’s funny… I just added an extra coat of tru oil, not wet and dry, just rubbed on and the difference that has made to the shine coming out. I’m going to do another 800 wet and dry tomorrow, leave that over the weekend with possibly another rubbed on coat… I’m now thinking that might be it and forget the poly! I’m really liking how it looks and the shine coming through now looks lovely. It may well be that in time, if I feel that the tru oil isn’t strong enough, I can always strip down again, sand any marks away and then apply the poly. The more I do with tru oil, the more I like!

Nice one - will certainly do that. And who doesn't love some 'air bass'!?

Exactly where I am heading @Andyjr1515 - one more wet and dry application with 800 grit, plenty of buffing and I aim to leave it a week before I start the hard glaze. Although, the more I see it in a satin sheeny finish, the more I like it! 🤣 the mind truly boggles with the options...

You can see a bit more of the satin sheen coming through here… IMG_1587.MOV

So switched over to 400 grit W&D today with the tru oil and there is a distinct change in smoothness and lustre. Still not shiny and from the pictures, it’s doesn’t look much different but it is definitely less patchy and feel much smoother to the touch. Going in the right direction that’s for sure… using tru oil is definitely a fool proof way of getting a nice finish. I look at it now and really like the way it looks, the poly will just add a bit of extra gloss and protection! All hail the Tru Oil!

I tried it on some scrap as you mentioned and it was bloody awful!! More yellow than anything else so I won't be going that route! To be honest, it does contrast a little but I can live with that and sure looks 10 times better than the black plastic one some ham-fisted sod put a hole in so they could access the gain pot on the pre-amp!

The thing is, it doesn't look too bad there but the raised paint with sharp edges was particularly annoying! Plus I really liked the picture I found of one of these in a natural finish: So I am hoping it won't look too far away from this when complete! I have no idea how these are finished in the factory - nitro or poly lacquer - wax and buff, oil, natural or heavily buffed but at the end of the day, I have limited resources and skills set but with some help, I am hoping to get to a finish that I am pleased with. Looking at the picture again it does seem to have a gloss shine in the light - hopefully I will be able to get somewhere near that!

If you look closely in the pics you can still see where the white primer is embedded in the grain (the long distinctive patterns). It is annoying but in all honesty, barely noticeable and at this stage I would rather not try and sand more of it off as I have no idea (given ash has quite an open grain) how much I will need to sand to clear it. I guess this is one of the issues with taking a painted bass back to the wood! You can barely make it out and have get very close to even notice it. I'm going to treat it as a special property of the wood! 😀

So after a second coat of tru oil on Saturday morning, the sanding scratches are nowhere near as bad as I thought so I light dry sand with 240 W&D and another smidge of oil and looking much better! I also managed to reduce the primer left in the grain to next to nothing as well. Another bash with 240 slurry, then 400 and 800 should get it nice and smooth before the poly goes on. I must admit this finishing malarky is not easy so kudos goes to @Andyjr1515 for the finishes you achieve - patience is a virtue in this game. Having said that, I'm pretty pleased so far, the colour in the photos is a lot lighter than real life and it is taking on a nice amber-y hue to the colour which is nice. Really pleased with the ash cover as well - it is a bit lighter than the body but there isn't much I think I can do at this stage. I do have some tinted aged lacquer sitting in a box (but this is a nitro lacquer) so may sand back and bash some on there - see how that looks... I have some scraps that I can practice on as well... Anyway... will sort a few minor scratches on the back later and then onwards!

Just had a look at my first dry coat - I am a bit disappointed with the small amount of sanding scratches that I can now see - what the oil has exposed and wondering now if I: 1 - treat it as more of worn look - it is a used guitar after all! 2 - go back to the sandpaper (will need loads as tru oil really gums it up!) it's not terrible, only noticeable in certain light and localised (I think) to the areas I noticed which had the white primer showing in the grain I mentioned before plus another area which will be covered by the scratchplate. As I do a bit more oil and slurry I am hoping that they will fade - or am I delusional?

@Andyjr1515thank you so much for the clear instructions and detailed description. you truly are one helpful BCer! having done my first oil and slurry, I don’t think it is going to need loads of this before I start the poly… I’m going to work up to 800 grit with tru oil (I started today with 240) which should see it nice and smooth ready for the poly. I’m still not sure how glossy I want it but I suppose I can stop when I get to something I like the look of! to be honest, I quite like it now after one coat of tru oil!! But I think I want the extra protection that the poly will offer so will go that route. again, thank you for all your help along the way!

I was really please when I saw the wood. The guy at Xotic told me they use the pretty ones for natural finishes so I wasn’t holding out much hope but I was well chuffed when I had it back to the wood. If I can get a finish anywhere near to @Andyjr1515’s bass in the picture, it will be a successful project!

so, first coat of Tru-Oil went on today and I'm really chuffed with the result so far. A light darkening of the wood which results in a nice, healthy looking lump of timber and the grain is filling and showing nicely. One annoyance, the white / clear primer that is put on in the factory is so deeply embedded in the grain I have reached a point where I just cannot get rid of it. It is very subtle and if anything, adds a slight shimmer to areas of the grain so I can live with it. I cannot keep sanding and sanding as I have no idea how deep I will have to go. Ash has quite an open grain so I think I have to live with that one. A few more coats of tru-oil with wet and dry moving up through some grits and it will be ready for some wipe on poly! @Andyjr1515 I am hoping for a 'wipe on poly tutorial' to appear if you are able to! So it is going well, the new ash control cavity looks lovely as well although is quite a bit lighter than the guitar body - I will try and darken it a bit by keep adding some extra coats of tru oil (any advice welcome here) but if not, a little contrast never hurt did it!