project Surf Worn almost there....

[cameltoe]

Hi guys,

Not posted in this part of the forum before- I've dabbled in changing pickups and guards before but that's as far as I've gone.

I'd always wanted a surf green precision since I first saw the colour. I also quite fancied having a go at refinishing/relic'ing a bass at some point in the future. I'd bid on a couple of Squier bodies in the past on ebay, various necks, hoping one day I'd be in a position to start a project without breaking the bank. The project started when i got hold of an MIJ Fender through this forum- It was a great instrument, but needed a bit of TLC. It also had a really bad sunburst finish, which was perhaps what got me motivated to finally try my hand.

I decided this would have a relic/ road worn appearance, for two reasons;

1- I already own a Road Worn P and it's the most comfortable bass I have played.

2- I knew I would not be able to refinish this bass flawlessly. I knew if I tried, it would look appalling. Far safer to know any cock-ups can be made to look intentional!

I wanted to be bold with the relic'ing- a bit more worn than the Road Worn series, but not as extreme as a Nash, etc. One step on from my own Road Worn. I think I've achieved it, and although there are still a few bits to do, it's feeling great! Whether it's looking great or not is a question of taste, but I love it.

The poly was removed with a rotational power sander which literally ate through it in no time. I did make one tiny mistake during this process- wonder if you can spot it? (clue: last photo...)

I used a white base coat, surf green Nitro from the Manchester Guitar tech, and amber tinted lacquer, most of which I then removed during final sanding, mainly because it made the Surf green look olive.

I fitted the spare Road Worn tuners from my other bass (as they had been replaced by Gotoh GBR640's due to neck-dive), a vintage, threaded saddle bridge, metal guard, KiOgon wiring kit, Wizard Thumper (after I trashed my SPB-1 during the respray process), Fender USA knobs, and chrome pickup cover. All hardware aged by myself bar the tuners.

I removed some of the thick finish from the back of the neck and stained it, and some from the fretboard. I'm still not happy with the neck though, and this is on my To Do list below!

Anyway, time for some pics...









Sorry, not great photos, the iPad seems to have put a weird haze on everything, and doesn't show the shine of the paint. More to come. In daylight!


Things left to do:

Tung Oil the bare wood parts- i have been using Briwax, and this really brings up the pale basswood (I think) grain, but it doesn't last all that long. Currently the wood is quite dry, which is why it is very pale. Tung Oil ordered!

Worn neck plate- won a 70's one on ebay today that had plenty of genuine wear, so that will be fitted.

Smaller headed pickguard screws- I have later, larger head ones that don't fit in the guard properly and look a bit weird. If you have any I'd be grateful!

And... the neck! Although i have worn part of the front and back, there is still a very thick finish in parts. I'm tempted to strip it all off and Tung Oil the neck. I am also being bugged by the Medium Jumbo frets. They still have a bit of life left, but they make a strange sound when fretted, have gone a weird greeny colour, and I just don't like them. I'm considering a refret with vintage wire.

Last but not least, and I really am in two minds about this- replacing the original Fender MIJ headstock decal with a vintage spaghetti logo decal. I'd have the originals reproduced, so it could be put back to original in the future if needed. I could do all the above jobs in one hit, so I'm mulling it over.....

Anyway, whether or not the relic thing is your vibe, I've had fun up to this point, and it looks better and feels more comfortable than it did before so I'm happy!

I'll post up better, more detailed photos when I'm finally finished!

Edited November 3, 2013 by cameltoe

[MarkG3]

Looks really good, especially for your first attempt! Really like surf green as well. I'm a fan of wear and tear and relicing and I reckon you've got it spot on

Can't actually work out where you went wrong, even with your clue!

[cameltoe]

It's not easy to tell from the photo, but the eagle-eyed will spot it- I was a little over-exuberant in removing some of the last of the poly from the outside edge of the neck pocket. What was a perfectly straight edge now curves a bit! The neck plate still fits on ok so I decided to leave it. You'll be able to see it easier when I post pics of the back straight-on.

Thanks for the comments!