Just modded my new bass - Blue Peter style!

[Painy]

So last weekend I picked up a new Sterling Sub Ray 5 in a very nice satin translucent blue with black pickguard and rosewood fingerboard.

Now I love the blue but overall I felt it looked a bit dark to really stand out on stage and I generally prefer the look of a maple board anyway.

Having done this before with a few basses previously, I decided to go all Blue Peter with the sticky-back plastic and brighten it up a bit.

Maple woodgrain effect vinyl on the fingerboard and black sticky dots for the fret markets.
Brushed steel effect vinyl on the pickguard.

And here it is:-

[karlfer]

Wow, looks great well done.
Any "before" pics?
Any chance of links to products used (especially on the 'plate)?

[Roland Rock]

Great job!
I was genuinely expecting to see a white bass with a blue ship logo.

[Painy]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1477105809' post='3159904']
Wow, looks great well done.
Any "before" pics?
Any chance of links to products used (especially on the 'plate)?
[/quote]

Thank you very much

Everything was bought from eBay.
Brushed steel effect is item number 152130098431.
Maple effect is item number 162118533262.
And the black dots (also available in lots of other exciting colors!!!) is item number 162101009694.

[Painy]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1477112309' post='3159911']
Great job!
I was genuinely expecting to see a white bass with a blue ship logo.
[/quote]

That would be awesome - in the style of the Steve Harris signature .

[karlfer]

Excellent Richard, very kind, many thanks for that.
As you've got previous for this and you do a great job, you don't happen to have done a kind of build thread have you?

[stingrayPete1977]

That maple has turned out really well! does it sound more like a maple neck now? It is only a matter of time before a pub 'expert' tells you after the gig how nice it sounded and that he knew it was a maple board Ray as soon as he walked in, more mellow sounding

[Painy]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1477128951' post='3159989']
That maple has turned out really well! does it sound more like a maple neck now? It is only a matter of time before a pub 'expert' tells you after the gig how nice it sounded and that he knew it was a maple board Ray as soon as he walked in, more mellow sounding
[/quote]

You know what, it does. And the pickguard has given it more of a metallic zing too .

[Painy]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1477125678' post='3159965']
Excellent Richard, very kind, many thanks for that.
As you've got previous for this and you do a great job, you don't happen to have done a kind of build thread have you?
[/quote]

I put up a thread a while back but had to remove the pictures ages ago to free up some of my allowance. If you PM me your email though I'll see if I can dig out some of the pictures and email them to you.
The process itself is pretty much just stick it on and trim around the edge carefully with a sharp scalpel.
(Shhh, don't tell THEM about the scalpel. They'll take it away again and I can't cut it properly with my spoon ).

[ahpook]

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1477099414' post='3159900']
And here it is:-
[/quote]

Looks great, nice bit of work.

Although I was half-expecting something with some used toilet roll tubes !

[Painy]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1477133056' post='3160027']


Looks great, nice bit of work.

Although I was half-expecting something with some used toilet roll tubes !
[/quote]

Surely that would have been a more fitting theme if it was a Bongo?

Edited October 22, 2016 by Painy

[ahpook]

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1477133465' post='3160029']
Surely that would have been a more fitting theme if it was a Bongo?
[/quote]



I'll be disappointed if you don't play it through a Christopher Trace Elliot !

[paul_5]

Looks nothing like Tracey Island, Paahhhh!!!

[karlfer]

Done a bit of research and you have opened a whole new world of lunacy for me Richard .

Really kind your advice and offer of help, top man

[spectoremg]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1477128951' post='3159989']
That maple has turned out really well! does it sound more like a maple neck now? It is only a matter of time before a pub 'expert' tells you after the gig how nice it sounded and that he knew it was a maple board Ray as soon as he walked in, more mellow sounding
[/quote]Take it to a bass bash - there might be someone who hasn't read this

[Muppet]

You could alternate by fret -maple/rosewood/maple/rosewood etc

That'll screw with the 'experts' minds.....

[karlfer]

[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1477211904' post='3160498']
You could alternate by fret -maple/rosewood/maple/rosewood etc

That'll screw with the 'experts' minds.....
[/quote]

Another evil genius!!!

I like these thoughts chaps

[Maude]

[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1477211904' post='3160498']
You could alternate by fret -maple/rosewood/maple/rosewood etc

That'll screw with the 'experts' minds.....
[/quote]

Or side by side straight down the fretboard.
Obviously maple for the crisp D and G strings and rosewood for the warmer E and A tones.

[Painy]

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1477334546' post='3161540']


Or side by side straight down the fretboard.
Obviously maple for the crisp D and G strings and rosewood for the warmer E and A tones.
[/quote]

Best. Idea. EVER!