Quick Strip and Veneer Job

[martthebass]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1479147572' post='3174338']


Believe it...

http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/FairfaxAikman/slideshow/Alembic-esque
[/quote]

Now that's just taunting!
The bass is currently in Advanced Guitar Solutions in Sheffield having phase one of its beautification treatment....the horrible black gunky varnish is being stripped and the headstock sprayed over. The rear of the neck is having a vintage gloss tint applied. Not cheap, hopefully it will be worth it. Phase 2 will be removal of the 'cinnamon artex' that passes for paint on the body. I expect final cost will be more than if I'd bought a full fat Sterling but the sub is basically a 3 band stingray with the pup in series - a much better sound (to my ears) that the stock US Sterling.

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='martthebass' timestamp='1479149062' post='3174360']


Now that's just taunting!
The bass is currently in Advanced Guitar Solutions in Sheffield having phase one of its beautification treatment....the horrible black gunky varnish is being stripped and the headstock sprayed over. The rear of the neck is having a vintage gloss tint applied. Not cheap, hopefully it will be worth it. Phase 2 will be removal of the 'cinnamon artex' that passes for paint on the body. I expect final cost will be more than if I'd bought a full fat Sterling but the sub is basically a 3 band stingray with the pup in series - a much better sound (to my ears) that the stock US Sterling.
[/quote]
Interesting stuff . Did you see my Sterling 5 thread for Paul_S? Just fitted a P pickup and put that to passive with a standard 3 way switch. Interestingly, to balance the volumes of the two p/ups, I rewired that also to series. To my ears it sounds great.

[Andyjr1515]

I'm trying a different finish...with the environmentally-led formulation change, the Ronseal polyurethane varnish gave me some issues last time. Having seen someone's fabulous build (was it here? Can't remember who...) who used Chestnut Melamine, I thought I'd give it a whirl.

This CANNOT be used in my cellar workshop, even with mask and extraction, but is very quick and so far very impressive. This is after one sanding sealer coat and one top coat:

[ColinB]

Stunning!

[Myke]

Damn! That is lovely looking!

[Andyjr1515]

Thanks, folks

This has had about 6 thin coats of wiped on clear. You can see the difference already. I reckon it will end up with about twenty coats, sanded down from time to time. Quilt maple is remarkable stuff...

[Andyjr1515]

I've been racking my brains as to who it was who first put me onto Melamine - and I've just remembered...it was our very own scojack . [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/282086-2016-build-season-fretlessfretted-5/page__st__30"]I've just found the thread here where he mentions it[/url] - and got SUCH a great result

Thanks for the lead, Ian. I may be PM'ing you soon to find out just how many coats....and just how much sanding....and just how much buffing It's tough old stuff!!!!

[Andyjr1515]

Finished and, waiting a week to let the varnish cure properly, ready to go back to its owner. In the end, I did a single wipe of Ronseal over the excellent tough and quick surface-finish the Melamine gave me. It would have taken me too long to learn how to achieve high gloss with the melamine...I'll try that on one of my own guitars in the future rather than risk someone-elses. Not bad for an entry-level jobee. This:



Becomes this:

[blablas]

Fantastic transformation!

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1479645802' post='3178037']
Fantastic transformation!
[/quote]
Thanks, blablas !

[TheGreek]

Lovely - I'm sure that Charlie will be more than happy....

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1479652326' post='3178118']
Lovely - I'm sure that Charlie will be more than happy....
[/quote]
Thanks, Mick

[T-Bay]

That looks stunning, would there be other options for the curved edges if the ply didn't look as good?

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1479655310' post='3178148']
That looks stunning, would there be other options for the curved edges if the ply didn't look as good?
[/quote]

Not really with veneer. If the sides and/or back aren't great you'd usually stain it dark and do a back and front burst, or a dark back and sides and burst for the top.

This is Bryan's (allighatt0r) Westone:



Depending on the state of it, it is sometimes even possible to leave the back and sides original paint job on and just do the top. I did that with this Epiphone Junior:


Doing that does tend to lose the illusion of a solid fancy wood, however. Even if you ignore the stripes, it is clear this is a thin veneer on top

Edited November 20, 2016 by Andyjr1515

[T-Bay]

They are beautiful, what veneer is the green one?

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1479657489' post='3178173']
They are beautiful, what veneer is the green one?
[/quote]
It's a birch burl. Bryan found the supplier with a web search (DesignHolz, based in Germany). The quilted maple I used on this orange one was ordered at the same time. They've got some great veneers and they are delivered, flawless, rolled up in an impossibly small box!

I haven't done much veneering recently but they would be my first port of call...

[T-Bay]

I hadnt even thought of refinishing either of mine, but seeing the birch burl one and thinking of it in a nice cobalt blue has got me thinking. I need to start saving up.......

[Grangur]

There's a couple of good places in London that I've used.

http://www.exotic-veneer.co.uk/

https://www.capitalcrispin.com/

Both have an amazing stock of veneers including impressive burls. They vary in prices. The burls can get quite expensive (IMHO).

[Andyjr1515]

Veneers done this way work great for flat-topped basses and guitars with simple (ie, curved in one plane only) curves such as arm relief, etc.. For compound curves (think of the multi-plane curves of the carve of, say, a Les Paul 6 string) this way doesn't really work - you are generally into vacuum presses or similar.

Always happy to talk about any project you might have...or help to pick up the pieces if you want to have a go yourself

Seriously - if anyone does have a go themselves, feel free to contact me anytime for hints and tips along the way.

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1479658245' post='3178186']
There's a couple of good places in London that I've used.

[url="http://www.exotic-veneer.co.uk/"]http://www.exotic-veneer.co.uk/[/url]

[url="https://www.capitalcrispin.com/"]https://www.capitalcrispin.com/[/url]

Both have an amazing stock of veneers including impressive burls. They vary in prices. The burls can get quite expensive (IMHO).
[/quote]
Yes - they are good suppliers. too.

With veneers, I always like to see the actual piece I'm buying and tend to avoid 'generic' photos suppliers. To be honest, some of my best veneers have been got just by keeping a weather eye open on ebay for ones that catch your eye

[T-Bay]

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1479658843' post='3178199']

Yes - they are good suppliers. too.

With veneers, I always like to see the actual piece I'm buying and tend to avoid 'generic' photos suppliers. To be honest, some of my best veneers have been got just by keeping a weather eye open on ebay for ones that catch your eye
[/quote]
Looking at the supplier you mentioned I can see why you would want to see the exact piece as there is so much variance. I haven't really thought about this before but do love that green birch burl finish. What sort of money are we talking about to do one? And how long does it take? I won't be able to afford it in the short term but would be interested once I have collected all the other bits I need. And you are close to me too (I grew up in Spondon and still visit my Mum yo there at least once a month). Feel free to pm me if you don't want to put figures on an open forum.

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1479659130' post='3178204']
Looking at the supplier you mentioned I can see why you would want to see the exact piece as there is so much variance. I haven't really thought about this before but do love that green birch burl finish. What sort of money are we talking about to do one? And how long does it take? I won't be able to afford it in the short term but would be interested once I have collected all the other bits I need. And you are close to me too (I grew up in Spondon and still visit my Mum yo there at least once a month). Feel free to pm me if you don't want to put figures on an open forum.
[/quote]
I'll PM you

Andy

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1479659579' post='3178206']
I'll PM you

Andy
[/quote]
PM sent

Just for general interest, by the way, here is the same veneer - this time applied to one of my own 6-strings electrics - dyed red :

[Grangur]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1479659130' post='3178204']

Looking at the supplier you mentioned I can see why you would want to see the exact piece as there is so much variance. I haven't really thought about this before but do love that green birch burl finish. What sort of money are we talking about to do one? And how long does it take? I won't be able to afford it in the short term but would be interested once I have collected all the other bits I need. And you are close to me too (I grew up in Spondon and still visit my Mum yo there at least once a month). Feel free to pm me if you don't want to put figures on an open forum.
[/quote]

For the benefit of others, I don't use the website when buying. I have the benefit of being mobile when working, so I go to the veneer yard and choose.

Veneers come in sheets about 500mm x 2M. The price can be from £10 to about £70 a sheet from my experience.

If you're only doing a headstock or something small, you can sometimes pick up small sample sheets for a small cost.

[martthebass]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1479659130' post='3178204']
Looking at the supplier you mentioned I can see why you would want to see the exact piece as there is so much variance. I haven't really thought about this before but do love that green birch burl finish. What sort of money are we talking about to do one? And how long does it take? I won't be able to afford it in the short term but would be interested once I have collected all the other bits I need. And you are close to me too (I grew up in Spondon and still visit my Mum yo there at least once a month). Feel free to pm me if you don't want to put figures on an open forum.
[/quote]

Same question from me Andy