kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 I'm not really one for fancy finishes but always liked the Fender Paisely print models. I'm also a cheapskate so it'd need to be DIY. The Harley Benton PB-50 has been a great bass for me so that was the starting point. While looking for suitable Paisley print I saw a link for "Hydrographics" and with release of the fiery red PB-50 looming thought that would be the answer 🙂 Not to be. The hydrographics people never replied to my questions and the fiery red PB-50 has a hole beneath the scratchplate that needs filling ☹️ I'd also be limited to black on red paisely. The sunburst PB-50 project in March was a doddle and I saw this pan out the same way so ordered up a B-stock . That assumption was to cost me 😄Paisely print was a nightmare to find, wallpaper print is too big. Got the last 2 sheets of a great pink/gold paper from Etsy.com. Rust-o-leam had a pink that matched. I was in business 😎 From here on in the benefit of hindsight causes the most pain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 The new batch of PB-50s have had a change of factory and they do things differently. The annoying hole for the pickup wire was present and needed filled. For some stupid reason I stripped the body of it's lacquer. Not only did the lacquer come away but the photo flame peeled off and left an uneven surface. This is a layer of lacquer and one of the photo flame paper looked at from the back and side. . Covered the whole thing in filler then sanded flat. Next up. The Print Debacle !! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 ooh can't wait! tell us more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 Plan of attack was glue the paper to front and back,feather the edges then spray a pink burst. Here I made a major mistake. The paper was too thick to feather properly ,ended up with a defined line and paper fibres, In hindsight,soaking the paper with shellac would have allowed me to sand smooth to the body edge. The fibres,being trapped in shellac, would have sanded out too.The heavy line and a major overspary caused this to be "match abandoned" I also managed to get a fine coat of pink on every surface in the living room 🤬 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 Before building a bonfire I spat the dummy,stripped it back to wood and sprayed it black. Was pouring out my woes to @discreet when he reminded me about Axedecals,a printed skin or wrap for basses. Cheers my good brother,your support through this trial was greatly appreciated 👍 £23 sent to Steve at Axedecals and I was back spraying pink.Spraying pink,in the spare room,every bedsheet in the house draped over floor/bookcases and basses. Endless coats of pink then I mistook satin clear for clear gloss and made an derrière of it again 🤬 The heart was roasted out me by now and I'd long stopped taking photos ☹️ Axe decal skin arrived. Different shade of pink 😭😭 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 You spray painted the bass in your living room??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 (edited) Interesting though as I am doing exactly the same at the moment, but I haven't got to that point yet, I have got to the base coat of paint after the primer and the 'But it looked like the same colour in the shop' stage. This stage: So I was going to put a transparant pick guard over it. Edited July 6, 2018 by Woodinblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 24 minutes ago, kodiakblair said: Was pouring out my woes to @discreet when he reminded me about Axedecals,a printed skin or wrap for basses. Cheers my good brother,your support through this trial was greatly appreciated... You're welcome mate, but not entirely sure if I helped or hindered... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 More outpouring of grief to @discreet,more words of encouragement and an offer to spray the body when I balls it up again 😀 The different shades of pink were a problem but I thought wrapping the skin to the back edge would be the answer. Frank Zappa playing in the background it was time to get started. A hairdryer is needed so I ask the lassie across the hall if I can borrow one. She looks at my baldy heid and ask why i need one, I'm explaining about pink skins on basses,Frank's voice comes blasting out my open door telling lassies they'll love anal !! Thank Christ I don't knock next door,with my luck he'd be telling her "baby take your teeth out and try it one time" 😂 The skin's not hard to fit. Just stick it to the surface,it's self adhesive,and rub any bubbles away. In the how to" video the fella only goes 6mm over the edge.Good reason for that,stretching the wrap to the back edge is near impossible. You cant get between the neck pocket and horns without cutting a slice. The more you heat and stretch the less the glue sticks. If you plan on using it, stick to a 6mm overlap and you'll be fine 🙂 With the skin lifting in places along the back edge and some wrinkles around the horns I couldn't iron out I binned the idea. Grabbed a knife and cut 6mm line all around the body. As I peeled off the wrap I then discovered too much heat had softened the spray lacquer and it peeled away in places🤬 Sod it. Paint the back and sides black. Job done !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 14 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: You spray painted the bass in your living room??? Afraid so. It's a decent size,the best natural light and had less junk. Not recommended. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 4 minutes ago, kodiakblair said: Afraid so. It's a decent size,the best natural light and had less junk. Not recommended. I would be dead if I tried it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 10 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: I would be dead if I tried it! I do my paint spraying in the conservatory. It's currently a lovely shade of shoreline gold... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 I feel the pain, have been there myself with various footballs-up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 Last stage. Still more heartache on the horizon 😱 Lacquer got peeled off with a razor blade,back and sides rubbed smoooth,satin black applied. No drama 🙂 Putting the bass back together wasn't straight forward. I was fitting a 2 saddle/through body bridge, from that you want the strings and pickup to line up near as possible. The Bloodstone P-Bass 50's chosen for this job didn't fit the hole,nor did the Roswell ?? I had a smaller single coil bought on ebay so used that. Bridge drilled and fitted,string bushings drilled/fitted. String it up for first time. All OK except the neck is arching back on itself 😱Slacken off the TR helps but even with the saddles jacked right up the strings are hitting the fretboard. Never had this bother fitting the other 2 saddle so start investigating. Turns out the new PB-50s have a different bridge,that bridge has a thicker base plate so the neck pocket was shallower. Got the router out and trimmed down the neck pocket Still couldn't fathom why the pickup didn't fit. I'd 2 Roswell pickups and lifted the wrong one,the one for this PB-50 had been trimmed down by 1mm. I had the router out anyway so cut a bigger hole 👍 You'll be glad to know I now have a playing bass 😉 I may add a skin to the back at a later date. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Looks real swell and purty! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 23 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: I would be dead if I tried it! If the cat had turned a shade of pink he would have killed me, no doubts about that 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shug Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 Try gift wrapping paper. It's quite thin and feathers ok. Also, try tearing the paper round the edges rather than cutting it. If you go on Ebay and search 'Luxury wrapping paper'. There's load of it including some spectacular paisleys. Good Luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 6, 2018 Author Share Posted July 6, 2018 @shug Good advice there. I won't be stripping the finish off this again,the first 5 times were bad enough 🤣 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 Your perseverance is an example to us all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 7, 2018 Author Share Posted July 7, 2018 4 hours ago, SpondonBassed said: Your perseverance is an example to us all. Stubbornness and stupidity is closer the mark 🤣 The neck has settled down,if 1.5mm on E & G isn't low enough then what do folks consider low ? Intonation is getting there, on the wee Korg tuner it's showing slightly sharp across the board but I've plenty of play on the machine screws. Must have bent a contact on the jack socket as the cable feels loose. Minor issues 🙂 Spoke to soon about further work. Sent Steve at Axe Decals a message this morning. Think I'll paisely print the back to match 😎 https://axedecals.com/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 I personally don't like the paisley pattern but you've done a really good job of it mate! 😀 I had a look on their website and I'm liking the Spalted Maple one as I've always wanted a Spalted topped bass but I'm worried that it will look too printed in the flesh if you know what I mean? I wonder if they do a sample piece? 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 18 hours ago, kodiakblair said: Last stage. Still more heartache on the horizon 😱 Lacquer got peeled off with a razor blade,back and sides rubbed smoooth,satin black applied. No drama 🙂 Putting the bass back together wasn't straight forward. I was fitting a 2 saddle/through body bridge, from that you want the strings and pickup to line up near as possible. The Bloodstone P-Bass 50's chosen for this job didn't fit the hole,nor did the Roswell ?? I had a smaller single coil bought on ebay so used that. Bridge drilled and fitted,string bushings drilled/fitted. String it up for first time. All OK except the neck is arching back on itself 😱Slacken off the TR helps but even with the saddles jacked right up the strings are hitting the fretboard. Never had this bother fitting the other 2 saddle so start investigating. Turns out the new PB-50s have a different bridge,that bridge has a thicker base plate so the neck pocket was shallower. Got the router out and trimmed down the neck pocket Still couldn't fathom why the pickup didn't fit. I'd 2 Roswell pickups and lifted the wrong one,the one for this PB-50 had been trimmed down by 1mm. I had the router out anyway so cut a bigger hole 👍 You'll be glad to know I now have a playing bass 😉 I may add a skin to the back at a later date. Looks fantastic 👍🏻 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Maybe these folk would have helped. It meant getting pros to do it instead of a home job. But i guess yours is sorted now Kilmarnock http://www.hydrographics-scotland.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 3 minutes ago, fleabag said: http://www.hydrographics-scotland.co.uk/ Ooh, that's interesting. I could get a pornographic pattern done on my chastity belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Thats a long trip to end up looking like a porn star fail ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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