Highway One Jazz refin

[Soledad]

Started when I picked up a 2010 Hi-1 Jazz through FB recently. I'd done a bit of research and was interested by the graphite neck in particular (more of why later), the BadAss II bridge, the dot markers because I prefer them to the blocks, and the supposedly thin nitro finish. The one I got was satin black so there's an immediate problem.

My '97 Precision is black and it needs to stay that way. So I messaged @rubis about the paint process on his year of birth P. He gave me some useful tips and referred me to Manchester Guitar Tech so I spoke to Steve there just to check what I was in for. I've ordered the stuff I need to do a Lake Placid Blue, with a tiny hint of aging (just 9 years worth, hardly anything but not 'straight out of the paint shop' look).
I've taken the bass apart with care. I even used new screwdrivers although I suspect the screws are actually Phillips head. Anyway, all that went fine. Noticed the final couple of winds on front pup were hanging a bit loose - worrying as they are like human hair thickness so considerable care required now and later.
I do like seeing all the stamps and other marks in the neck cavity and on the heel - I'll get pics done but the neck and head are both dated late-ish 2010. I know this is the first time the bass has been touched, it still had the clear plastic film on the scratchplate when I got it (and some rounds of a fair vintage !).

I plan to get down to the wood on the body (not hard at all as the paint is really thin, as advertised). Once I get to see the wood* I am considering an investment in new pups - maybe Fender vintage Custom Shop, ADVICE and opinions welcome please. I want pure JB sound but gooder

Was fairly knocked out with this Hi-1 by the way. The neck is excellent and I'm sure the graphite makes a difference - that common resonance around Bflat - D on the G is gone. It plays and sounds great so probably a keeper.

Back soon with progress

 

[DoubleOhStephan]

Interesting! I almost bought a highway one (maybe even this one) as they seem very reasonably priced for a US bass.

[Soledad]

2 hours ago, StevieE said:

maybe even this one

Possibly, was on FB for some time, Flavio selling it was away most of that time and really slow at responding to messages. Finally went to see it and bought. He'd hardly used it so dead straight not messed with. He was more interested in showing me his MIJ Marcus Miller Jazz... not my thing at all.
I too think the Highway Ones are a good shot - not so much info in the UK but over on TB there is quite a fan base. I suspect the pups are pretty basic and that is the one thing I may change. Don't think these basses are worth spending loads on as you very soon get into premium US used prices so I won't be going top-end Aguilar say.

Back soon with more action on the decorating front

[Manton Customs]

Lake placid Blue is not an easy colour to go for if this is your first time refinishing. But good luck! Remember you need to dust metallics on, too wet a coat and the metallic particles will lye flat and not very reflective. Also don’t try and sand the colour coats during the process as this will also ruin the metallic effect.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Manton Customs

[rubis]

+1

Dry coats are your friend Soledad

Try and get hold of some tack cloths for a gentle wipe over between coats, it will remove any little fibres that have a habit of sticking to your work 

best of luck, it will look awesome, it's a great colour 

[Soledad]

Thanks for the advice re the metallics. Steve at MGT made it sound fairly easy... !!

I get the idea of the dry coats, and recall Rubis saying about warm body, warm paint for good flow. Maybe that applies more to the laquer - if I get that far. If the blue fails, I mean if I fail it, there are a couple of fall-backs: Dakota red or another straight gloss.... there's always black

 

[Soledad]

Stripped the satin black celly off. Steve at Manchester GT told me there was a clear sealer under on the Hi1s - makes life a lot easier I think. I got down to almost clear with various abrasives, then used clean cellulose thinner to wash the last of it off, taking care not to disturb the base coat. It then got flattened (was flat anyway) and finish-keyed with Abranet 400 (actually an old well-used bit so way finer than 400 anyway).

I've put a very thin grey prime coat on - I used it as practice to dry-spray, taking the advice of the more experienced regarding the application of the metallic later. Couldn't resist a dust along one side with the lake p-lacid blue, just to see the colour tone and metallic effect. Problem is there is very little contrast between the grey primer and the dusting of LPB. I may cut it all back smooth and put a white primer down.

I fashioned a 'neck' to hold the body at various angles. Later I intend to do some soft-edge masking in the neck cavity to get the overspray as per - need to p[rotect the date stamp etc. The pup and control cavites were fully sprayed black so they will become LPB.

Happy so far, the LPB metallic dust coat seemed to work and the metallic is nice and even (I think). It may be that you really see how good your metallic is when you put the laquer on top. 

AND, being patient - plenty of time to harden between stages. I may be in with a shot, but must not tempt fate.

more later

[Soledad]

Update. Flatted back the grey primer, down to almost nothing. Applied a thin coat of white primer (from Halfords) as the white makes a useful guide coat for the blue. I'd found there was really no contrast between the grey and blus so it was difficult to see how much blue was going on. The white got cut back a little to get it smooth and flat.

I dusted the Lake Placid blue on - dry coats as advised. Not easy to get a really even metallic sheen but I kept going back to it for another dust over. Basically used the entire can although a fair bit of that is carried off in the atmosphere. Pleased with the colour - from my memory of my '64 P this looks right. I think my old P was rather faded anyway so this does look a little more blue than I recall.

I did a bit of masking in the neck cavity to cover the remaining black overspray but leave all dates, names and numbers clear. That was first, before the main body paint. Then several coats of clear. Then masked up the scratchplate and control plate. A thin coat of light amber to age the exposed colour a little. I need to add more as it is not visible.

Just ordered 2 more cans of clear to build the laquer right up. I'll cut and flat what is on and then slowly build up the thickness. 2 cans should more than do it but the post is a tenner so may as well get too much.

Pics, so far - quite orange-peel but I'll be able to add wetter coats once this sealer coat is flattened I think. Then there will be a big flatting and polishing job. Just need to decide about pups - may dive in and get a pair of the Custom Shop vintage but see how this all goes first.

[Soledad]

Just ordered a pair of Custom Shop 60s pups from Thomann. Commited to getting this right now.

Ironic that, cos I just messed up the laquer. The light tint (to very slightly age) didn't go on even so I can just see some shadow variation in the tinting. Worse than that, a slight run got around to the front top horn and collected there, causing the metallic to reactivate and show a streak of the pure (untinted) blue through. Basically rubbish.

Third paint order into Manchester GT - can of LPBlue and one more of clear. I'm roughly at £100 on paints now (£30 of that is 3 lots of shipping). The Jazz is a keeper so it probably doesn't matter too much.

Plan is: cut back to nice flat base. Re-do the blue (I've had a bit of practice) and relaquer clear only - sod the tinting, gone off the idea.

CS pups due soon - they'll look good sitting in their box.

[Manton Customs]

Told you 😛

Seriously though it looks like it went quite well before the mess up and screw ups are always a possibility with finishing! They happen. Keep at it and aim for perfection and you won't be far off.

[Soledad]

5 hours ago, Manton Customs said:

Told you 😛

You did. I got the metallic fine doing as advised - virtually dry on contact. For a first shot I was really pleased with the metallic. It was the laquer build that stuffed it. I was aiming for a surface wetness that flows out to minimise peel, but I overdid it.

I'm guessing next time I build the laquer thin as well, and accept the peel finish, then just cut flat and polish later... ?

I really disliked the light tint as an aging thing - I feel sure my old '64 Lake Placid Blue Precision had faded a bit, not darkened. So next time clear only. Quite chilled about it - it may take some time but will be worth the wait.

[Manton Customs]

Generally I spray quite wet coats with the clear, but obviously too wet and you’ll get runs! The surface on your bass may have had some roughness due to all the tiny metal flakes standing up, so you may have tried to bury it too quickly by laying on the clear too heavily.

The thing is though - only your final coats needs to be free of orange peel, as your last coats will dissolve any rough texture from previous coats. You could of course finish up with a rough orange peel like surface and then level sand as you suggested, it’s just harder work wet sanding.

When I spray Nitro I will often spray a final very reduced coat (called a flash coat). This is like 80% thinners so it levels out really well and takes away any sanding scratches and roughness. Obviously you can’t do that with aerosols, but you can try and spray a good wet coat at the end to achieve a similar result and reduce wet sanding.

[Soledad]

Where I'm up to. Got through 2 cans of clear laquer, slowly building (over 3 days). Then a few days to harden off and fine cut flat and smooth, then polish (T Cut, Steve said was OK and I had some around).

I was forced to take some time as the p'ups from Thomann are due today (about 2 weeks, because Thomann gave UPS an incomplete address then tried to blame me).
I'm happy with this now. Took a closer look at my '97 P which is factory original, and the finish on that is not super-flat, I mean it's really good but not a mirror.

Colour in these shots may look a bit flat, but the light is blue sky and very hard, so it tends to flatten the metallic effect it seems. 3rd shot with plate etc is closest.
Look forward to finishing this as it is a truly cracking Jazz - I think the graphite reinforced neck and the Badass may be contributing (the graphite neck in particular) to making this the best Jazz I have owned, and as good as any I recall playing (noting I owned a '67 transition for years, and a few others besides).

Thanks for help and tips @rubis and @Manton Customs, and Steve at Manchester GT, who made it sound easy enough for me to have a go.

and isn't Lake Placid Blue just the best. Suits me: cool, deep, dark... and fishy.

[DoubleOhStephan]

Looks fantastic, nice job! 

[rubis]

That's looking lush now Soledad, well worth your perseverance

[songofthewind]

Good work! Looks very good.

[Soledad]

Thanks all - the job's not done til the pics are delivered.
Seriously pleased with this, I won't be ashamed to take it out 'n' about (that's the idea after all).

Still playing with sound on the CS 60s p'ups and as the bass was in bits a few weeks I can't do anything like a quick A/B comparison with the originals. It seems noticably more full in the mids - and for a Jazz in particular I think that's a good thing.

Main thing my 2 'working' basses are different colours now so I can grab one without hesitation
One small punchy combo needed and I'm set. Thanks to @TheGreek for a play on his GK10 - really good, have added a GK12 to the hunt list (along with SWR 12 or the older Bassman kickback with Eminence - after excellent advice from @eude - a top bloke here👍

Here we are then (early a.m. colour shift, it's an excellent LP blue in the flesh)