Brian18242 Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 I plan to pick up a new squire contemporary bass once realeased but one thing......does anyone know a way to remove the paint off the headstock? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian18242 Posted February 5, 2022 Author Share Posted February 5, 2022 Oh, and does anyone know if the pickups can be replaced with soapbar pickups from nordstrand, Aguilar etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapp Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 (edited) You have a couple of choices when removing paint. You can (carefully) sand it off, or use a heat gun (again, carefully) with a scraper. Nice looking bass btw Edited February 5, 2022 by zapp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 5, 2022 Share Posted February 5, 2022 Sanding's less likely to damage the lacquer on the headstock sides, although it's more time consuming. Mask off bits you're not sanding so they don't get scratched. Re-lacquering is straightforward using decent rattlecan spray, although again, it's time-consuming - you have to build up lots of thin coats, (I'd say at least 10) allowing drying between each. Then leave it 10 days to a fortnight to cure before using something like T-Cut to flat the lacquer & get a proper gloss. Also bear in mind that the wood under the headstock paint may well be paler than the fretboard if they've cheated a bit with the roasted neck! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beans-on-toast Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 Sometimes the headstock has a thin piece of laminated material on the top. You won’t know till you start working. I agree, sanding would be best. Use a sanding block to maintain a flat surface. I use 3mm thick hard rubber that I purchased from an auto-body supply shop. It’s used for fine sanding finishes. Another option is a good hand scraper. Be careful not to round over the edges. Nothing is ever as simple as it first appears. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian18242 Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 Maybe it's just me, but I think finished headstocks on maple fingerboards just don't look good?!? Thanks for all the info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 2 hours ago, Brian18242 said: Maybe it's just me, but I think finished headstocks on maple fingerboards just don't look good?!? Thanks for all the info! Go look at at a Gibson Ripper and then come back here and amend your statement. Pffft, painted headstocks don't look good on maple indeed. 😉 That black on yours does look a bit odd though doesn't it. Pictures when it's done please. 🙂👍 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd56hawk Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 6 hours ago, Brian18242 said: Maybe it's just me, but I think finished headstocks on maple fingerboards just don't look good?!? Thanks for all the info! It's not just you, but that bass looks great as it is! A finished headstock looks great on my Squier...wouldn't have bought it otherwise. Regardless, Gibson and Reverend both use black headstocks and they look much better than those unfinished ones. Unfinished headstocks have ruined enough basses, in my opinion...not talking about maple, of course. Only one thing though...if you remove the paint, even doing an expert job, and then find the right Squier headstock decal, will the stripped headstock match the roasted maple fretboard or will it be much paler, ie, not roasted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thump Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 12 hours ago, Brian18242 said: Maybe it's just me, but I think finished headstocks on maple fingerboards just don't look good?!? Thanks for all the info! They remind me of the time I walked past a full length mirror butt naked apart from socks. Not a good look for anyone and these remind me of that due solely to the painted headstock 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDean Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 18 hours ago, jd56hawk said: Only one thing though...if you remove the paint, even doing an expert job, and then find the right Squier headstock decal, will the stripped headstock match the roasted maple fretboard or will it be much paler, ie, not roasted? The roasting is done to the wood before it's carved into a neck, so I'd hazard a guess to say it would be fine. The only thing might be if there is any extra tint in the satin finish applied to the rest of the neck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jd56hawk Posted February 8, 2022 Share Posted February 8, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, MichaelDean said: The roasting is done to the wood before it's carved into a neck, so I'd hazard a guess to say it would be fine. The only thing might be if there is any extra tint in the satin finish applied to the rest of the neck. Then it will be interesting to see the results if you do decide to strip the headstock. I prefer both as they are with tje blck headstocks, though. I have to wonder, however, why Fender didn't go with roasted maple for the P bass. Edited February 8, 2022 by jd56hawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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