Andyjr1515 Posted September 14, 2022 Author Share Posted September 14, 2022 And so...to the colour. As I said above, the 'clear' coat can make a difference. Manchester Guitar Tech offer not only the Shell Pink, but also a lightly tinted clear finish that adds a touch of older varnish browning. Problem is, that with clear-clear final varnish, it looks pink and with the tinted-clear, which I did on the hatch to test, it was heading much more towards flesh/peach. So my question to @Happy Jack was 'Which do you prefer?' Never as simple as that... Another challenge. "Well, it will never be seen in daylight, so choose whichever looks best in the low / coloured lighting of our gigs..." That evening, I turned the lights down low and compared the clear-clear body(pinkish) with the tinted-clear hatch (peachish). Hmmm...the pink body looked like a white bass in low light. But the peach hatch looked pink!! I took a punt and sprayed tinted-clear over the body. But, to be certain, I needed a better test. That Saturday Night Fever dress up and disco light kit that MrsAndyjr1515 bought me when we were still on speaking terms... At last! So I donned the white suit, dyed my hair, got all the floor stuff down and plugged in, parked the painted bass up against the included Bee Gee's framed picture (it's the Deluxe disco kit) and turned the lounge lights off and the disco lights on! Yup - it was pink!!!! So here it is, looking decidedly peachy in the daylight, with just the clear-clear coats left to do: 2 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 (edited) 🎵 "Well you can tell by the way I plane my curve I'm a luthier, no time for lurve. Music loud, and varnish warm My destiny since I was born And you can laugh, and you can say 'He hates routers anyway' (But I'm) Drillin' and a-chisellin, and a-sanding' and a-fillin' And Staying Alive, Staying Alive! Ah Ah Ah Ah Staying Ali-iiii-ive!" 🎵 Edited September 14, 2022 by Richard R 1 1 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 14, 2022 Author Share Posted September 14, 2022 17 minutes ago, Richard R said: 🎵 "Well you can tell by the way I plane my curve I'm a luthier, no time for lurve. Music loud, and varnish warm My destiny since I was born And you can laugh, and you can say 'He hates routers anyway' (But I'm) Drillin' and a-chisellin, and a-sanding' and a-fillin' And Staying Alive, Staying Alive! Ah Ah Ah Ah Staying Ali-iiii-ive!" 🎵 Actually, one isn't enough so here's another one 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 My new earworm! 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 26 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said: My new earworm! 👍 I apologise. A bit 😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Guitarist Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 It's beautiful, the colour is really not my taste but it is very nicely done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted September 14, 2022 Share Posted September 14, 2022 6 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said: So here it is, looking decidedly peachy in the daylight, with just the clear-clear coats left to do: It does have a touch of Tony Levin’s, Barbie Flesh, ‘Ray5 about it, which, to my eyes, is a good thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 14, 2022 Author Share Posted September 14, 2022 56 minutes ago, Random Guitarist said: It's beautiful, the colour is really not my taste but it is very nicely done. Ah...but you haven't seen it in the dark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 14, 2022 Author Share Posted September 14, 2022 Just now, Andyjr1515 said: Ah...but you haven't seen it in the dark Thinking about it...most of my builds look better in the dark 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 15, 2022 Author Share Posted September 15, 2022 The clear-clear varnish is here but I won't be spraying it today. One of the 'joys' of clear nitro is that it is affected enormously by moisture in the air - it goes milky which is guaranteed to ruin your day - and, even though it has brightened up a touch in the last hour, there was just too much in the air to risk it. So, in a guitar builders' version of 'talk amongst yourselves', here is something completely different I've been waiting for a spare hour to get sorted: I'm planning to offer up my camphor single-cut for sale at the forthcoming South West BassBash and there's one thing that has been bugging me. It is fitted with a DiMarzio PJ set, which sounds great but there has always been a problem with volume balance. Basically, the P pickup has always been too quiet. "Just raise the pickup" Well, easier said than done. It was spec'd to have fully covered pickup and, while the bridge cover doesn't interfere, the neck cover would if it was any higher. And so I spent a happy hour this morning taking out the Dimarzio, fitting a Seymour Duncan SPB-2 Hot for PB (similar EQ as the standard SD p/up but almost 2X the output) in the neck position and then balancing the two pickups by adjusting the bridge p/up height: Done - and what a difference: A few tidy up jobs still to do before the Bash but that's the sound sorted 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Does it go un-milky over time or once it's gone it's start again time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 15, 2022 Author Share Posted September 15, 2022 Just now, Si600 said: Does it go un-milky over time or once it's gone it's start again time? It depends. You can gently warm it and sometimes it sorts it but often it doesn't. And starting again for a 'clear over natural wood' is relatively straightforward - just sand back that layer and re-do. But starting again if it is one of the first few coats over a freshly painted finish...that really would be starting all over again There's plenty to be getting on with, though. As long as I am careful not to scratch it, I can start fitting some of the machine screw inserts for things like the jack plate and pickup screws and hatch magnets, etc. Which is tomorrow's job if it's damp again or whenever if it is dry enough to start the clear coats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 23 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: I'm planning to offer up my camphor single-cut for sale at the forthcoming South West BassBash Stunning - I will have to leave my wallet at home! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 15, 2022 Author Share Posted September 15, 2022 1 minute ago, Richard R said: Stunning - I will have to leave my wallet at home! Who needs a wallet when there's the magic of BACS & Paypal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 Interesting. I don't think I've ever come across a PJ bass where the P-pickup was quieter than the J. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 15, 2022 Author Share Posted September 15, 2022 8 minutes ago, BigRedX said: Interesting. I don't think I've ever come across a PJ bass where the P-pickup was quieter than the J. Yes - but entirely down to the distance from the strings that the pickup ended up with the additional thickness and clearance of the cover. With 'normal' clearances, the DiMarzio PJ set is pretty much as you would expect it to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 Well, it wouldn't get any plaudits from a professional outfit but in terms of 'fit for purpose' the final clear gloss coat has been applied and I'm both pleased and relieved. It is already dry enough to handle but will now carry on hardening for probably a couple of weeks before I buff it up to the final gloss finish. But in the meantime, I can sort the fittings, headstock decal and suchlike ready for final assembly. The camera lies a bit, colour-wise. In real life it looks a bit more flesh coloured (the Canon SLR always did have problems with reds) but just wait for the disco lights! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakester Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 (edited) That colour reminds me a little of Action Man skin tone. Could you put a pair of the moveable eyes into the body? Edited September 16, 2022 by Jakester 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 26 minutes ago, Jakester said: Could you put a pair of the moveable eyes into the body? DON'T put ideas into @Happy Jack's head 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 Yes - it's not perfect (this shot is probably a little flattering!) but I'm really pleased - and quite relieved - how this is looking: And before strings and strap buttons, but everything else included, 6lb 9oz, of which the painted body itself is only 2lb 7oz . So probably the playing weight will be just a couple of ounces over the target 6.5lbs 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 Black hardware surely??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 https://www.thomann.de/gb/allparts_dice_poti_knobs_red.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4JWZBhApEiwAtJUN0Gg12Q1U0gpeJp0OhAuzyiK4hOuqK3Vu0CKDbxX9aEKj0IdQRMbJ1hoC94oQAvD_BwE 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 They are so cool! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 17, 2022 Author Share Posted September 17, 2022 2 hours ago, Happy Jack said: https://www.thomann.de/gb/allparts_dice_poti_knobs_red.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4JWZBhApEiwAtJUN0Gg12Q1U0gpeJp0OhAuzyiK4hOuqK3Vu0CKDbxX9aEKj0IdQRMbJ1hoC94oQAvD_BwE Perfect! And, there might be a few wires showing but, those with LED's drilled and fitted into them!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGTay Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 3 hours ago, Happy Jack said: https://www.thomann.de/gb/allparts_dice_poti_knobs_red.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4JWZBhApEiwAtJUN0Gg12Q1U0gpeJp0OhAuzyiK4hOuqK3Vu0CKDbxX9aEKj0IdQRMbJ1hoC94oQAvD_BwE Bit limiting on the volume, only goes up to six... 😜 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.