Refinishing a double bass

[Steve A]

Has anyone ever had a double bass refinished?

I have a bass which I don't really like the colour of and wondered if it's possible to refinish in a darker colour, remove the shiny look of it and therefore improve my quality of life.

Any thoughts or idea of costs?


Steve

[geoffbassist]

Mmm sounds like a lot of hassle steve, I would let nature take it's course...

[Steve A]

You might be right Geoff.

[geoffbassist]

I'm sure once you have knocked a few doors and had a few stands fall on it it will look old and beaten
before u know it :-)
saying that I know what u mean about shiny basses!

[Steve A]

Shiny and too orange! I'd like something a darker colour.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Steve Amadeo

[geoffbassist]

Also might want to consider that it would proably de-value the bass ...

[mybass]

[quote name='Steve Amadeo' post='755176' date='Feb 23 2010, 04:42 PM']Has anyone ever had a double bass refinished?

I have a bass which I don't really like the colour of and wondered if it's possible to refinish in a darker colour, remove the shiny look of it and therefore improve my quality of life.

Any thoughts or idea of costs?


Steve[/quote]

Possibly hundreds to have a proper double bass repairer redo it with a new darker finish. They should give you a quote though which will help you decide.

[Steve A]

[quote name='geoffbassist' post='755312' date='Feb 23 2010, 06:53 PM']Also might want to consider that it would proably de-value the bass ...[/quote]


It really has little value as it is.

[teej]

I was going to do this to my B&H Excelsior, not because I didn't like the colour, and it sure as hell wasn't shiny any more, but because it was looking seriously tatty, and I was embarrassed to take it out. However, when I got it all stripped down to wood I kinda liked it, and remembered how I'd hankered for a blonde bass all those years ago. So, taking a guitar-builder's advice I slapped on 7-8 layers of shellac.

Find out a bit more about it here...

[url="http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=96193816&blogId=246561590"]myspace blog[/url]

[Steve A]

Sounds good. Would like to see pics!

[teej]

[quote name='Steve Amadeo' post='755449' date='Feb 23 2010, 08:34 PM']Sounds good. Would like to see pics![/quote]
there's a slideshow on the blog, steve

[Steve A]

Thanks, it wasn't working before.

[slap_it_hard]

Hey Steve,

If you've got a lot of patience you could always try & do it yourself, but good luck around the scroll, & take it from me, you're looking at a hell of a long & laborious task.

Cost wise, it really depends on time, but don't expect it to be cheap!

[Steve A]

Thanks Slap.

I wouldn't ever do any practical work myself because I'm a complete spanner with anything practical.

I'm sure it's better just to spend money on a more suitable bass.

[Mr Bassman]

[quote name='Steve Amadeo' post='756279' date='Feb 24 2010, 05:42 PM']Thanks Slap.

I wouldn't ever do any practical work myself because I'm a complete spanner with anything practical.

I'm sure it's better just to spend money on a more suitable bass.[/quote]

I once stripped and refinished an upright.

It was really battered when I bought it.

I learn't a lot from this experience as when I took the strings off I realised the neck joint was loose and the sound post dropped.

So off came the neck and I stripped the whole bass, re fitted the neck, then refinned with several layers of something out of a tin.

It probably cost me about £30 to do but a lot of time & elbow grease.

I played the bass for a few years before I got my first carved instrument.

[steviedee]

I was thinking of taking my new bass, which has a similar finish to Steve's, to a furniture restorers, as I quite fancy stripping it down to the wood, like what Teej did but I'm completely inept.

Edited May 12, 2010 by steviedee

[Bilbo]

Rub it all over with gravy granules*. It might harm the varnish but the dog will LOVE it






*NB this post was added for comedic effect. Rubbing your bass with gravy granules is NOT a method of ageing that is recommended by the International Society of Bassists.

[farmer61]

Go and speak with Moseley Violins [url="http://www.moseleyviolins.co.uk/"]Here[/url] in ahem Moseley, they did a cracking job of rebuilding and tarting up my bass.

Unless you already have of course...!

[daflewis]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='835061' date='May 12 2010, 09:30 AM']Rub it all over with gravy granules*. It might harm the varnish but the dog will LOVE it






*NB this post was added for comedic effect. Rubbing your bass with gravy granules is NOT a method of ageing that is recommended by the International Society of Bassists.[/quote]


you're right, the ISB recommend used tea bags.....

[Stu-khag]

[quote name='daflewis' post='835160' date='May 12 2010, 11:14 AM']you're right, the ISB recommend used tea bags..... [/quote]

I thought you meant Incredible String Band for a second there despite reading Bilbo's post a few seconds earlier. I bet they did use tea bags on a few recordings though.

[daflewis]

[quote name='Stu-khag' post='835200' date='May 12 2010, 12:02 PM']I thought you meant Incredible String Band for a second there despite reading Bilbo's post a few seconds earlier. I bet they did use tea bags on a few recordings though.[/quote]

[steviedee]

Went to see a guitar luthier there he is a top guy and plays the double bass but the quotation was pretty high, he suggested I just take the plunge and sand it!

[steviedee]

Stripped the varnish off the back of the bass down to the wood, I've started so I have to finish, going to strip the rest of the bass then coat with tung oil or Danish oil ..... well that's the plan at the moment.

With any luck I'll have a cool blonde bass which was pretty cheap if not I'll get a good fire going !