Cool Custom Refinishes?

[MaxKlein40]

Sorry if this has been posted before, I looked around and couldn't find anything. Wanted to see if anyone had done any cool refinishes? I'll start off with a SUB my friends and I painted, its called the SpaceRay. Painted a sun mandala/day scene on the back and a moon mandala/night scene on the front with a band of trees stretching around the side as a "frame". Changed the pickup and preamp (note the 3 band not 2 standard on a SUB?). Preamp and pickup are Seymour Duncan Stingray clones, sounds pretty good.

 

[five7]

Nice job!

 

[MaxKlein40]

Nice job!

Thanks five. There's a bit of rub through thought which really disappointed me (note the white strip at the bottom of the front and back). I have done many re-finishes but none with uneven hand paint. The bumps in the paint made it way too easy to rub through during wet sanding/rubbing out. Only happened in 2 places but i was disappointed it wasn't totally perfect. Gives it character I guess?

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

That's pretty cool! I've done a few guitars over the years - the one with the thinnest clearcoat has some rub through but it won't be a problem to touch up down the line.

 

[tbonesullivan]

Nice!!!! I'm always on the fence about refinishing a guitar/bass if it doesn't have a problem with the existing finish. The only one I have had done had some issues, and a botched repair, so eventually the "nuclear option" was the best way to make it look good again.

I do have two guitars that were ridden hard and put away wet, and I do think about eventually having them stripped and turned into something amazing. I know a guitar finish guy that specializes in things like metal flake and flames..

 

[MaxKlein40]

I refuse to believe I'm the only one on this forum that has something like this, come on guys I want to see some pics.

 

[the explode man]

One of these days I will! I love that EBMM is branching out a bit on colors, but the bass side just doesn't get as much love.

 

[OldManMusic]

I've done some weird paint jobs on basses but they were cheapos or knock offs of other brands that I didn't care about and eventually sold. I can't bring myself to paint or change on the finish on my EBMMs. They are not holy relics or anything like that to me and I really like what you did on your Ray. I guess I'm just saying I'd mess with the paint on a '80s Ford Festiva but I wouldn't mess with the finish on a Ferrari. YMMV

 

[MaxKlein40]

I really like what you did on your RayYMMV

In all fairness I did that to my SUB. I know exactly what you mean, I'd never touch the finish on one of my nice ones. Especially being a 22 year old who has to save for a hot minute to pick up new EBMMs

 

[jasondy]

Cool. I don't have but would love to have one this year.

 

[danny-79]

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I refinished my StingRay. (It was a little rough to start with and I know what I’m doing with paint so all good in that respect).
I love the look of the really old 7enders, in the beginning everything was sunburst so if you custom ordered one in say, Blue, it was painted over a sunburst finish so recreated that effects.
I’m not into fakes or forgeries (you all know what I’m talking about) so painted it to a very high standard and letting nature take its course regarding ever seeing the sunburst finish again. It’s my main #1 bass so give it another 20 or so years and see what it looks like then.
(Although 4yrs later it’s starting to age nicely in all the right places, well the right places my me and me only playing it. It might look totally different if owned by someone else)

 

[bassmonkeee]

Took some new pictures. Here's my Bongo that I had refinished in Daphne Blue when my. I also had my fretless neck refinished in a clear gloss. The neck for the whites Bongo was refinished in a tobacco leaf satin.

 

[danny-79]

Here's my Bongo that I had refinished in Daphne Blue

Love that colour. Mines slightly lighter, Little bit more white in the mix. Suits it well and your Bongo looks great! One offs !!

 

[MaxKlein40]

Took some new pictures. Here's my Bongo that I had refinished in Daphne Blue when my. I also had my fretless neck refinished in a clear gloss. The neck for the whites Bongo was refinished in a tobacco leaf satin.

Great color, really pops. My bongo is stealth black so were opposites haha. Looks really good though!

 

[MaxKlein40]

View attachment 33405 View attachment 33406

I refinished my StingRay. (It was a little rough to start with and I know what I’m doing with paint so all good in that respect).
I love the look of the really old 7enders, in the beginning everything was sunburst so if you custom ordered one in say, Blue, it was painted over a sunburst finish so recreated that effects.
I’m not into fakes or forgeries (you all know what I’m talking about) so painted it to a very high standard and letting nature take its course regarding ever seeing the sunburst finish again. It’s my main #1 bass so give it another 20 or so years and see what it looks like then.
(Although 4yrs later it’s starting to age nicely in all the right places, well the right places my me and me only playing it. It might look totally different if owned by someone else)

DIG it. Wish I had the balls to paint my Ray

 

[bovinehost]

I've considered doing my SUB because, well, me with a teal bass? It's not right. But I'm assuming it would be kind of spendy and I'm sort of re-wiring my studio and adding keyboards and mixers and that sort of modern trash.

If I found someone who could do what you did to yours for a decent price, I'd have to do it.

 

[MaxKlein40]

But I'm assuming it would be kind of spendy

It was actually pretty cheap. The paint was $20 and me and a couple friends just got weird and spent the weekend painting (I'll let your imagination run wild). The materials for clear coating cost around $100. So all in it was only $120 but I had friends painting it who didnt charge and I did the clear coat myself.