Refinish-Shock!-Horror! (or not, pictures included)

[five7]

Keep it exactly how it was just add top coat. simples
danny, how do you do this. I want to paint a blue bass white.

 

[Dr Stankface]

As a man that sells paint for a living I surely appreciate a good paint job! Is this a base/clear job or did you do single stage? What products did you use? I'm assuming this was all sprayed HVLP. Very nicely done my friend! I'd love to hear more on your particular process and please don't be afraid to get technical.

 

[uOpt]

Did you strip it before painting?

Some of those sunbursts really don't come out well. Too much contrast compressed into not enough space before the pickguard begins. Nice work. Good decision.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Did you strip it before painting?

Some of those sunbursts really don't come out well. Too much contrast compressed into not enough space before the pickguard begins. Nice work. Good decision.

My guess is that he didn't strip. Really because there's no reason to strip a finish unless there's a problem with existing coating like peeling or if the new coating you're applying is not compatible with the existing. With how smooth the finishes come out of the MM factory I'm sure it was just a scuff and spray.


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[sanderhermans]

Did you strip it before painting?

Some of those sunbursts really don't come out well. Too much contrast compressed into not enough space before the pickguard begins. Nice work. Good decision.

I think ebmm sunbursts rule! Love it or leave it i guess.

 

[danny-79]

My guess is that he didn't strip. Really because there's no reason to strip a finish unless there's a problem with existing coating like peeling or if the new coating you're applying is not compatible with the existing. With how smooth the finishes come out of the MM factory I'm sure it was just a scuff and spray.

That was exactly the process.

The end result was the simple one, no need to strip the original finish, just scuffed it up with Red Scotch finishing on Grey Scotch, panel wipe and spray. (Cellulose mix, based around Ford Bermuda).
Left it hanging up for 3x weeks then cut the paint down by hand with an off the shelf rubbing compound, then Turtle Wax (the old stuff still the best) left it another week for luck (the finish has to be 1 hard or you will end up with paint squidging for lack of a better word around the neck plate for example).

The polyurethane finish that is standard, you need to give it a good knock to scratch or chip it, the cellulose finish that I have put on over the top of it will mark easily (that's just the nature of that particular paint, any paint system works by either chemical evaporation or application of heat to set it, Cellulose works by chemical evaporation and never truly sets 100% solid)

The Sunburst is still there under the blue and will slowly reveal its self in time, I'm not a fan of these artificially aged finishes (each to there own but I personally think you should earn your strips in that department) so all I have to do now is play it over the next 20+yrs and let nature take is course

 

[danny-79]

Did you strip it before painting?

Some of those sunbursts really don't come out well. Too much contrast compressed into not enough space before the pickguard begins. Nice work. Good decision.

I didn't see the point of stripping it down to bare wood, to start with i filled all the dings etc with cellulose putty, grey primer then top coat, it looked good but then i had the realisation that its not going to age well with all that grey stuff in between..........drrrrr
So i did the whole thing again, just very putting top cote straight on to an uneven surface (against my grain) but I'm now very happy with the end result, i know what's under the blue an you can still see all the knocks an dings in the original finish under the blue

 

[Dr Stankface]

That was exactly the process.

The end result was the simple one, no need to strip the original finish, just scuffed it up with Red Scotch finishing on Grey Scotch, panel wipe and spray. (Cellulose mix, based around Ford Bermuda).
Left it hanging up for 3x weeks then cut the paint down by hand with an off the shelf rubbing compound, then Turtle Wax (the old stuff still the best) left it another week for luck (the finish has to be 1 hard or you will end up with paint squidging for lack of a better word around the neck plate for example).

The polyurethane finish that is standard, you need to give it a good knock to scratch or chip it, the cellulose finish that I have put on over the top of it will mark easily (that's just the nature of that particular paint, any paint system works by either chemical evaporation or application of heat to set it, Cellulose works by chemical evaporation and never truly sets 100% solid)

The Sunburst is still there under the blue and will slowly reveal its self in time, I'm not a fan of these artificially aged finishes (each to there own but I personally think you should earn your strips in that department) so all I have to do now is play it over the next 20+yrs and let nature take is course

Is there any reason in particular that you went with cellulose as opposed to a catalyzed urethane? I know a lot of people prefer it due to the way it ages like vintage instruments. Of course I also don't know what the painting standards are in the UK. Would love to learn though!

Did you spray this in a downdraft booth? Did you use suction fed or gravity fed? You've actually inspired me and I'm now in the process of refinishing another bass of mine. Here's the refinish I did of my first bass. It's modeled after the Auburn football helmet.

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[sanderhermans]

So you put cellulose (nitro) paint on top of poly? I tought that didnt work...?

 

[Dr Stankface]

So you put cellulose (nitro) paint on top of poly? I tought that didnt work...?

If it was a fresh coat of polyester then I would say that going over the top of it with nitro would be an awful idea. With this bass having cured several years as long as you have a good scuffed or primed surface you should have no issues. Nothing in the cellulose will jeapordize the integrity of the existing finish.


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[danny-79]

Is there any reason in particular that you went with cellulose as opposed to a catalyzed urethane? I know a lot of people prefer it due to the way it ages like vintage instruments. Of course I also don't know what the painting standards are in the UK. Would love to learn though!

Did you spray this in a downdraft booth? Did you use suction fed or gravity fed? You've actually inspired me and I'm now in the process of refinishing another bass of mine. Here's the refinish I did of my first bass. It's modeled after the Auburn football helmet.

Forgot to copy paste and got my post deleted as was submitting it, again !
anyways in short possibly better any ways
Catalized urethane a.k.a Acrylic is what is found in 99% of rattle cans, and as I was doing this finish for the 2nd time around mainly because of how it would age with filler an primer poking through eventually so i thought why not mainly, also its hard to get and I managed to find some so .... we use down drafts at work J***air but mine was done at home, gravity fed gun and left to air dry.
The paint system in the shop is constantly evolving around water based (stopped using 2K around 05) depending on contracts insurers demands etc, plus i didn't fancy a colour under finish or baking the body

 

[danny-79]

So you put cellulose (nitro) paint on top of poly? I tought that didnt work...?

It will work, just prep it properly and don't expect it to stay flawless forever as what ever paint you use will be softer than the original poly finish

 

[Dr Stankface]

Forgot to copy paste and got my post deleted as was submitting it, again !
anyways in short possibly better any ways
Catalized urethane a.k.a Acrylic is what is found in 99% of rattle cans, and as I was doing this finish for the 2nd time around mainly because of how it would age with filler an primer poking through eventually so i thought why not mainly, also its hard to get and I managed to find some so .... we use down drafts at work J***air but mine was done at home, gravity fed gun and left to air dry.
The paint system in the shop is constantly evolving around water based (stopped using 2K around 05) depending on contracts insurers demands etc, plus i didn't fancy a colour under finish or baking the body

I think we are misunderstanding each other in regards to catalyzed urethane. What I'm talking about is a 2 component system (urethane based clearcoat and activator). Also most aerosols are an alkyd (or oil based) material as opposed to acrylic (or water based) due mostly to the solvents used in aerosols to make the material atomize correctly would make acrylic materials congeal. Another reason being that an oil based finish dries harder than water based. There are some though. Really this is me getting caught up in technical mumbo jumbo and I should just shut up.

I've sold water based automotive materials in the past but the technology hasn't quite picked up enough to be able to handle the heat and extremely high humidity of Florida. When the conditions are ideal though it's really a great product. Too bad those conditions seem to elude my part of the world.


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[danny-79]

I think we are misunderstanding each other in regards to catalyzed urethane. What I'm talking about is a 2 component system (urethane based clearcoat and activator). Also most aerosols are an alkyd (or oil based) material as opposed to acrylic (or water based) due mostly to the solvents used in aerosols to make the material atomize correctly would make acrylic materials congeal. Another reason being that an oil based finish dries harder than water based. There are some though. Really this is me getting caught up in technical mumbo jumbo and I should just shut up.


I've sold water based automotive materials in the past but the technology hasn't quite picked up enough to be able to handle the heat and extremely high humidity of Florida. When the conditions are ideal though it's really a great product. Too bad those conditions seem to elude my part of the world.

I Think I understand what you mean, I just called it 2k, its the best for auto finish by far, the water based system is the same principal just with out the solvents/oils, its better for the environment apparently but that's about it, give me the sun shine any day! (I'm the panel guy anyway lol )