ShortScale.org

Okay, that is a lie; I tried to paint my bass once. I learned a lot, so I guess it was successful but I never got a good finished project, so I'm hoping this will end up well.

I recently got a MIM std Tele. The guitar had been relic'd and basically, I like (trying) to work on guitars as much as I like playing them . . .

So far I have bought a can of citristip because the finish was a homemade finish, so no tough plastic to get through. I also had an SX neck laying around, I figured I would refinish it for the practice. I'm going to use some kind of rub on oil for the neck but the wood on the body is too mismatched to do that. So, I'm asking for general advice that you wish you knew the first time . . .

Also, I would love to read threads that have completed builds, I tried searching but since 90% of the threads have specific questions and don't finish or only show the finished product I came up short.

Wish me luck

Does that white shit just get scraped off?

Yeah . . .

It is a pretty sweet paint stripper. Either it works or it doesn't though. So far, I have used it on a Squier tele and it worked perfect. A MIM Jazz bass . . . didn't even begin to touch the finish. This guitar is hasn't taken off the top coat but not the primer. Kind of obnoxious

afaik with MIM jazz basses, you'll have to use a heat gun. nothing gets past that particular paint job, for whatever reason.

Current progress: I decided to skip the priming stage because I didn't think it needed it but it did. The finish isn't very good on the back or sides but it turned out okay on the front, so I'm going to keep for a while. I will probably repaint again some time but this is good enough for now. Still needs to be sanded with 1000-2000 grit sand paper, then buffed.

I have taken all of the paint of that stupid SX neck. The wood underneath isn't too bad. Two piece neck, but other than that, I can't see anything wrong with it. I reshaped the headstock with some small hand saws and lots of time sanding . . . I had never done any kind of wood work in my life, so I'm pretty happy with the results.

I don't think I'm going to paint the fretboard. The sanding sealer is still on it, so I'm thinking about just leaving it and clear coating the back and headstock. I'm also not sure if I should reshape the heel of the neck for a Fender or leave it, so I can put this neck on an SX at some point and not have to worry about the stupid headstock.

Wowee, good job on the headstock.

thanks!

I'm thinking of putting some kind of custom decal on it. I hate the idea of putting a Fender logo on an SX neck and I hate the idea of a blank headstock too . . .