Broken Bird refinish and repair

targa911S · 06:50 PM

Fixing a break in the red bird....I got carried away . Anybody know somebody who can inlay a fretboard? Maybe the old split blocks that Gibson used on the high end acoustics. I can't make up my mind though....Kerry green or Dakota red? I fell on the ice with her and this was the result, lucky it didn't just snap the neck off. Oh and before you vintage guys crap yer pants, it was painted twice before by somebody who can't paint. At least I can paint.

Kerry green same as Fenders surf green

Dakota red, same as Gibsons Cardinal red

I have also entertained the idea of changing all the MOP out for abalone and painting it Aubergine, if I can find it in nitrocellulose.

Big job, LOTS of color and clear coat sanding.

sc_rufctr · 08-30-2010, 07:03 PM

My vote goes to Kerry green.

Great effort!

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Aubergine would look pretty cool to me. It would be unique, which might hurt resale, but what do you care what your heirs can get for it.

stomachmonkey · 08-30-2010, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobra

Aubergine would look pretty cool to me. It would be unique, which might hurt resale, but what do you care what your heirs can get for it.

Refinishing it will hurt resale more than the color.

Guitar collectors want "original". So a beat up finish is worth a lot more than a pristine refinish no matter how well done.

Found that out the hard way many years ago.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Another vote for the Aubergine!

craigster59 · craigster59's Garage

Yer a blues man, Dakota Red.

sc_rufctr · 08-31-2010, 12:26 AM

It must be "Kerry green"

targa911S · 08-31-2010, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigster59

Yer a blues man, Dakota Red.

you are right of course. I was leaning toward Dakota all along and leaving the pearl dots and pick guard.

I know collectors only want original, but I don't give a flying fork about that. I will die with this bass anyway..

M.D. Holloway · 08-31-2010, 08:41 AM

Gots ta beez Red yo...now goes an blas dat axe...

Jim Richards · 08-31-2010, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobra

Aubergine would look pretty cool to me. It would be unique, which might hurt resale, but what do you care what your heirs can get for it.

WTF? Aubergine would make it priceless!

Sonic Blue or Surf (Kerry) Green

stomachmonkey · 08-31-2010, 09:04 AM

So the neck and body are one piece made from three pieces of wood with the "wings" added. The wings look like a different species of wood, darker.

I'd be really tempted to stain the wings a little darker and go for a natural two tone wood look.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

So the neck and body are one piece made from three pieces of wood with the "wings" added. The wings look like a different species of wood, darker.

I'd be really tempted to stain the wings a little darker and go for a natural two tone wood look.

Would look good like this with a butt load of clear!

id10t · 08-31-2010, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Would look good like this with a butt load of clear!

If the wood is nice enough, then skip the clean and just use an oil finish...

targa911S · 08-31-2010, 10:33 AM

My other bird is natural finish. High gloss nitro. This girl was repaired from the factory and there are a lot of flaws in the wood they covered up with the sunburst (original finish.)

"So the neck and body are one piece made from three pieces of wood with the "wings" added. The wings look like a different species of wood, darker."

yes, the wings are glued onto the neck/body, but it's not one piece of wood, it's a laminate of 9 full length pieces.. The neck is what they call a "log", or neck through. It runs the fulll length of the bass. Not just a bolt on or glued (set) neck.

targa911S · 04:49 PM

9 strips...mahogany & walnut

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

So if you broke the neck off, you would be well and truly boned.

I know they want OE finish with patina, but this is refinish #3 how I read it.

fritzgator · fritzgator's Garage

at this point,might as well do a tobacco burst. sure would look cool.

targa911S · 06:03 PM

Wellll my other bird was broken clean off where the headstock meets the fret board. I was playing on a stage in an old warehouse that had a support pole in the middle of the stage. I turned without thinking (these basses are HUGE) and whacked it on the pole. While I was in Florida, before he was famous, Mike Tobias was just another luthier in Orlando. So I sent it to him, he fixed it and it is solid as a rock. Has been for 20 years now. It stays in tune for months on end. So they can be fixed. The headstock to neck area is a common break among all birds. Probably 50% of the old birds are broken. The fact that unbroken ones bring a premium tells that story. They are badly balanced. The headstock is so big it's nose heavy. If you don't hold it it heads to the floor. Most of us just relocate the strap pegs and that solves it.

And...yes this is paint job #3. And I really don't care about "Them". This is a working bass.

targa911S · 08-31-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fritzgator

at this point,might as well do a tobacco burst. sure would look cool.

I believe that is what it was originally, But my other bird is a natural mahogany finish so I would like to have a bass with color.

targa911S · 08-31-2010, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by id10t

If the wood is nice enough, then skip the clean and just use an oil finish...

Not on mahogany, it would get sticky. It's too soft and porous. Now hardwoods? Yes.