Spray Painting your bass...?

[Joelbassman]

Well I found a can of white spray paint in my garage early on before and got to thinking that I would quite like my bass in white opposed to black.

Then I realise...I don't have one clue on how to actually go about painting it

So basically I need to know:

~ Do I have to sand it down first?

~I have to take the neck, bridge and pickguard off right?

~Can I just cover up the pick ups really well or do I have to take them out? I don't have a clue on wiring or anything.

~And will it be ready to play by tomorrow?

Thanks in advance help will be much appreciatated.

[BenJammin]

I'm some kind of stupid, but I believe you take everything off of the bass (pickups, bridge, etc.) and then you sand it down to the wood and then you spray the bitch.

[RhythmRyan]

My opinionon't spray paint your bass.

[Chips]

Spray painting won't go over so well. I think alot of people use car paint.

[fishingforbasses]

Yea defidently sand it (Use an electric sander, its hard to sand a guitar, your average guitar has usually two to four coats....)

I would take off the neck, as for your wiring problem, carefully cover all areas not to be painted with tape, so you don't need to worry about getting paint on them and then you can just take off the tape and no paint will be on the pickups ect
(use electric tape and make sure you get all the nooks and crannies on you bass!)

Will it be ready tommorrow?

Depends on the paint, but I would use the better quality, even if it takes longer to dry [We're talking about a bass here the coolest instrument in the world ]

EDIT:Take off the knobs and cover the pot shaft!

And if your pickups are connected to the pickguard, take off the pickguard and move it aside, it takes less time then to cover with tape. Make sure to put a prtective coating after it dries too!

Make sure to use even strokes, left to right, and right to left, there is an art to spraypainting just ask one of those "homies" out there!

Obviously take off the strings....

Good luck me friend!

[TurnOnTheLight]

I spray painted one of my older basses black with yellow stripes like an EVH kinda thing. Lemme answer your questions real quick and see if there's anything else I should add.


~ Do I have to sand it down first? Yes.

~I have to take the neck, bridge and pickguard off right? Yes.

~Can I just cover up the pick ups really well or do I have to take them out? I don't have a clue on wiring or anything. The pickups should be connected to the pickguard if it's a top routed bass. You can keep it all in one piece.

~And will it be ready to play by tomorrow? The painting process could take a while...

OK, if you are going to do this with spray paint. You're going to have to put a couple coats of primer on it. First sand your bass down to the wood. Spray on a coat of primer, let it dry. Take some steel wool and rub over it to smooth it out then put another coat on. Now steel wool it again and it should be ok to put the first coat of paint on. After you get the paint right, you might want to try to find a clear coat to go on top but it has to be compatible with the spray paint you put on there. When I painted my bass the first time, the clear coat made the paint crack, crinkle, and come off. Well, the only real problem I had after I got the paint right was when I put the neck and bridge back on, the action was very strange, it would buzz on certain frets, not on others and it was annoying me so eventually I took the damn frets off.

[Joelbassman]

Sliceanddice: I have band practise so if it won't be ready by tomorrow I cant practise

[fishingforbasses]

OK, if you are going to do this with spray paint. You're going to have to put a couple coats of primer on it. First sand your bass down to the wood. Spray on a coat of primer, let it dry. Take some steel wool and rub over it to smooth it out then put another coat on. Now steel wool it again and it should be ok to put the first coat of paint on. After you get the paint right, you might want to try to find a clear coat to go on top but it has to be compatible with the spray paint you put on there. When I painted my bass the first time, the clear coat made the paint crack, crinkle, and come off. Well, the only real problem I had after I got the paint right was when I put the neck and bridge back on, the action was very strange, it would buzz on certain frets, not on others and it was annoying me so eventually I took the **** frets off.

This is very impressive, and I would carry out all of this advise good job turnonlight.

Guess youll have to wait till after practice.... and yes you should use some steel wool

dont spraypaint the neck cavity thats what ruined turnonthelights intonation i think....thats my best guess never ever spraypaint a cavity, put tape in the cavity so that any runoff paint would get stuck in the corners, thats more sanding for you and after this, youll never wanna sand again!!!!

[Joelbassman]

Maybe I need to go see someone who knows what to do somewhere I live?

[Mr. Pickle]

Well i spray painted mine.

do u have to sand it? if you want it too look really good, then sand all the paint off, otherwise you could just sand a little of the original paint and prime it. make sure there are no areas where bare wood is exposed, otherwise the parts where wood is and where paint was is very distinguishable, b/c the paint sucks up the paint much fast and will suck up more of it.

what do u have to take off? TAKE THE NECK & BRIDGE OFF. and again if you want it to look really good, i highly suggest taking everything else off. for the pots and pups, just mark what wire goes where and re-soldering shouldn't be a big task.

when will it be ready? if you sand/primer/paint/clear coat it, there is no way it will be done by tomorrow. my bass took almost a week to finish and it looks like crap to be honest.

[Joelbassman]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickle

Well i spray painted mine.

do u have to sand it? if you want it too look really good, then sand all the paint off, otherwise you could just sand a little of the original paint and prime it. make sure there are no areas where bare wood is exposed, otherwise the parts where wood is and where paint was is very distinguishable, b/c the paint sucks up the paint much fast and will suck up more of it.

what do u have to take off? TAKE THE NECK & BRIDGE OFF. and again if you want it to look really good, i highly suggest taking everything else off. for the pots and pups, just mark what wire goes where and re-soldering shouldn't be a big task.

when will it be ready? if you sand/primer/paint/clear coat it, there is no way it will be done by tomorrow. my bass took almost a week to finish and it looks like crap to be honest.

This is a bigger task than I thought...

Might ask a professional.

[Mr. Pickle]

Originally Posted by sliceanddice

dont spraypaint the neck cavity thats what ruined turnonthelights intonation i think....

as long as the neck cavity is sanded smooth, the only thing that should happen is you might have to reset your intonation. i dont see how it could ruin it.

[marilynmansonisourgod]

if You Dont Know What The Hell Youre Doing Dont Do It

[trumpeter]

i understand you are new, so i'm gonna say it nice, please don't bump old threads, and please read the rules.

[EADG]

You'll go through all of that work and it will look like SHIT.

[BigBossBassist]

Originally Posted by EADG

You'll go through all of that work and it will look like SHIT.

...

[ViolenceBass]

i used this book, it worked pretty good.

http://www.paintyourownguitar.com/

[fathergoat]

Use car spray paint.

You don't have to sand it down (from my expierience) just scuff.

and take everything out to be safe.

Pickups should remain intact if you are using a basic bass.

/to tired to read previous posts

[Low_End_Communications]

Do a search, in Lessons and Articles for the Lesson I did on painting an instrument this summer.

[mabba]

MINWAX WOOD STAIN!!!.

So much better and not as hard to do.