Applying a Wooden Top

TTU Shredder

Junior Member
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Ok, so I am almost done stripping my old Squire Bronco Bass down to its bare bone. Surprise surprise when I got to the wood and saw that it was an ugly Alder (im guessing its alder). So what I was thinking while I was sanding the body down is: Would it be possible for me to apply a new top to the body? I wasnt thinking of doing anything super fancy, just something that would make the top look a little better with a burst paint job.

All I know about laminate tops is that they are usually 1/8 inch thick. Does anybody have any ideas or experience adding tops to old guitar bodies?
 
It would take a lot of work to plain that down to put a laminate top on it, probably more trouble than it's worth. You might just try applying a very thin veneer to the top, rather than a full lamtop.

If you search eBay for veneer you can find all kinds of stuff, this guy's ebay store has a lot of variety:

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/rjfritz123
 
I have thought about doing this with one of my Fender Talons with Iron-on veneer!
I think I am going to test drive it on an old squier body first :)
http://www.veneersupplies.com/default.php?cPath=51_90
 
I don't know anything about "iron on" veneer? Veneer is just extremely thinly shaved wood that is so thin that it's flexible. Most of the veneer on that eBay store link I posted are 1/42" thick. Once you've glued it down you can apply any finish on it you'd apply to a thicker piece of wood.

+1 on agathis or other scrap wood on the Squire, alder ALWAYS has grain....
 
I would not recommend using the iron on veneers. instead use a good yellow wood glue like titebond

veneering works best when you have a vacuum system and can bag it up with a caul. you might get decent results with a caul and good even clamping pressure. but be warned that if you don't get it flat, you don't have much you can sand away before you go thru the thin veneer

all the best,

R
 
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