Buck Owens inspired bass

[Scott]

Hi all,
Long time forum reader, first time poster. Thank you all for the inspiration, knowledge, and experiences. After 2 years of consideration I have decided to build a bass. After receiving some Christmas gift certificates I ordered an Alder Jazzmaster bass IV body and a roaster maple/wenge fingerboard jazz neck to go with it. I'm almost done polishing the body after many coats (sealer, white, pearl white, flake, clear (and more and more clear). It was my first time doing a flake finish. I am quite happy the way it turned out so far. I am also happy I was forced to watch Hee Haw as a child. I just hope Buck wouldn't be upset that I didn't build a tele.

 

[mayfly]

That's very cool! I love it!

 

[teleme01]

Very clean lines

 

[Rick]

You painted your own flake body! Awesome!

 

[Scott]

Very clean lines

Thanks! I was concerned when I shot the first color. I did red first and 1: didn't want too many coats causing a large step and 2: I didn't want it to turn out pink (The background is white with silver flake). I had the mix very red and did 2 thin coats. I used the froggy tape and it turned out great. There was one very very tiny spot I hade to scrape where it transitioned from the side to the back.

 

[Spud]

Hi all,
Long time forum reader, first time poster. Thank you all for the inspiration, knowledge, and experiences. After 2 years of consideration I have decided to build a bass. After receiving some Christmas gift certificates I ordered an Alder Jazzmaster bass IV body and a roaster maple/wenge fingerboard jazz neck to go with it. I'm almost done polishing the body after many coats (sealer, white, pearl white, flake, clear (and more and more clear). It was my first time doing a flake finish. I am quite happy the way it turned out so far. I am also happy I was forced to watch Hee Haw as a child. I just hope Buck wouldn't be upset that I didn't build a tele.


View attachment 61739

Your only a few stars away from an even cooler

Evel Knievel!​

Bass! Looking good though.

 

[Scott]

Your only a few stars away from an even cooler

Evel Knievel!​

Bass! Looking good though.

OMG! I didn’t even think of that. I am totally adding stars to the back. It will now be the Buck Owen’s/ Evil Knievel inspired bass! Thank you for the idea!

 

[Spud]

Jump on into it!

 

[Spud]

In all honesty it looks great as is bro!

 

[Jusatele]

I think it looks fantastic just as it is.

 

[Scott]

Thanks all very much. I have decided to keep on with the finishing and assembly process with this one and forgo the Knievel star. I do however have a cheap short scale electric body that I used as a guinea pig for this project. This was my first flake finish, first time using water based lacquer, and I had some new equipment. So I did everything to the cheapo body first. It still needs the last few coats of clear on it so I will add a few stars to that one before I finish it.

 

[Spud]

Thanks all very much. I have decided to keep on with the finishing and assembly process with this one and forgo the Knievel star. I do however have a cheap short scale electric body that I used as a guinea pig for this project. This was my first flake finish, first time using water based lacquer, and I had some new equipment. So I did everything to the cheapo body first. It still needs the last few coats of clear on it so I will add a few stars to that one before I finish it.

Gotta go with your gut!

 

[Eddie-Applegate]

This is absolutely fabulous, one of the coolest finish jobs i’ve seen on here

I’d love to know what equipment you ised to accomplish this fantastic result!

 

[Scott]

This is absolutely fabulous, one of the coolest finish jobs i’ve seen on here

I’d love to know what equipment you ised to accomplish this fantastic result!

Thanks so much!

I used 2 different HVLP spray guns and an air compressor (with a water trap and regulator valve). For the sealers/colors/clear coats I used a box store brand gun with a 1.4mm tip. For the flake I used a “Loose Cannon” gun with a 3.0mm tip. This gun is specifically for spraying large flake. I used a mix of .025 and .015 in silver flake mixed into water borne high build lacquer. I used the regular version of lacquer (not high build) with trans-tint for the red and blue, mixol for the white base coats. Then of course lots of sand paper and rubbing compound to get it shiny.

Very close to done so I should have some new pics soon!

 

[Scott]

Thanks so much!

I used 2 different HVLP spray guns and an air compressor (with a water trap and regulator valve). For the sealers/colors/clear coats I used a box store brand gun with a 1.4mm tip. For the flake I used a “Loose Cannon” gun with a 3.0mm tip. This gun is specifically for spraying large flake. I used a mix of .025 and .015 in silver flake mixed into water borne high build lacquer. I used the regular version of lacquer (not high build) with trans-tint for the red and blue, mixol for the white base coats. Then of course lots of sand paper and rubbing compound to get it shiny.

Very close to done so I should have some new pics soon!

Thanks so much!

I used 2 different HVLP spray guns and an air compressor (with a water trap and regulator valve). For the sealers/colors/clear coats I used a box store brand gun with a 1.4mm tip. For the flake I used a “Loose Cannon” gun with a 3.0mm tip. This gun is specifically for spraying large flake. I used a mix of .025 and .015 in silver flake mixed into water borne high build lacquer. I used the regular version of lacquer (not high build) with trans-tint for the red and blue, mixol for the white base coats. Then of course lots of sand paper and rubbing compound to get it shiny.

Very close to done so I should have some new pics soon!

And just as a statement of full disclosure: I am fairly new to spray finishing. Always glad to share my experiences, but, I have a ways to go before I would consider myself an expert.

 

[teleme01]

And just as a statement of full disclosure: I am fairly new to spray finishing. Always glad to share my experiences, but, I have a ways to go before I would consider myself an expert.

I use a similar disclosure "I did this and suggest you don't "

 

[Scott]

I use a similar disclosure "I did this and suggest you don't "

Right, I just don’t want someone spending $ on something that I mention when I have a sample size of 1 project with that equipment.

 

[Spud]

Your results are great. An even better way would be to use a full HVLP turbine setup and not a compressor. IMO

 

[Scott]

Your results are great. An even better way would be to use a full HVLP turbine setup and not a compressor. IMO

Turbine setup is on my wish list for sure!!

 

[Scott]

Short of some minor set-up tweeks and picking out a new strap the bass is complete. The sound is great! I still have to get used to it though. I've been playing (occasionally) a MIM jazz bass with monel flat wound strings for a few years now. I put pressure wounds (almost round wound) on this one. I had a hard time getting a good photo of the flake. It has some great depth to it in the right light. Learned a lot finishing this one. Like always- things I will do again and things I won't do again.

Alder body
roasted maple/wenge neck
Schaller BM Light tuners
EMG MMTW pickup
Gotoh 201 bridge