Custom bass with metal leaf

[baharjs]

This was from a square alder bass blank:  The inner carvings were done with a dremel tool and the finish was done using metal leaf

 

[Tweed]

Super wow!

 

[Cagey]

Nice work! Doesn't look like metal leaf, though. Maybe it's the lighting? Also, it seems really thick. Do you know how much it weighs?

 

[dmraco]

That is super cool and very creative. 

I am interested on how you will finish it.  I had some issues with a metal flake experiment a while back with the nitro not liking the adhesive I have for the flake.  I thought the flake would prevent a reaction but I was wrong.  I would try a tester before spraying that masterpiece.

 

[bagman67]

That's extremely cool.

Cagey, there are variegated metal leaf products out there that I suspect were involved here.  See, e.g., this product.

 

[baharjs]

Yea... I used a lot of different kinds of metal leaf on here (9um thick sheets), and I used a satin nitro spray finish over it.  I didn't have any issues with the nitro and adhesive, but I did notice that for the variegated leaf that had any blue in it the satin finish really ate up the color.  Not sure if that was a reaction or just the light.  I had to redo that a couple times, and I found that if I used a high gloss finish it was better. Still dulls it a little though.

And yes - she's freaking heavy!  1 3/4" thick....

 

[Hendrix]

nice work and design , remind me some steam punk look  :headbanging:

 

[Sovereign_13]

Digging the steampunk/Victorian clockwork vibe.  One day when I have woodworking skills (and a place to use them), I plan to whip me up a steampunk-styled guitar or bass.

 

[rgand]

Damn! Nice steam bass. Looks like it was a fun project. It's certainly a cool step away from the same old thing.

 

[BigSteve22]

Way cool!  :glasses9:

 

[Cagey]

...there are variegated metal leaf products out there that I suspect were involved here.  See, e.g., this product

Interesting, and thanks for the link. Didn't know there was such a thing, or such a variety. It's cheap enough to buy some just to experiment with, too. I'm wondering if it's thin enough to be buried under clearcoat, like decals, or if it could make it through a laser printer intact without hurting the printer. Or, hmmm...

 

[bagman67]

Yes on burying it in the clearcoat, absolutely waaaaaay to fragile for laserprinting on its own.  Indeed, you should probably either use a tight-grained wood or fill the grain before applying the size and then the leaf, so the leaf doesn't sink into the grain.  The leaf is probably thinner than the film of whatever coating you're likely to apply.

Something to keep in mind is that the variegated stuff might actually end up looking crappy if you lay it on as full sheets.  See, e.g., this job here, which - in my view, which is only my own - looks crappy:

But Ibanez did a George Benson anniversary model with a different variegated leaf product, which I would guess was applied as flakes rather than sheets, and it's kinda neat:

And finally, Fender did a real-gold-leaf Strat for Clapton a few years back, and it looks pretty nifty:

 

[Cagey]

I'm not up for anything so ostentatious as those bodies, I'm thinking more along the lines of highlights/accents.

 

[anorakDan]

Nicely done! Having had considerable experience with composition leaf, I have much appreciation for this bass body. Nice design and execution. Can't wait to see it finished!

 

[Tonar8352]

Nice work!

 

[ghotiphry]

This is cool stuff.