Finishing a body - getting overloaded

[Wraithwrider]

Hello all and greetings.
I’m new here, a bassist from the UK.
I built a Warmoth P quite a few years back and if memory serves correctly I used tung oil to finish a black korina body. I wasn’t entirely happy with the result and I’d like a harder and glossier finish for my new project.

I’ve bought a purpleheart neck with an ebony board and moon flow blocks. It looks spectacular and was on offer.

I’m looking to order a lightweight P body. I have osteoporosis and a spine that is voluntarily collapsing so heavy instruments aren’t ideal.

I’m thinking chambered basswood with a walnut top that will go well with the neck and a white pearloid pick guard.

I’m looking at using Z Poxy to grain fill and seal the body and top and give the basswood some hardness. Then I could use the same to build up and sand back followed by polishing.
Any thoughts? I’ve not used Z Poxy before but I have used Tru Oil with great success on necks.

I’m open to any suggestions including an alternative to basswood that is lightweight.

I’d be tempted to use Tru Oil but I’m not convinced there aren’t better alternatives.

Peter

 

[ziggyb]

I am also a bassist (lefty) and I live in South Florida USA....
I am planning to order a Chambered Basswood Dinky J body to modify a very heavy (11lbs) custom Jazz bass I built last year...
I am thinking chambered basswood will be super light ( my goal is 9 lbs) .
Going to spend the money and have a quilted maple laminate top added and do a Fire Burst Dye finish...
When I add my Fender Maple Jazz bass neck and install my EMG pup system I am thinking I will have a lightweight rock bass suitable for playing metal as well as pop and rock songs in my current band...
It looks like you're doing something similar so I thought I would reply.
I have a MusicMan Bongo 4 which is my main bass. All Bongos are made of basswood, sound great and are only 9 lbs...
Cheers!

 

[Wraithwrider]

I’ve ordered my body. It’s being processed. Roasted maple chambered with a bubinga top. I’m going to use Tru Oil for the body and the neck. I’ll seal and fill before many coats finishing with thinned Tru Oil and wax. It’ll be a long process. I’m looking for a gloss finish.
I’ve a Lollar pickup and black hardware.

 

[Hodgo]

Why not poly? Easy to apply, hard as nails, doesn’t require a bunch of thinned coats.

 

[Wraithwrider]

Because I enjoy the process and it does the job well.

 

[Hodgo]

Because I enjoy the process and it does the job well.

Fair enough. You were asking for alternatives, and poly is certainly harder, more scratch and dent resistant, and just as easy to work with IMHO.

 

[Wraithwrider]

Fair play. I was thinking Poly but that was a while ago. Having done a ton of research I’ve decided to stick with Tru Oil but use a different technique.