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PostPosted: Tue 02 Oct 2012 11:23 AM 
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Power Chorder
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Didnt realize this forum was here..great idea :)

So yet again here is my Vs600b refinish, not yet complete but progressing.
I bought it in a scruffy state, badly sanded down and brush varnished blonde with free dribbles!
my plan was to get as close to the headstock colour as possible (the neck is in great condition and wont be touched....much) using stain then oil rather than a coloured lacquer.

I decided on Colron wood dye in the dark mahogany and finish with many many many coats of the lovely Colron Antique oil which is Tung oil and "other resins" but leaves a really nice soft sheen finish, or will polish up glossy with something like Meguires (which I have yet to try)

I'll be posting links to my flicker page with the pics oldest first.


http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCjXh3W

I started off the arduous task of stripping it down...not for the fient hearted...I just could not get the old colour out of the end grain.
I then used Rustins Grain Filler diluted with the colron dye I'll be using to stain it, left it for 24 hours to dry then sanded off the remaining grain filler, horrible stuff.....just horrible :cry:

now to get up to date

I applied the dye/stain, another horrible job...never done staining before....talk abut streaks!...I just kept rubbing it in with the same cloth I started with until I lost most of the streaks and it started to dry a little, 6 hours minimum to dry then I'm to "rub off the excess with a clean dry cloth" which will happen tonight at some point.

thats it so far......All suggestions and opinions are most welcome :thanks:


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PostPosted: Tue 02 Oct 2012 12:00 PM 
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SgtVimes wrote:
...I applied the dye/stain, another horrible job...never done staining before....talk abut streaks!...I just kept rubbing it in with the same cloth I started with until I lost most of the streaks and it started to dry a little, 6 hours minimum to dry then I'm to "rub off the excess with a clean dry cloth" which will happen tonight at some point...
It's a little bit late now Sarge but...the recommended approach is to first seal open grain woods with a clear sealer to ensure evenness of the stain. :wink:

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PostPosted: Thu 04 Oct 2012 11:54 AM 
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Power Chorder
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I replied to this post yesterday....dont know what happened to my post....must have forgotten to hit "send" :blush:
Yeah Barry, I had looked into that and other methods but decided to just go with the grain fill/stain/oil finish.
I had seen quite a few finished guitars using this method and like what I saw....plus I'm on a tight budget....very tight infact, until I sell my Quantum bass that is :wink:
I'm just about to go apply the first oil coat now, in the shed...wife relegated me from the kitchen as she hates the smell :roll:


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PostPosted: Sat 20 Oct 2012 12:25 PM 
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Hello,

Just noticed this post. Did you do the bridge replacement, or was it this way when you got it? Just curious, it really does not look too bad at all, and anything is an improvement over the stock 3 point bridge IMO. :up:

Cheers,
sg


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PostPosted: Sun 21 Oct 2012 04:43 AM 
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Nice going Sgt!

The sanding down is a big process. I tried with direct stain with bad results in the past myself. I now seal the wood with oil first then apply the stain. To each his own but I prefer this method for an easy even stain.

Please do tell for the bridge, curious myself on the custom.

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PostPosted: Tue 30 Oct 2012 12:25 PM 
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Power Chorder
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well I'm just about finished with this refinish/resto

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCjXh3W

I used the flat razorblade scrape technique on the fretboard to remove all the bad varnish, and oiled the hell out if it. and removed the varnish from the headstock leaving the original finish underneath!
I used the Colron Antique Oil (Tung and resins) for the body only, 3 coats and sand back....3 coats and sand back etc, there is roughly 15 coats on this, I didnt manage to completely fill the grain so it still shows a little, but I like it a lot!
It has been "curing" hanging at room temp for 2 weeks while I waited for the bridge to arrive from china (5 1/2 weeks) and it arrived today, not great but not terrible.
I just need to sort out the mod bar for the bridge to correct intonation and protect it from bending up. and some new roto tapewounds.

Really happy with the colour/texture and overall feel of this bass, a BIG step up from my Westone Quantum...(for sale) :)


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PostPosted: Tue 30 Oct 2012 12:29 PM 
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Power Chorder
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Gribb59 wrote:
Hello,

Just noticed this post. Did you do the bridge replacement, or was it this way when you got it? Just curious, it really does not look too bad at all, and anything is an improvement over the stock 3 point bridge IMO. :up:

Cheers,
sg



It came to me like this, and it was ok...kinda.
it did play lovely but for some reason he drilled the holes for the brass plate on the outer edge of the original bridge cavity...leaving 2 ugly screw holes.....he could have just screwed into the cavity!


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PostPosted: Tue 30 Oct 2012 12:41 PM 
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Barry like! :rockwoot:
Nice job Sarge.

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PostPosted: Wed 31 Oct 2012 04:00 PM 
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thanks barry, gotta say I love this bass, now I'm on the lookout for a VS600 6 string to match :)


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