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I getting ready to finish a bass I have been working on and would like some help with finish type and schedule. The bass is a maple neck through design design with a figured maple top and an ash back. I would like to finish the bass with a translucent finish. It has been many years since I have messed with any finishes but based on my limited experience I have a few guidelines I will be starting with. I would prefer to use a waterbased finish since I don't like to dealing with chemicals (VOC's, etc). I would also prefer somethings that is more workable like Nitro. (ie layer coats together, rub out, rework, etc) I would also prefer something that cures quickly (days not weeks). So with this being said...what grain filler, what sealer, what finish, how many coats, cure time, etc....

Thanks!

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Brad
Avon, OH

Tung oil or True-oil are both awesome on basses...

True-oil? Tell me more.....

Any pictures of either finish? How many coats? How do you deal with wood like ash (open pores) with an oil finish.

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Brad
Avon, OH

Hey man,

I have not yet tried the hand-rubbed oil finishes or french polish, but they do look good to me...If you remember when we were at Hesh's place looking at his guitars, I know he has hand rubbed at least one and you would be hard pressed to pick it out from the crowd...

I have tried some other finishes, and have settled in on a low VOC automotive poly...It is not as bad as nitro, and it dries to sand and buff in 8-16 hours (obviously, it takes a great deal longer to completely finish, but it will not mark like nitro early in its life). It looks really good...(and I spray it out of a preval unit)

Stephen

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www.ziegenfussguitars.com

Cures days not weeks? Well waterborne acrylic lacquer can be rubbed out in 7-10 days if curing conditions are right. French polish is a process where you both build and rub out as you go tru-oil needs some cure time but not as much as waterborne depending on application process. So you have several options but understand each has a distinct film appearance and attributes. don't expect nitro harness from a quick cure product. That is not to say inferior hardness just different type of hardness. Nitro is hard but has little elasticity as compared to French polished shellac or a true-oil finish. So you should play with a couple of the quick cure finish and see what best suites you.