Guitar Blog

The Project: Short-scale bass guitar - Pt 4: Putting things right

So, the doubts having settled firmly in my mind, I decided to go back to the drawing board, and stripped all the turquoise varnish off the neck. I then tried sanding down the finish I'd given the body, but it just wasn't happening, so I decided to re-apply the Nitro Mors varnish stripper and take it back to the bare wood again.

Re-removing the varnish

Staining the neck with Ronseal All In One

Staining the body and the neck (fingerboard masked off with tape)

Then, having sanded the neck until I was happy that it was nice and smooth and that there were no traces of turquoise left, I set to work applying the first layer of Ronseal All In One. I'd chosen a mahogany colour, which darkened the wood to a rich brown. It's so easy to apply, just wipe it in with a cloth. (Rubber gloves are adviseable though, because that stuff is so sticky!) After two hours I applied a second coat. Apparently two coats are all you need, but I think I'll go for at least four layers, because I'd like to build up a really nice finish on this.

When I've sanded down the body again, and got rid of all evidence of the disasterous turquoise finish, then I'm going to use the Ronseal on the body too.

And then it'll be re-build time!