Refinish Question

[Steve Haynie]

I just got a 1982 Cruisebass off of eBay.

The back of the bass has been stripped right down to the mahogany. I want to spray the back with lacquer to protect the wood if a sweaty bass player such as myself plays an outdoor gig on the most humid day of the year. The pores and wood grain are quite large and there is a small amount of worming in a couple of places.

Stewart MacDonald sells two kinds of wood sealer that look easy to use, and one lacquer product that I am not going to try. ColorTone Waterbase Grain Filleris brushed on and leveled with a plastic spreader. There is also an aerosol sanding sealer.

I have tried looking at the Reranch products, but I get a login pop-up window when I click on that link. I want to do a clear sealer coat of lacquer and use a can of their cherry finish lacquer for the top coats.

Before I jump in I would like any suggestions on what to avoid or what to do. Which products work best for the least investment?

The goal is not to refinish the entire bass, just protect the wood. This bass will never be restored with a clear finish because of all the dings and necks around the edges. It does have the mahogany bass vibe that I was looking for, so I want to keep it a while.

[Stike]

The grain filler is only filling the wood pores, it's not a finish or even a sealer. For what you want just a few good coats of plain old lacquer will do the job.

If you don't care about a level finish (Gibson faded or that PRS satin for example) just spray a few coats of RR cherry an call it a day.

If you want a more traditional look hit it with a wash coat of clear lacquer, porefill, clear lacquer, sand, color, clear, wet sand, buff. This is pretty abrieviated but you get the idea.

[Steve Haynie]

Thanks. The abbreviated version is understood. I would not have thought to do the clear lacquer before the pore fill. The plan is to protect the wood and not make it look like a screwed up attempt.

[Stike]

Pore filler will color the wood if you don't have a barrier coat. Sometimes that's the look you want, other times no. You don't have to spray a sealer coat before filler. The old Gibson cherry over mahogany is red colored pore filler.