Do I Need To Fully Strip The Guitar?

[Nalo1022]

I recently picked up a squire jazz bass for my girlfreind. I plan to add a flamed maple veneer and inlaying a clover on the he4adstock. What I'm wondering is if it is neccessary for my to strip the paint off the entire guitar or if i can simply trip the paint off the front adn some of the sides sand flush and then just use the prior finnish as a base coat? I plan to do a burst so if i scuffed up the old finnish that was left andsanded it flush and smooth noone would be able to tell. This is just an idea if anyone with more experience could give me reason not to do this im all ears.

[erikbojerik]

Since you're going Squier, I'll assume that you don't want to sink too much cash into this.

If you've done any veneering before, then I don't see any problems with that approach. Fenders have a thick polyester finish which I think would be a fine base for a veneer. If you're going to use a light-colored wood for your veneer (like maple) and the original finish is dark colored, then I'd put down a light-colored primer first.

If you've never done veneer before, I would not try this. You could do a 1/8" drop top much more easily than veneer (just take 1/8" off the top with a router), but now you're talking a bit more cash. Early in my building evolution, I tried veneer (with no prior experience) and decided after 3 veneer sets and 3 weeks of gluing, ironing and sanding it off...it was more hassle than it was worth, when I could just go and lay down a real drop top much more easily.

[Nalo1022]

hmmm well i was talking more along the lines of removing the finnish on the top of the bass and applying the veneer to that. I wanted toi use a venneer to make it easier to bend over the arm relief.

[Maiden69]

yes, you can go that route! Just sand the paint off the front of the guitar, and then blend the new paint to the sides (like a black back with a black burst over the veneer) I have just done one veneer job, and I don't like it, but that's my opinion, an 1/8-1/4 drop top will be a much better option atleast finish talking (the stain will be way better looking, and so will the figure) and the 1/8 can be as easy as the veneer and the 1/4 just a bit harder. The only problem is that you need to rout on those 2. And there is a tutorial on how to bend the 1/4 to comform to the "arm relief"

[Nalo1022]

thanks maiden upon a closer inspection i think i could pull off a 1/8 top without much routing the neck seems to sit a lil bit more above the boddy the usual so addig a 1/8th top wouldnt be too bad. Any opinions on a cheap place to get one im not looking for AAAAA figure just enough to be noticeable.

[Maiden69]

ebay, gilmers wood, fryovanni here on the forum! if he got a thicker one I think he might be able to slice it or if it is too close sand it to 1/8" and as of routing I was refering to the pockets, like the pups and the neck and body outline, with the veneer you just cut it wil an xacto or utility knife.

[Nalo1022]

lol oh ya durr just got in from work but thats what I'll do then.

this is a quick photoshoped idea of what im goin for, obviously the figure doesnt have to be the pronounced

http://www.deviantart.com/view/23047358/