89 Elan 4 Str

[jazzyvee]

Yeah it's a useful set of controls. The mids and top end is so bright on this bass that I usually have the treble switch on cut and hardly ever found a need to use the Q-switch. I can't really say when I bought it that I understood what the classic P-bass sound or a J bass sound was for that matter. I think if I was having one made with those pickups I'd be more inclined to have the G/D string pickup closer to the neck than the E/A strings as I find if the filter is at or nearing the closed position, the output balance across the strings tends to drop from the G/D strings. I would like to try thicker strings but due to the chrome plated hardware I can't really open up the nut or saddles without affecting the plating. Other than that it's a strong and versatile sounding bass.

[jazzyvee]

I am about to take this bass to a local high end bass maker (Jaydee) to have it refinished. Hopefully on Monday as i'm in that side of town.
I plan to have it refinished in a clear coat so that the quilted maple is much more clear.
I would like the finish to appear as bold as my series II europa.
http://www3.alembic.com/img/13095_bodyfront.jpg

I know that alembic use a polyester finish so will be requesting that same finish. But is there something else like a grain enhancement layer that needs to be done to get the quilt maple grain to show up as well as it does on my series II or will it naturally do that when sprayed with clear finish?
Not looking for trade secrets if it is,  but just hoping I can get the bass to be as dramatic in it's own way. I also have asked to have faux neck laminates painted in so that it looks like it has ebony neck lams through the neck back and front, and also the logo chrome plated to match the hardware.
 I would like to keep some of the original finish on the bass as a sentimental thing. My first thoughts were to keep the back of the headstock in purple.

[edwardofhuncote]

An amber wash over any figured maple will cause the grain to 'pop', often dramatically. Personally, I would do it under the clear.


I like the idea of leaving a flash of the original finish somewhere too. 

[jazzyvee]

Can you tell from looking if the quilt maple on my S2 has any kind of amber in the finish. It looks that way sometimes but i put that down to a trick of the light.

[jazzyvee]

This is the kind of classic effect i am hoping for, though i wonder if painted neck lams would look authentic or fake. Maybe if they were almost black it would look better under a satin neck.

[edwardofhuncote]

This is the kind of classic effect i am hoping for, though i wonder if painted neck lams would look authentic or fake. Maybe if they were almost black it would look better under a satin neck.

I tried to think of a way to do what you're thinking about one time, Jazzy. (as a rescue/restore on that sad Excel that bounced around eBay/Reverb for a while back) I was going to refinish it in a burst to hide some of the indececies, and try to somehow stripe the neck beam to have the classic maple/purpleheart effect. A pro shop could probably do this convincingly, masking and spraying with airbrush is tedious but possible, perhaps with waterslide decals even. The body would be fairly easy; the neck, especially where it joins the body, has some complex curves that would be difficult to simulate a flush joint. I would have made a mess of either, and opted to just go darker with the burst. Ultimately, someone else ended up with the bass, and it left my mind.


I'm anxious to see what you come up with.

[rv_bass]

It would look great stripped and refinished clear; but I must say, looking at your photo on page four that is a nice looking bass as is! 

[jazzyvee]

Yeah it is a nice looking bass as is, I just have a preference for natural wood on alembics and the quilt under the purple looks subtle but exposed it would be more "alembic". I decided not to do the same thing on my all black Europa since it seemed to get a lot of interest when I was thinking of selling it a while back. The Jason Newstead look was the appealing factor. So best leave well alone.

[mica]

We don't use any enhancements for bringing out the grain - it's just the wood. The clear finish does really magnify the figure inherent in the wood. Having the water clear polyester finish built up in many thin layers helps. I don't think the figuring on your Elan looks an incised as the reference you posted later.

Your Series II doesn't have an amber tint.

[jazzyvee]

I had a chat with the sprayer at Jaydee custom guitars yesterday and I have it booked in for a respray on Friday.
I'm scrapping the idea of the stripes because the guy told me that it will just look like painted stripes and not like it there was wood in it's place.

So it's all going to be clear finish except the back of the headstock which will remain the original purple colour, unless I change my thoughts by the time I get there.

[jazzyvee]

Well it's in the shop and will be about 5 weeks.

[mica]

Are we going to have to wait for the reveal to learn if the purple souvenir remains?

[jazzyvee]

Since it’s you asking Mica, we did discuss some options like the whole headstock staying purple or the back and sides of the headstock or a fade a short way down the back of the neck. But i decided to just go with leaving the back of the headstock and tongue purple. The finishing touch was going to be chrome plating the logo to match the hardware but he was reluctant to do it because it is so thin he couldn’t guarantee i would survive the process of buffing needed before plating.  They will be taking photos of the progress which of course i will share here. The stripping starts on Monday.

[jazzyvee]

Here is part of the reveal Mica. I got these photos a few moments ago.

[jazzyvee]

I took the opportunity to have a refret too as the existing ones have seen a lot of action.