Harley Benton Bass-Guitar Kit P-Style
4
Body finish
The first consideration to be made before assembling is to choose the preferred finish of the bass guitar body.
The basswood body of the bass guitar is sealed and prepared for various types of lacquer coating. A wide
variety of finishes can be procured from DIY, timber and automotive outlets in aerosol cans making finishing
straightforward without requiring specialist skills. The use of a dust mask is essential when spraying.
The first step is to check the fit of the body to the neck joint. The bass guitar is machined from high-grade tone-
woods to ensure optimum alignment. But all woods have a natural propensity to change the shape very slightly
over time. If the fit is too tight, a gentle adjustment using a sharp chisel or sandpaper may be required. Please
remember that the coating of lacquer will make the neck fit a little more tightly into the cutout.
Before coating the body, ensure that all surfaces are clean and free of dirt and dust. Conduct all coating pro
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cesses in a well-aired, dust-free environment. Slow and patient progress is the key to a good quality of the
body finish and it is recommended to test the colour and technique on a spare piece of wood first.
A hole is drilled in the neck cutout so that it can be suspended by a hook for spraying and drying or alternative
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ly, a spare length of wood can be screwed in place of the neck in the cutout as a handle.
Spray on the edges of the body first and allow the coat to become touch dry. Once the edges are dry, continue
on the rear and then on the front of the body. Gradual and smooth passes will ensure an even coat. If there are
any imperfections, allow for to become fully dry and then sand out with fine grade (e.g. 800+grit) before re-
spraying. Apply three or more coats for full coverage.
Finally, after allowing two to three days of drying to fully cure the finish, then buff or polish the body as required
to give the desired level of gloss. Take care not to buff too vigorously as this may remove the finish.
Neck finish
The neck of the bass guitar is supplied sealed with a light coat of matte lacquer and is ready to use. If prefer-
red, the neck can be finished with a colour or gloss lacquer. If so, do the following.
The rosewood fingerboard does not need coating with lacquer, so it is important to mask off the exposed rose-
wood and frets prior to spraying. Ensure all parts to be sprayed are free from dirt and dust and that the envi
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ronment is dust-free and well-aired. The use of a dust mask is essential when spraying.
Choose a good quality, clear or lightly tinted wood lacquer aerosol for the neck and begin at the front and sides
of the headstock. Start with a gradual, even pass to apply a thin coat, allow drying (to be touchable) and repeat
this two or three times. Take care not to apply too much, which may cause runs. If this happens, sand down
the area and re-apply evenly.
After the headstock has become dry, turn the neck over and lay it down on its fingerboard. Repeat the above
process for the rest of the exposed maple.
Allow two to three days for the lacquer to fully harden and then, if desired, polish the lacquered surfaces to get
a suitable shine.
