maple neck lacquer touch-up advice needed!

[Sabu]

The '82 stingray I got this past summer had a few nicks and scratches in the lacquer on the maple neck (and a few on the body) but nothing that concerned me too much. But now with the drier winter air (I assume), these spots are starting to flake a bit and some of the nicks have exposed wood under the lacquer as it flakes off. This is especially prominent on the edges of the quasi-fingerboard where the frets are. Is doing a lacquer touch-up session pretty simple? I'd take the bass to a repair shop/luthier but I'm pretty broke for months to come, so if I can do it myself to prevent (or at least slow down) further lacquer damage that would be great. Also, do electric instruments suffer much in the winter from dryness? all the humidity-related info I've found so far is about acoustic guitars, with the occasional passing reference to electrics but nothing specific.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[JazzMasterWil]

I'm not really sure about the touch up work...... But, try to keep the bass away from heating vents and things like that. (No sudden changes in temp). And if you have a case or gig bag, when you're not playing it, keep it in there.

I really don't know much about humidifiers and stuff like that.... I've got a buddy in Ohio, and he keeps his guitar room pretty much "climate controled". He's a pretty serious collector with money to burn though.

Sorry I can't help more, but I do like your avatar.

 

[Light]

Touch up work is less difficult than it is expensive and time consuming. It requires certain chemicals which are difficult to obtain in smaller quantities.

The most important thing is to seal the wood, and for that purpose I would suggest either sanding sealer or shelac. Neither of these are going to do much for the feel or appearance of the instrument, but fixing either of those issues is MUCH more work, and is certainly not something you want to try yourself.

Even done by a professional, touchups on an instrument that old will never look perfect, by the way. The wood and lacquer have yellowed over the years, and no one has yet found a way to duplicate that color. And believe me, we try. We try a LOT.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Light]

Oh, and YES, you need to humidify your electric guitar. Keep it in the case with a soap dish humidifier.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Sabu]

Thanks for the responses people!

I'm not too concerned about the appearance of the bass, I don't plan to sell it, I just want to protect it so that I can use it for years to come. So perhaps the shellac thing will be fine. Sorry about my ignorance regarding humidifiers, I thought they applied mainly to acoustics due to all the exposed wood in those. This soapdish thing, I think you mentioned how to make one Light? I'll search for that thread. Will humidifying my bass guitars now be a problem? the furnace has been pumping dry air through the house for about a month at least, will my basses start going all weird with all the flip-flopping moisture differences?

 

[Light]

Will humidifying my bass guitars now be a problem? the furnace has been pumping dry air through the house for about a month at least, will my basses start going all weird with all the flip-flopping moisture differences?

No more wierd than not humidifing them will make them. They might need some adjustment, but that is better than the alternatives.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Newbie-Doo]

.... I've got a buddy in Ohio, and he keeps his guitar room pretty much "climate controled". He's a pretty serious collector with money to burn though.QUOTE]

Just get your buddy to give Sabu some of that burnable cash and his worries are over.

 

[Sabu]

.... I've got a buddy in Ohio, and he keeps his guitar room pretty much "climate controled". He's a pretty serious collector with money to burn though.QUOTE]

Just get your buddy to give Sabu some of that burnable cash and his worries are over.

This is possibly the best idea I've heard all week