My sixth project and third metallic, a '64' Fender Precision serial #L48115 in Candy Apple Red. Turned out this color after it had been completed in Olympic White but was then dropped on the floor causing enough damage that it was time to start over. The bass was previously a poor Olympic White relic.
Starting over didn't turn out to be a bad thing since this Candy Apple Red looks so good. Didn't realize CAR isn't metallic. So Rust-Oleum Premium Metallic was used to provide the 'flakes' and the gray undercoat. Fender used gray till '66', then went to a gold undercoat. After applying a base coat, the rest was 'dusted' on. Then the ReRanch Candy Apple Red. The first seven or eight passes were done real light as to not flatten the 'flakes'. Two three pass wet coats were then applied.

The CAR is like applying a clear coat to a metallic flake paint. It was very easy to apply. No problems getting an even application.

The picture on the left is with three coats of color. No clear or wet sanding yet.

The picture on the right is after seven coats of clear. Lightly sanded w/#600 after four coats.

A little chip from bumping the bass on the floor after seven clear coats and wet sanding, that's going to leave a mark. Will need to drop fill which doesn't seem to work with metallics as good as with straight lacquer finishes.

Wait four weeks for lacquer to dry


After 10 clear coats and hours of sanding and hand polishing.

Spent over a week having to redo the final sanding and hand polishing steps till it came out good.

Finished pictures.

The bass has all original parts except the pickguard, pots and knobs. The original tortoise shell pickguard didn't look right.
The color looks a lot like a '66' original Fender finish Candy Apple Red. The pictures below really don't capture the metallic quality of the finish; seem to have trouble photographing metallics.




Paint stand and painting room
  

May / 2003