The Creation of
the Reverse Delgada 12:
First Act's First Custom
12-String Bass
Part 2
The pickguard routing template is created in the
shape of the pickguard and each of the three Lace "Alumitone" pickups are test
fitted. These are the "Alumitone 90" bass pickups.
The multi-ply pickguard is a slightly off-white
color called "parchment". This choice was suggested by Bill Jancar after he
recommended metallic Pelham Blue as a good choice for finish color. We bounced
a lot of ideas around concerning possible finishes but Bill's idea stuck
because it suited the retro-meets-futuristic vibe of the bass.
The 12 is wired up with one pickup and tested. It stayed this way for a short while in the Custom Studio and it is reported that several lucky people got to check it out during this time. It's almost certain that some of these people had never seen or played a 12-string bass before and we're sure it made a strong impression.
The hardware and electronics have all been removed and the fretboard is masked off in preparation for final sanding. All of the sanding is painstakingly done by hand to insure that all edges are sanded evenly and all lines are straight. The quality of the instrument's finish is determined by the sanding job underneath. At this stage of the game it really pays to take one's time and be detail oriented.
Now that final sanding is done to the neck and body, the entire instrument gets a coat of sealer. The sealer really brings out the colors in the mahogany. It's almost a shame to paint such nice wood. After the sealer is applied the mahogany body wings get pore-filled. This kind of attention to detail is why the First Act Custom Studio has quickly become a well-respected shop known for producing first-rate instruments. The sealer and pore-filler really bring out the character of the mahogany. Even on an instrument destined for paint the First Act Custom Studio guys don't cut corners with less-desirable pieces of wood.
Note the clever use of foam ear-plugs used to protect the brass threaded inserts for the bridge studs from the sealer.
Adios to the beautiful wood! After the pore-filler completely dries the 12 goes into the spray booth for its first of two coats of primer. A day after this coat of primer goes on, the bass will be sanded again and another coat of primer applied. The off-white primer creates an even finish that really shows off the body shaping Bill has done.
After all of the sanding and priming the 12 finally goes in for paint. The color is metallic Pelham Blue. Notice the dramatic difference in hues from different lighting and angles. The metallic quality of the paint grabs and throws light in different ways depending on environmental circumstances.
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Once the paint is completely dry the next step is the
antiquing process. This step "ages" the paint and binding in order to give
the bass the appearance of a vintage instrument. This aging, along with the
overall shape of the 12, will provide the "retro" part of the equation. The antiqued finish also helps to make the white binding match the off-white "parchment" pickguard and to give it the added touch of a vintage vibe. The Alumitone pickups, hardware, Gotoh tuners, and fretboard inlays will balance that with a distinctly modern edge. This blend was one of our primary goals in the project - balance old and new to create a 12-string bass unlike any other. |
The entire bass is scuff-sanded and leveled before the lacquer topcoat is applied. Once the lacquer dries it is sanded to 1500 grit. Off to the buffing wheel...
The buffing is complete and now we see what the finish really looks like - a Pelham Blue mirror!
After buffing the grain of the ebony headstock face appears much more subtle.
